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General Flooring Care & Maintenance
IndoTeak Design's wood flooring products are among the finest wood flooring products in the world. Wood flooring - especially reclaimed, old-growth wood flooring - is one of the most durable flooring options available. With proper care and maintenance, wood flooring can provide generations of use and beauty.
The key to maintaining wood flooring is proper and consistent care & maintenance, as outlined below.
Everyday General Maintenance
For everyday general maintenance, the primary goal is to keep the floor as free from dust, dirt and grit as possible. Dirt and grit are the foremost cause of scratching to the finish and the floor. By remaining vigilant about dust, dirt and grit, your wood floor will stay beautiful longer and require less refinishing over the years.
With the above point in mind, sweep, dust mop, vacuum or wipe the floor with a slightly dampened rag as needed. A wide, soft, flat dust mop is the easiest and quickest to use for general dusting. You may place a slightly dampened rag under the dust mop for a general damp cleaning.
Damp wipe the floor, per above, once a week with a diluted solution of Murphy soap or Pure Castille Soap one to two cap-fulls per one gallon of water. Remember to use caution when applying water to the floor - excessive water can damage wood flooring. Always wring rag to a slightly dampened condition before applying it to the floor.
Use only a vacuum type appropriate for wood flooring. There are several vacuum manufactures with models and styles appropriate for wood floor care. The unit must have a long hose and a wand with soft-bristle or horsehair attachment heads. The unit must also have 'soft' wheels. Brooms should be soft-bristle types. The dustpan should be a 'soft' plastic type to avoid scratching.
Everyday food and liquid spills should be promptly cleaned with a lightly dampened cloth. If the stain is oil-based (cooking grease for example), and will not wipe up with water, apply a small amount of liquid dish soap, diluted with water, to a rag and lightly wipe the area. Wipe the area dry with a clean, cloth rag. This liquid dish soap solution should only be used to clean small spot areas, not an entire floor.
Swedish floor-care company Bona also offers a range of high-quality wood flooring care & maintenance products that are also environmentally friendly. Bona products can be found at most home and hardware stores.
Long-Term General Maintenance
Some flooring professionals recommend a full recoat of urethane every two years for floors where color is a concern. This helps ensure that the proper amount of finish is protecting the color at all times.
In terms of refinishing, this varies from floor to floor depending on a variety of factors. A local flooring professional is best able to advise on long-term maintenance and refinishing.
Preventative General Maintenance
Protect bottoms of chairs, tables, couches, cabinets, and any heavy object with felt glides. These are available at most hardware stores. Clean and/or replace the glides on a regular basis, as they may become imbedded with dirt and grit over time.
Doormats on either side of all entry/exit doors are strongly recommended. Gritty dirt tracked onto the floor is the floor's worst enemy. Area rugs are also suggested for heavy traffic areas, such as in front of sinks and in hallways.
Keep high-heel shoes in good repair. Testing shows heels that have lost their protective cap, and have an exposed fastening nail, can exert over 10,000 pounds of pressure per square inch with each step. This is enough pressure to damage even concrete. Heels with exposed nail heads will result in scratches and even dents.
Do Not:
- Do not use excessive water on the floor.
- Do not use commercial waxes bought at the grocery store. They contain fillers, which will build up and reduce the beauty of the wood and necessitate extra maintenance.
- Do not use an ammonia-based solution to clean your floor.
- Do not use treated dust mops. They can dull the flooring and adversely affect the finish.
- Do not use Endust, Pledge, commercially made hardwood floor cleaners or other dust collecting and finish cleaning solutions. They can cloud the finish. (As noted above, Swedish floor-care company Bona offers a range of high-quality and environmentally-friendly care & maintenance products that can be found at most home and hardware stores.)
- Do not drag furniture or heavy objects across any wood floor.
- Do not drag a vacuum with hard plastic wheels across any wood floor.
- Do not use a hard-bristle broom or metal-edged dustpan.
- Do not allow pets with untrimmed nails to walk on the floor.
- Do not hesitate to consult a flooring professional with any questions or concerns.
Generations of Use and Beauty
Consistently following these simple guidelines will help ensure a life-span of many generations for your Indo Teak reclaimed wood floor. The floor will take on an even richer, deeper luster and patina with age, time and proper care.
