How to Maintain an Engineered wood Floor

So, you’ve finally decided on getting a new floor in your home. Next comes the tricky part, which floor is best for you and your property? If you’re looking for something sturdy and natural you may be interested in solid wood, however this can be quite a pricey option. Let us instead introduce you to engineered wood flooring. Engineered wood flooring replicates the look of a solid wood floor perfectly and is actually easier to maintain long-term. Where a solid wood floor would need extra attention, and engineered product is far better able to withstand day to day wear and tear. Once you’ve decided and installed an engineered wood floor, you’ll need to know about how to look after it, so without hesitation, lets look at how you can keep your gorgeous floor looking as good as they day you bought it.

Day to Day Care

You should sweep, mop and vacuum at least once a week. This might sound like a hassle, but once incorporated in to your regular cleaning routine it is no hassle at all. Keeping your floor dust and grub tree will stop any build up from occurring. Similarly, picking up any bits of grit or dirt from shoes will help to prevent scratches that will damage the surface layer. When mopping your engineered floor, make sure it is simply damp as an excess of water could damage the floor causing it to swell. Stains can easily be prevented by attending to the spill straight away. These floors are far more forgiving when it comes the those odd food and drinks marks, so long as you make sure you see to them as soon as they happen, this will stop any pigmentation from sticking to the product.

Avoid Detergent

Detergents, such as ammonia found in bleach, should never be used as a cleaning product for engineered floors. These products could permanently damage the flooring and may cause some discolouration. Same goes for wax based products. Instead, stick to your old fashioned warm water and soap to get the job done. Try to avoid using hard water, this can encourage the wear layer to diminish. Aim to use soft water where possible. 

Use Mats and Rugs

We don’t mean use a mat to clean your floor. However, mats are a great way of protecting your floor against scratches and scuffs. By placing a matt at your front and back door, you will essentially have a filter that collects dust and other debris. Similarly, using larger rugs in rooms like kitchens, bedroom and lounges will also protect your floor from damage. Using a rug under furniture such as a bed or sofa for example will not only add beautiful decor, but will protect your floor from scratching under the feet of the furniture.

Vinegar

Is there anything white vinegar can’t do? It seems to be the one thing cleaning tips always come back to and for good reason. White vinegar is excellent at buffing up and bringing shine back to furniture, including your floors. Always mix white vinegar with water though, this stops the vinegar from becoming too overpowering. The mix needs to have 200 ml of vinegar in 4 litres of warm water. When using white vinegar and water to clean, first you need to remove any dust or dirt from the floor by giving it a quick sweep or hoover. Once the floor has dried, go back over it with just warm water on its own to remove any vinegar residue. This is a timeless cleaning tip, so long as you can stand the smell!

Hopefully these few maintenance tips will keep your home and your floor looking spic and span.