The Effect of Steam on Wood Floors
Wood floors can keep their luster and their shine for many years if they are treated properly, and good cleaning is a part of maintaining wood floors. Steam cleaning uses a machine or a mop with a steam attachment to spray steam on a wood floor. While using steam to clean wood floors significantly reduces the amount of water that ends up on a wood floor when you mop, there are some serious effects that make steam cleaning a poor choice for wooden floors. Does this Spark an idea?
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Water Damage
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Steam cleaning may leave behind too much water on the wood floor. While water does pick up dirt, it can also get into the wood. While most floors are sealed to prevent water and other liquids from penetrating the wood grain, unsealed wood floors don't have this protection. Some sealed floors may also have patches where the sealant is too thin or where sealant was not applies. Once the water gets in, it will start to warp the wood.
Enlarging Scratches
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Even on a sealed and finished wood floor, there's a chance of water getting into the wood through scratches. A scratch in the finish creates an opening where water can get into the wood. If this continues to happen, the wood around the scratch swells, causing the scratch to become much more noticeable. If this is left untreated, the swelling spreads, warping the boards around it.
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Alternatives
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Avoid cleaning your wood floor with mopping or with steam. Instead, sweep the wood floor on a daily basis in order to remove any dust and dirt before it has a chance to get ground into the wood or into the finish. Once or twice a week, vacuum the wooden floor to pull dirt out of the crevices and corners. If absolutely necessary, use a very small amount of water and cleaning solution to pick up stains or spilled liquids.
Warning
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Check your warranty before you attempt steam cleaning a wood floor. Many wood floor manufacturers consider steam cleaning to be detrimental to the floor itself, and you may find that steam cleaning at all will void your warranty.
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References
- Photo Credit texture of red wood - can be used as background image by Elnur from Fotolia.com
