One of the many myths about wood floors is that they are difficult to clean and maintain. That may have been true long ago, but now, with the high quality finishes available, wood floor upkeep is quite simple. In fact, it is no more laborious than cleaning any other type of flooring surface. Many people even claim maintaining a wood floor is much easier and more trouble-free. I personally feel wood is the easiest flooring to maintain.

It is a good practice to sweep and dust your floor on a regular basis. Keeping dirt off the floors helps preserve the finish. The manufacturer of your finish can make a recommendation as to which cleaners will work best and not leave a contaminating residue on your floor. Goodwin is also happy to help you research and select the brand and option best for you.

According to the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), regular sweeping or dust mopping is generally sufficient to maintain polyurethane and surface finishes. Be sure to never wax a surface finish floor or use vinyl or tile floor care products. You may also use cleaners recommended by the manufacturer.

NWFA suggests wax and penetrating-stain finishes be maintained the same way. If the manufacturer recommends, you may also use a buffer to maintain the shine.

If the manufacturer recommends, you may be able to use a dampened mop to maintain some surface-finished floors if you feel it is needed. The NWFA discourages damp-mopping a waxed floor. Remember, excess moisture can cause damage. If you should spill something on your floor, wipe it up immediately with a damp cloth and clean with a recommended cleaning product.

And, that is pretty much it. Keeping your floors clean and shiny is really that easy! I agree cleaning wood floors was more difficult back in the days prior to the high-end finishes we have today. Goodwin recommends and uses only premium finishes on all of our wood. And, our friendly experts are always available to answer any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!