How to Clean Blackened Oak Floors

Hardwood flooring, such as blackened oak floors, requires weekly cleaning to keep its glossy shine. Over time, improperly cleaned wood floors can become dingy and hazy-looking as dust and dirt accumulate on their surfaces. Spills or liquids left on oak floors can warp the planks, damaging surrounding boards, and cause them to lift out of the floor. Cleaning wood flooring correctly and removing spills and stains promptly keeps your blackened oak floors looking fresh and new.

Things You'll Need

• Broom or dust mop
• Sweeper without a beater bar
• Hardwood cleaner
• Terrycloth mop

Instructions

1. Remove rugs and chairs from the blackened oak floors.

2. Sweep the floors with a regular broom or a dust mop. Move the broom or dust mop under table legs and around the corners of appliances to catch all the dirt and grime in these areas.

3. Vacuum the oak floors with a sweeper that has no beater bar. The sweeper sucks up embedded grime that may hide between the planks in the flooring.

4. Spray a hardwood cleaner over a 3-foot-by-3-foot section of the oak flooring. Using a soft terrycloth mop, wipe the cleaner over the floor until it shines. Move to the next section of flooring and spray the cleaner. Using this procedure, clean the entire floor.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray the hardwood cleaner on stains and rub with a terrycloth for spot-cleaning between regular cleanings.

• Place felt furniture protectors on the bottoms of chair and table legs to keep them from scratching the oak floors.

• Scatter rugs in heavy-traffic areas to protect the wood flooring from excessive wear and tear.

• Never use ammonia or oil soaps on wood floors as they can strip away the shine.

• Never use a wet mop or leave spills lying on the wood floor as the liquid can swell the boards.

References

• World Floor Covering Association: How to Clean a Hardwood Floor
• Pioneer Thinking: How to Care for Solid Wood Floors