How to Care for Polyurethane Hardwood Floors

Care for your polyurethane hardwood floors properly.

Finished hardwood floors contain a protective polyurethane coating that seals the flooring, thereby preventing spills and damage to the hardwood. This coating is also designed to add a slight gloss appearance to the flooring, providing a clean, crisp finish to the hardwood. To properly care for the polyurethane hardwood floors, you need to follow a few simple cleaning guidelines that will overall give you the most out of your hardwood floors.

Things You'll Need

• Area rugs
• Floor mats
• Dust mop or vacuum
• Cleaning mop
• Bucket
• Water
• Vinegar

Instructions

1. Dust mop or vacuum your flooring every few days to collect loose dust that dulls the gloss appearance of the polyurethane.

2. Mop the hardwood floors weekly with a solution of 1 gallon water and 1/2 cup vinegar. Mix the solution in a cleaning bucket. Dip a mop in the cleaner and pull it back out, squeezing out as much water as possible.

3. Wipe the mop over the hardwood floors, following the grain of the wood. Allow the floors to air dry.

4. Place floor mats at all entryways, as this will collect dirt from shoes before a person walks across the hardwood.

5. Place area rugs under furniture and around seating areas to protect the floor from scuffs and other damage that commonly occurs in high traffic areas.

References

• Family Homestead: Homemade Household Cleaners