Floor Care

Do

  • Sweep, vacuum, or dry dust mop regularly.
  • Use cleaners recommended for no-wax wood floors.
  • Use mats & throw rugs of natural materials (solid rubber backed rugs can trap moisture) at doorways and in front of sinks.  Keep rugs clean.
  • Wipe up food & other spills immediately with a slightly dampened towel.
  • Remove black heel marks with a soft cloth and mineral spirits.  Other solvents may damage the finish.
  • Check for sharp edges on vacuums, toys, bed frames, etc., that could damage the floor.
  • Use thick felt furniture glides. Grit encountered will be forced up into the felt rather than into the finish.  Glides do compress over time and lose their effectiveness, so heavily used chairs and bar stools should have the glides replaced one to four times a year.
  • Keep high heels in good repair.  They exert a high amount of pressure per square inch and may cause the floor to indent.
  • Keep the claws of large dogs cut short; they may indent the wood.

Do Not

  • Wet-mop a floor.  No beads of water should remain on the floor.
  • Dust mop with sprays (i.e. Endust, Pledge, etc.).  Also be careful of over-spray while cleaning furniture.
  • Use waxes or oils or acrylic polishes on a wood floor. Doing so will not allow inexpensive recoating of the floor in the future.  Instead the floor will have to continually be maintained that way or it must be sanded and finished, a more expensive procedure.
  • Use an unapproved cleaner. Avoid products that claim to leave a shine. They leave a soft finish residue that will not hold up and can cause problems.
  • Drag heavy objects on the floor; compression of the wood may result.  Put thin pressboard or plywood down and drag on it. Rugs, towels, etc. will not work.

General Cleaning Instructions: For general cleaning, all major wood flooring companies offer acceptable cleaners.  Additional options can be found anywhere cleaners are sold, but make sure they are for no-wax floors. Some easy-to-find approved cleaners include Liquid Pledge, Bona, Wood Wise, Squeaky Clean, and Bruce. With a spray bottle, spritz a workable amount on a mop or cloth and go over a small area; then buff dry (“Swiftees” work great!).  Continue until the entire floor has been cleaned.

When luster does not return to traffic area, call Brookens Wood Floors at 217-415-1889 for recoating with a polyurethane finish