Cleaning Finished Wood Flooring
There is something about the sun shining on a clean finished wood floor that makes me want to lay my face down on it. I want to press my cheek against the warm wood and imagine skimming across the flat clean surface, swerving around the chair legs, and sliding along the baseboards. I can’t help it. Clean wood floors fill me with a child-like joy. Fortunately, they are not only enjoyable to lay upon, but they can also be easy to clean and easy to keep clean.
Let’s discuss some of the major benefits of cleaning finished wood flooring as opposed to cleaning carpeting.
A Swift Sweep
Whether you prefer a microfiber duster or the traditional broom, sweeping a finished wood floor is simply a breeze. The best thing of all is that when you are done, you can be self-assured that you have gotten all of the dirt. There is a certain satisfaction and confidence that comes from a confirm-able clean floor that a freshly vacuumed carpet never quite allows.
Additionally, you can maneuver a lightweight broom around and under furniture before you can even get your vacuum out of the closet and unwrap the cord.
Mopping Mambo
Mopping finished wood is almost as easy as sweeping them. You can choose to use a chemically formulated store cleaner or a simple mixture of vinegar and water depending on your personal preference. I am personally fond of cleaning my floors with a little bit of dish soap and water. It works like a champ and it’s cheap as chips.
My big secret to a streak-free wood floor is stepping on an old frayed bath towel and mamboing across the wet floor, soaking up any residual water. I’m left with an instantly dry floor.
Now, compare that to the effort and expense of hiring a carpet cleaning service to come to your home, renting a small do-it-yourself steamer, or buying one yourself. Even with the fancy cleaning products, you are never quite sure all the dirt was taken care of. And to top it off, you could have to wait up to a whole day for your carpet to dry before you can walk on it.
Splatter and Spill
Accidents and spillage on a finished wood floor are a cinch to wipe/sweep up. Crayons, permanent markers, and even candle wax can be removed in a fairly straightforward manner.
A wet spill on a carpet will have you on your hands and knees scrubbing and standing for ages on a folded towel to wick up the fluid.
Have you ever tried to get candle wax out of a carpet? It’s not fun, let me tell you.
Allergens and Pathogens
Anyone with allergies will tell you that wood floors are a blessing. Even after vacuuming, carpets can harbor not only dust mites and dust, but molds and pet dander too. For someone with allergies, this results in unnecessary discomfort and irritation on a regular basis. Finished wood floors are easily dusted and washed weekly to keep allergens at a minimum.
Keeping floors their cleanest is particularly important for families that have kids that crawl on the floor. Infectious viruses and bacteria not only hitch a ride into the home on the soles of shoes, but when exhaled in air born form, the humidity in the room will attach to the particles and cause them to fall to the floor. In order to keep your crawling kids the healthiest, perfectly clean wood floors provide the best protection. Who knows what kind of party pathogens have in the mysterious padding under a carpet!
More Benefits of Finished Wood Flooring
• Fast to clean on a daily or weekly basis
• Very low cost cleaners
• Can dry them quickly and walk on the floors instantly
• Spills and accidents are easier to wipe up
• Cuts way down on allergens
• Cuts down on molds and other pathogens
• Babies love to play on it
All floors get dirty. It’s the nature of the surface and the effect of the gravity all around us. What we want is a surface that is not only beautiful, but also easy to thoroughly clean without much money. We want babies to be able to scoot about freely and noses to remain clear. And, we want to actually live in our home without worrying about the occasional inevitable spill. What we want is the sleek finish of a wood floor and the benefits it provides.
