Engineered hardwood is an extremely popular flooring choice, and for good reason. While having the same appearance as regular hardwood, engineered wood products are cheaper, have better resistance to moisture and can even have superior acoustics. An engineered hardwood installation is usually much easier than a solid hardwood installation of the same size.
If you have engineered hardwood floors in your home, you might be wondering about the best way to keep them clean and looking their best. If so, read on as we walk you through some engineered hardwood homecare tips.
When It’s Time To Clean Engineered Hardwood
It’s easy to notice when your hardwood floor is due for a cleaning – dust, dirt, pet hair and other debris have nowhere to hide. It will probably be obvious to you when it’s time to clean, but depending on how much traffic and dirt your floor is exposed to, once a week is a good cleaning rhythm for most homes. It’s also a good idea to do a light sweep or vacuum daily.
It’s important to clean engineered hardwood floors promptly, as dirt or debris can cause scratching on the finish of your floor. A bit of preventative maintenance will allow you to go longer between applying new coats of finish. It will also stop stains, discoloration or other issues from building up and requiring you to deep clean.
Beyond dust or debris, you might also notice staining, dullness, or other issues. We’ll discuss how to address these as well.
Materials You’ll Need
You’ll need a variety of cleaning products to keep your floors in top condition. Remember, before you use anything on your floor, make sure you check to ensure that it’s safe to use and compatible with hardwood! This is critical to avoid damaging your floors.
Here is our recommended list of cleaning supplies:
- Microfibre Mop: This is our preferred way to remove dirt and dust from a hardwood floor. A microfibre mop is gentle, doesn’t require moisture, and is easy to use.
- Vacuum (Optional): A vacuum is another great choice for easy daily cleaning of dirt and dust. If you do want to vacuum, just ensure that your attachment is soft and won’t scratch or damage your hardwood flooring.
- Hardwood Floor Cleaner: There are many products available, or a simple solution of vinegar and water is also very effective. Again, just double-check that whatever you use is compatible with your particular engineered hardwood product.
- Deep Cleaning Product (Optional): There are a variety of products on the market designed specifically for deep or spot cleaning your hardwood. Again, just make sure it’s compatible with your floor!
- Microfibre Cloth: For deep or spot cleaning.
Best Way to Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors
Besides your daily cleaning with your vacuum or microfibre mop, it’s good to do a full cleaning at least once a week.
Before cleaning, dust as usual to remove obvious dirt. After this, simply make a solution of floor cleaner and water before applying sparingly to your microfibre mop. Smoothly and evenly apply the solution to your floors, promptly removing any excess moisture. After cleaning, let your floors air dry.
If you encounter staining or grime that you can’t remove with your wet mop, it’s time for deep cleaning. Using either your regular cleaning solution or your deep cleaning product, apply in circles using your microfibre cloth until the offending spot is gone.
Cleaning Tips
Keeping your engineered hardwood floors clean is not too difficult, all things considered. Here are some key tips to keep your floors looking their best:
- Avoid Scratches: While you won’t be able to completely avoid scratches, keeping them to a minimum will preserve your floor and avoid the need to redo the finish. Keeping your floor free of dirt, avoiding pets or stilettos on your floor, and taking care to have all furniture on coasters will keep scratches to a minimum.
- Check Your Products: Avoid enemies of your floor like scratchy brooms and vacuum attachments, harsh chemicals, and excess water.
- Screen And Recoat: Staying on schedule with your screen and recoating will keep your floor’s protective finish intact, keeping your engineered wood flooring safe. The recommended schedule is once every two years.
Summary
Whether you already have engineered hardwood of your own or are investigating installing this great flooring material, we hope this guide answers your cleaning and maintenance questions and helps you keep your floor looking its best!