How to Make Prefinished Wood Floor Look Good

Basic household supplies make prefinished wood floors aesthetically appealing.

Although strikingly similar to conventional hardwood floors, prefinished wood floors feature preinstalled factory finishes and extended warranty. Like conventional hardwood, however, prefinished wood inevitably collects grime, especially in the grooves between the planks. Dust, dirt, spills and crumbs also make prefinished wood floors unhygienic and overall visually unappealing. Since prefinished wood floors are typically coated with urethane-based finishes, clean these prefinished wood floors as you would any polyurethane-finished hardwood floor. Regularly cleaning prefinished wood floors improves and preserves their appearance.

Things You'll Need

• Vacuum with crevice attachment
• 1/4 teaspoon dish washing liquid
• 2 mop pails
• Stirring utensil
• Sponge mop
• Soft towels

Instructions

1. Vacuum the prefinished wood thoroughly to extract loose debris. Glide the crevice attachment over grooves between each plank to remove hidden grime.

2. Squirt 1/4 teaspoon of dish washing liquid into a mop pail. Add in 1 gallon of warm water, and then stir the solution.

3. Fill another pail with warm water. Use this plain water only for rinsing the mop.

4. Moisten a sponge mop in the detergent solution. Wring the mop thoroughly, draining out all excess solution.

5. Glide the damp mop in back-and-forth motions across the prefinished wood planks to remove food and drink residue, dust and dirt particles. Follow the wood’s natural grain lines.

6. Continue mopping the prefinished wood with the detergent solution until the entire floor is completely clean. Rinse the sponge mop as it becomes grimy.

7. Buff the prefinished wood floor with soft towels. Absorb all moisture and detergent residue to reveal the wood’s shine. Do not rinse the prefinished floor.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute a dry dust mop for the vacuum.

• Excessive moisture damages prefinished wood floors.

• Abrasive cleaning products damage prefinished wood.

References

• ServiceMagic: Pre-Finished Hardwood Flooring: The Same but Different
• Mayes Wood Flooring: Benefits of Pre-Finished Wood Floors
• Real Simple: How To: Clean Hardwood Floors