The practise of spring cleaning has dated back centuries and is still a tradition that many people follow. After emerging from a dark and cold winter, why not deep-clean your home before the warmer weather sets in? Don’t forget your wood floors while you’re at it. Dirt, grease and oil will naturally build up on your floor, therefore by giving it a deep clean you can ensure that it always looks its best. These tips are not exclusive to the spring though. They apply whether you choose to clean during the spring or any other time of the year. Happy cleaning!
Getting rid of small particles
Use the soft brush attachment on your vacuum to collect any dust, dirt particles or pet hair. Another option is to use our microfibre mops. These excel at removing dry dirt. Microfibre mops can be used both wet and dry. Dry particles like hair and dust are much easier to clean when dry.
Mop up the rest of the dirt
Use an ordinary mop or our microfibre mop with some water to clean your floor but make sure to wring it out first. You also don’t want to leave large puddles on your floor. If you use too much water, you can cause water damage to your wood floors such as discolouring and disfiguration. Follow the grain of the wood when mopping and change the water when it becomes cloudy. Leaving a window open to air dry your floor will also help to speed up the drying process. Do not use a steam mop on your flooring. The steam can cause your floor to expand and contract, which can cause serious damage to the appearance of the wood and may cause the floor to lift.
Lift furniture
Dragging furniture across the floor can wear your floor away and can create permanent scratches and indentations. If you are moving furniture around to clean, make sure you lift it up off the floor and place it instead of dragging it. Placing felt pads under the legs of your furniture can also help with protecting your wood floor. As the name suggests, felt pads are made of felt and are adhesive on one side. They come in a range of sizes and thicknesses so there should be plenty to suit your furniture. At Canadia, we offer these felt pads or we also have our Canadia castor cups. These castor cups are placed at the bottom of the legs of your furniture and have felt underneath which helps protect your floors and keeps your furniture looking neat and tidy.
Monitor sunlight levels
Wood is a photosensitive material. This means that it reacts to sunlight. Depending on the species of wood and the finish, sunlight can cause fading, bleaching or darkening in hardwood floors. These changes are inevitable, as it is impossible to completely avoid UV exposure unless the room has no windows. It is possible to delay the effects though. While you are doing your spring clean, consider moving the furniture and rugs around the room so that different areas are exposed to the sunlight. By doing this, you can blend the colours to minimise the effect that the sun’s rays have had.
With all of these tips and tricks, there is no excuse to skip over your floor when it comes to your spring clean. The floor is the focal point of the home after all. The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and your home is soon-to-be ready for the longer days and warmer months.