How to Care for Floating Hardwood Floors
Manufactured in two ways, most floating hardwood floors consist of either sliced-cut veneer or rotary-cut veneer, glued together. The inside core of the floating floors contains hard wood that supports the tongue and groove system. With a lifespan between 40 and 80 years, floating hardwood floors require special care to help maintain their luster. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Soft broom
- Vacuum with a brush and crevice tool
- Terry cloth mop
- Bucket
- Water
- Floating hardwood floor soap
- Clean cloths
- Rubbing alcohol
- Throw rugs or scrap linoleum
Instructions
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Sweep the floating hardwood floor regularly with a soft broom to prevent debris buildup. Depending on the location of the floating floor and how much traffic it sees, the floating hardwood floor may require daily sweeping. Use the brush and crevice tool on your vacuum for an even more through job.
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2
Mop the floating floor to remove dirt. You will usually need nothing more than a soft terry cloth mop and a bucket of clean water, but for tougher jobs, use a soap specifically designed for floating hardwood floors.
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Use clean cloths to wipe up spills immediately when they happen. Sop the spill up with the cloth and use a second cloth the wipe the area clean. In cases of sticky spills, a small amount of floating hardwood floor soap and water applied to a clean cloth works well.
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Apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to a clean cloth in order to remove ink, paint or crayon from the floating wood floor. Simply rub the stain with the cloth containing the rubbing alcohol. Use a second clean cloth the buff the shine back onto the surface.
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Cover the floating hardwood floor with a throw rug or a scrap piece of linoleum when moving appliances or furniture. Despite the quality construction of some floating hardwood floors, they can still scratch when an item scrapes along the surface.
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Tips & Warnings
Placing felt pads underneath the legs of heavy furniture will make it easier to slide the furniture and to help prevent scratching.
Refrain from using waxes or shine enhancers on the floating wood floor. Doing so could ruin the finish. If cleaning leaves behind a residue, simply buff it out with a damp cloth.
Do not saturate the floating hardwood floor when you mop it. Wring the mop out well before applying the water or soap solution to the floor and, if necessary, use a clean dry cloth to sop up any water accumulation.
