The Two Easiest Ways To Clean Prefinished Hardwood Floors
Cleaning hardwood floors requires extra attention and care to make sure it stays in top condition and ensure you have clean hardwood floors at all times. So we put together this cleaning checklist and ultimate guide on how to clean prefinished hardwood floors to explain in detail the most effective ways to clean your floors without damaging them.
We’ll first talk about the pros and cons of prefinished hardwood floors and then get into all the hardwood cleaning tips.
What Is Prefinished Hardwood?
Prefinished hardwood is hardwood flooring that has been finished with a protective coating before it is installed. It’s different than unfinished wood where it requires sanding, sealing, and staining after installation.
The most common types of finishes used in prefinished hardwood include polyurethane, aluminum oxide, and acrylic. The purpose of these finishes is to allow the wood to be scratch resistant, more durable, and be protected against moisture.
However, some of these can be potentially toxic. Choose prefinished hardwood finished with water-based polyurethane or pre-finished hardwood with natural oil sealers like linseed oil. The latter is the most non-toxic option but it’s less durable and usually harder to find.
Pros and Cons of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
Pros of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
The biggest advantage of prefinished hardwood floors is it saves a lot more time since the finish is already applied before installation. The floor can be immediately used after it’s installed so you you don’t need to wait for the finish to dry.
Typically, prefinished hardwood floors are higher quality and more durable because they’re produced in controlled factory conditions. They’re also more resistant to moisture, stains, and fading which makes them easier to clean.
Compared to on-site finished floors, prefinished hardwood flooring has less volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odors because it’s finished in the factory and not on-site.
Cons of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
Prefinished hardwood floors are typically less customizable because it already has predetermined finishes made before installing it. If you have a specific image of how you want your floors to look, it might be hard to find an exact match.
Also, if your prefinished hardwood gets damaged, it may be harder to repair than unfinished hardwood flooring. With unfinished hardwood, it can be sanded down and sealed easily. But with prefinished hardwood, you may need to replace the whole floor entirely.
Since prefinished hardwood floors are installed with tongue and groove joints to connect the individual planks, there may be some visible seams between the planks. These seams may accumulate dirt and moisture over time.
How to clean prefinished hardwood floors?
Dust or Vacuum Weekly
To keep your prefinished hardwood floors in top condition and clean, dust the floors regularly with a microfiber mop or microfiber cloth at least once a week. This will remove loose dirt and debris.
We recommend using a microfiber mop over a brush because the broom bristles can easily scratch the prefinished wooden flooring.
But if you prefer using a broom, make sure the bristles are extra soft. If you prefer a vacuum cleaner instead, make sure it has a soft brush component to prevent scratches.
Mop Monthly
To deep clean, use a wet mop to clean your hardwood floors every month. This deep cleaning method will remove dirt and debris that are stuck the wood floors.
Use a damp microfiber mop to remove any mild dirt and grime. After mopping, make sure there is no water puddles left on the floor because this can potentially cause damage to the floors. Here are some tips to keep in mind while wet mopping:
- Do not soak your floors: This can lead to streaks. Only use a damp mop to wipe your floors.
- Figure 8 cleaning method. Use a cleaning method called “figure of 8” technique and clean in small sections at one time to keep track of already cleaned surfaces. To do this, twist your mop in a figure eight motion side to side.
- Use a Gentle Floor Cleaner: If you need to use a hardwood cleaner for a deep clean and to get rid of those stubborn stains, use a non-toxic cleaner like this one.
Getting Rid of Streaks & Avoiding Streaks
Follow these cleaning tips to avoid streaking:
Use non-damaging house cleaning products: Avoid using harsh cleaning products or abrasive cleaners that can damage the finish. We recommend the Aunt Fannie’s Hardwood Floor Cleaner which is safe for your hardwood floors and is great for cleaning heavily soiled hardwood floors. We have a post all about the cleanest and safest floor cleaners here.
Clean spills immediately: Once liquids are spilled on the hardwood floors, clean them right away to prevent any streaks. To clean them, use a damp cloth or mop. Make sure no moisture is left on the surface.
Avoid excessive liquids: Don’t use excessive floor cleaner product or water on the floors. And make sure to wipe away all the excess liquids using a microfiber mop.
Follow the grain: As you’re wiping away, it’s best to follow the grain of the wood to prevent streaking.
Sweep Frequently: Buildup of dirt and debris can also cause streaking. So make sure to dust and sweep at least once per week to get rid of it.
And when you spot any streaks on wood floor after mopping, here’s what to do:
Use a dry microfiber cloth: The first thing to try is to use a dry dust cloth to buff the streaks out. You may have applied too much floor cleaner.
Try another mop. If the cause wasn’t the excess cleaner, then the mop you used to clean may be contaminated and has leftover debris and dirt. Try using another clean mop and use a bit of floor cleaner to mop the floors.
What cleaner to use on prefinished hardwood floors?
The best cleaning product for prefinished hardwood floors is Aunt Fannie’s Hardwood Floor Cleaner. It’s a concentrated plant-based floor cleaner that easily breaks down dirt, grease, and grime made with 100% essential oil blends. It’s also vinegar-free.
If you’re worried about streaks, there’s no need to because this is also one of the best streak-free hardwood floor cleaners that leaves your floors looking shiny.
With over 25,000 ratings on Amazon and a 4.8/5 star rating, this Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is the one of the most popular hardwood floor cleaners. It has a pH neutral formula, is residue-free, and is water-based so it won’t damage your wooden floors. It also has a Safer Choice label, is non-toxic, and is GREENGUARD Gold Certified.
Some other non-toxic floor cleaner recommendations:
Blueland’s Multi-Surface Cleaner is the best cleaner for factory finished hardwood floors if you prefer to be more environmentally conscious. It comes in a tablet form and to create the cleaning solution, all you do is to drop the tablet in the bottle with water. Every time you need a refill, you just need to purchase the tablets and reuse the bottle.
Blueland Multi-Purpose Cleaner
Frequently Asked Questions On Prefinished Hardwood Floors
How to restore shine to prefinished hardwood floors?
Using a small amount of non-toxic hardwood floor cleaner can easily restore shine to prefinished hardwood floors. To go a step further, you can use a hardwood floor polish to restore the shine even more.
How to clean dirt in grooves of hardwood floors?
The best way to clean dirt in grooves of hardwood floors is to use a vacuum with a floor brush attachment to get into the cracks. To do a deeper clean, you can apply a bit of floor cleaning solution to the brush.
Can you use Murphy Oil Soap on prefinished hardwood floors?
Murphy Oil Soap is bad to use on prefinished hardwood floors. Since it’s an oil, it can penetrate through the polyurethane finish and into the wood.
Can you use vinegar on prefinished hardwood floors?
No, it’s not recommended to use vinegar on prefinished hardwood floors. Since vinegar is an acid, it can break down the finish of the prefinished hardwood floor and over time, reduce its shine.
That’s a wrap on how to clean prefinished hardwood! Cleaning prefinished hardwood floors is easy if you follow this step by step guide and use the right cleaning solutions and a make it habit to do routine cleaning. If you’re cleaning yourself and not using cleaning services, these how to clean prefinished hardwood floors tips will come in handy.
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