How to clean wooden floors

Parquet's fatures

Thanks to its excellent characteristics of strength and resistance, for centuries the wood has been the building material most used by man.

The natural color of the wood depends on the color of the cell walls and on the color of the substances present in the interior of the cells. The color of the wood is a characteristic variable in time: its exposure to air and light entails sensitive variations of the cell walls color.

Among the special qualities of a wood flooring stand out the good thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, wear resistance, hardness and elasticity.

The parquet floor is a wooden surface which can be treated in different ways and apart from giving a very elegant look to the house, it also gives special tactile and welcoming sensations. However, a part from being characterized by a so very delicate material, the floor also needs special attention to be cleaned: this is the reason why the floor is often avoided in areas of the house such as the kitchen and the bathroom.

Parquet ordinary cleaning

The parquet flooring is difficult to maintain: it is subject to phenomenon such as light and moisture, which may change its color or make it swell or retire over the years, and it is sensitive to different substances that could damage it or stain it dangerously.

Substances to be avoided on wooden floors are the liquids in general and particularly aggressive substances such as alcohol or bleach. But also substances used in daily cooking as oil, milk or wine.

Even water is not a great friend of parquet, you need to ensure that it is not poured in large amounts, if this should happen dried it immediately to avoid marks and spots even under backlit conditions, but the water used in the right way, can still help in cleaning.

In prefinished oil, wax or paint parquet, the finishing achieves optimal protection around 20-30 days after laying it, if placed in light and air, in healthy environment with humidity (45-65%) and constant ambient temperature ( 16-22 ?).

During this period you should exercise more care and use soft footwear. In the event of having to progress to other jobs of shipbuilding in the premises, it is advisable to protect the parquet covering it with thick soft breathable non-stiky material to ensure that the works to be carried out on the premises do not cause scratches, dirt and bruises to the surface of pre-finished parquet .

The periodic cleaning must be carried out by passing on the floor with a vacuum cleaner brushes for parquet or, alternatively, using electrostatic wipes. The floor can be washed or enhanced in need as provided in the data sheet of the used product, using mild detergent and a suitable revitalizing protective emulsion.

Avoid any use of foam, abrasive, acidic, corrosive substance, both chemical and natural, which might damage the surface. Pay attention also to the use of excessive water: between a slab and the other there can be microcracks that favor the penetration: the moisture can make the wood to swell and causes damages.

The oiled parquet needs to be renewed periodically (once or more per year), depending on the wear, treating it with oil (this is a very simple operation).

For finished surfaces with paint the renewal of the parquet is performed by using polish or a wax emulsions that preserve the lacquering in a good condition.

Extraordinary recovery operations should be evaluated with technical skilled professionals, using smoothing and consequent finishing of the surface.

Some practical tips to protect your floors

To maintain the characteristics of a parquet floor as long as possible and to make it dirty as little as possible, there are some general rules to follow that are valid for all types of flooring:

1) always ventilate the room in which it is placed the floor;

2) maintain the room temperature from 15 to 22 C and keep the relative humidity of the room air between 45% and 65%: the parquet in fact tends to shrink and swell with the dry air with the air moist. While maintaining temperature and humidity at the right point, you can avoid dangerous cracks and fissures;

3) avoid covering for a long time the parquet with carpets and avoid those which lose color;

4) during the washing, do not pour water directly on the floor, but always use a moistened cloth;

5) protect the parquet in the case of work and always use products for cleaning and maintenance recommended by the suppliers;

6) always keep a doormat at the entrance to prevent dust and traces from shoes, for the same reason, always use slippers or flaps as much as possible;

7) always use felt pads under the chairs, so that they don't scratch the parquet;

8) do not use vapor that could damage the surface preferring instead brooms or fringed cloths specifically for the cleaning of floors, to prevent scratching and effectively remove dust and traces.