Keeping Your Engineered Oak Flooring Dust-Free: Dust and debris collect on the surface of the floor over time. If left on the floor, dirt and rocks can ground into the floor and scratch or damage the top layer of hardwood. The most important point to keep an engineered flooring in good shape is sweeping or vacuuming frequently. If you have kids or children, you need to clean the floor daily.
Otherwise, sweeping two or three times a week should be enough. Use only a soft-bristled broom to sweep dust from the floor. Pay special attention to high traffic areas such as entryways. Sweep dust and dirt into a dustpan and throw it away. If you prefer, you can also use a vacuum cleaner to make doubly sure that dirt and dust are removed. Always make sure that vacuum the cleaner is lightweight and in hardwood-mode.
Hardwood-mode disables rotating bristle bar that otherwise can cause irreversible damage to the surface. In addition, you can use a microfibre mop to remove dust your broom have missed or blown into the room. Microfibre mop is less abrasive and eliminates the risk of washing with water or scratching the wear layer of your hardwood flooring.
It is recommended to clean your engineered oak flooring once a week with a microfibre mop. You may want a super-clean flooring or prefer not to use a microfibre mop. In this case, mop the floor with a slightly damp traditional mop. Afterward, clean excess water with a towel. In some cases, a slightly damp yarn mop in useful for cleaning light spills and stains. You can save yourself some burden of sweeping and mopping by putting doormats and rugs at entrances. It is better to place rugs both inside and outside of each entrance.
This will catch dust and mud which otherwise would be tracked into the house. Don’t forget that rugs and doormats themselves need regular cleaning or else, dirt and mud will be pulled from rugs to your home. Shake rugs outside at least once a week.
Cleaning spills and stains
The best strategy to clean a spill is wiping it up as soon as it happens. If a liquid spill remains on the floor for a long time, it could soak into the floor and damage the veneer layer or even cause a permanent stain. Some stains require the application of a liquid cleaner rather than water. Please note that engineered hardwood flooring should only be cleaned by a liquid cleaner approved by the floor manufacturer. You can contact them by phone or email to ask for a recommended cleaner.
Never use bleach or harsh chemical as they may cause persistent damage. Although it may look same, products designed for cleaning vinyl or tile flooring should not be used as they may harm your engineered floor. Because vinegar and ammonia could wear away or mar the veneer layer of an engineered board, you should avoid using them as a liquid cleaner. While a steam cleaner is a useful tool for cleaning carpet floors it should not be used on an engineered wood floor. A steam cleaner can cause damage to the top layer and plywood layers by forcing the moisture into the wood.
If a part of the flooring is extremely dirt, stained or have spills on it, you can clean it up using an approved liquid cleaner. Carefully apply a small amount of liquid cleaner on the spot and dab or wipe gently with a sponge mop or a clean cloth until the stain has been removed. If it is necessary, add more liquid cleaner Never use a harsh brush or steel wool to clean an engineered floor including oak hardwood flooring. To clean hard-to-reach stains you may need wiping by hand. Pour some drops of cleaner to a cotton cloth and wipe the stain softly. Don’t forget to collect excess cleaner from the surface by a towel paper or a piece of cloth immediately.
Minimising scratches and dents
Although oak engineered hardwood flooring withstands scratches and dents better, as any wooden floor, some items should be taken into to keep it in the best condition. Heavy furniture can scratch the floor surface. When moving your furniture don’t pull them on the floor. Place furniture pads under legs and castors to prevent scratching. As it may damage wear layer of the floor, don’t allow children to walk on the floor with stiletto or spike heels. Some engineered hardwood flooring can be sanded and refinished to get rid of surface dents and blemishes. Due to limitations in the thickness of the wear layer, this can be done up to 2 or three times.
The best way to keep an engineered oak flooring is to broom or vacuum daily, clean with a microfibre or a slightly damp once a week and wipe spills and stains quickly. For removing spills and stains only application of liquid cleaners confirmed by the floor manufacturer is recommended. If maintained properly, oak engineered flooring can stand the test of time and provide charm and warmth to the room.