Clean Your New Hardwood Floor
Protect your
investment! Follow these few basic guidelines for weekly
maintenance of your wood floor, and it will look new for many
years to come.
Please note: this
information specifically applies to flooring finished with
a polyurethane finish and follows the basic guidelines
established by Boa Franc (the manufacturer of MIRAGE flooring).
This may not be the same for every
brand of wood flooring... ask your supplier for
specific advice!
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Always vacuum
or sweep the floor to remove all traces of dust
or abrasive residues before cleaning. The grit acts like
sandpaper and will do more damage to the finish than years
of clean walking. |
 |
Spray lightly some MIRAGE cleaner on a small section
of the floor or directly on the terry cloth mop. DO
NOT wet mop the floor. This may leave
puddles of water, that can leak down between the boards
and cause the finish to lift from underneath. |
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Wipe the floor with the mop,
lengthwise using a back-and-forth motion. Finish one section
before starting another one. Check to make sure no
cleaner has been left on the floor. |
With Wood Flooring Never....
-
Never use wax, or oil-based detergents. They leave a sticky
residue on the surface of the wood and prevent the polyurethane
from shining. Essentially you are creating a wax based
finish on top of your polyurethane finish, that now requires
buffing to maintain shine.
-
Never use a
standard acidic cleaner. It is preferable that
you use the MIRAGE products, but if that is not available
choose one that is labeled Neutral Cleaner. Even a mild
acid like vinegar or lemon based cleaners, will over time
pit the polyurethane finish, and ultimately reduce the
shine of any wood floor.
-
Never allow large
amounts of liquid to puddle on any floor for long periods
of time. The finish will prevent most liquid from penetration,
but what you are concerned about are the seam lines between
the individual boards. In the dry Northern Ontario winters,
all wood flooring shrinks to some extent as it comes to equilibrium
with its environment. This makes the joints between the boards
somewhat looser in the winter, and more likely to allow moisture
to seep down underneath. Water and wood do not mix. Water will
cause the finish to lift and discolour the wood.
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Never use a dirty
mop! Any grit caught in the mop will scratch the finish
when used.
-
Never drag heavy
furniture across your wood floor without something underneath
the feet to prevent scratches and distribute the weight. Better
yet, if you can lift it up to move, you will eliminate any chance
of scratching your floor.
With a Wood Floor Always....
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Always sweep regularly to remove sand & abrasive dust!
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Use doormats at all entrances. This will help to catch and prevent sand from
getting onto your hardwood floor.
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Use a rug in front of your kitchen sink.
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Use floor protection
under all furniture legs. Felt pads will help to
prevent scratching. Where the furniture is very heavy,
and neatly balanced on very small legs, it is highly recommended
that you use rigid pads that will distribute the weight
across a much larger area.
-
Maintain a
relative humidity as close as possible to 45% year
round. Hardwood is a living substance which reacts to
changes of relative humidity. It absorbs or releases humidity
according to seasons. Consequently, its dimension changes.
These variations can be minimized with proper ventilation,
dehumidifying or heating.
-
Leave your "high
heel" shoes at the door. Damaged or worn high heels
may expose a metal tip which will certainly damage your hardwood
floor.
-
Trim your pet's nails. They will scratch your floor. The quality
of the MIRAGE finish will mean that most of these scratch
will only dent the wood and not remove the finish, but
it is still much better to reduce the risk by trimming
your pet's nails. No finish can totally resist this abuse!
We carry the complete line of MIRAGE cleaning products in stock
at Lacasse Fine Wood Products: mop kits, spray bottles and
concentrated cleaner. Let us know if you need product.
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