When it comes to hardwood floors in an office environment, you are basically trading durability for beauty. Hardwood floors may look and feel sturdy, but they are delicate on the surface. If you use them on the floors in your office, they will require special maintenance if they are to last a long time and still keep their beautiful appearance.
Watch Out For Sand And Dirt
Any small coarse substance is the bane of a hardwood floor’s existence. Sand, dirt, gravel and anything similar can scratch the surface of hardwood floors. It may not be noticeable at first, but those scratches will start to add up and will eventually become very visible. So the first and most important thing to do is sweep. Sweep well, and sweep often.
Sweeping every day might be excessive, but at least once or twice per week is probably a good idea. If, like in an office setting, you must wear shoes on hardwood floors, it is advisable to put rugs down by the entrance the highest traffic areas to significantly reduce the amount of these types of coarse substances that makes its way unto your hardwood floors.
Use Water Sparingly
Excessive water is a good way to permanently damage your hardwood floors. Put simply, wood absorbs moisture very well and moisture will eventually start causing your wood floors to shrink. Once the shrinking begins, you will start to notice gaps between the boards. That is obviously undesirable.
Your best bet is to use a damp cloth when you need to clean your floors. Whatever you do, never dump water on the floors or use a dripping mop. It may seem easier in the moment, but it will become a huge hassle in the long run.
Consider what would happen if you use water just enough to create imperceptible gaps between boards, then someone spills something on the floor. The silt liquid will seep into those cracks and end up beneath the floor where it can cause all kinds of problems like odour or mold.
Use The Right Products
Just because it is made for cleaning, does not mean it is made for hardwood floors. If you are going to clean hardwood using chemicals, use the chemicals that are specifically made for hardwood floors. Even among the cleaning agents that are made for hardwood, there are different kinds for different kinds of floors.
Do your research. Never settle for the wrong cleaner, or you may make a mess that cannot be cleaned up. Hardwood floors can be costly enough to begin with; it is no good creating extra costs by using the wrong products to clean them.
With hardwood floors, you have to think long-term. Often times, the fastest way to clean up a mess is the worst way in the long run. Take the time to know what you need, buy what you need, and use only what you need. They may not be the easiest floors to clean, but if you treat them well, they can last a lifetime.
For more information on how to care for the hardwood floors in your office or to have North Kent Cleaning Services clean them professionally for you contact us at 01634 271 173 or info@northkentcleaning.co.uk
