D05 Cleaning and Maintenance

D05 - CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE GUIDE

D05-1 Hardwood floor care and maintenance
D05-2 Remember

Preface:
This guide on cleaning and maintenance of hardwood flooring is provided for general information only. Specifiers and/or persons requiring specific cleaning and maintenance information about hardwood flooring should verify the requirements with the selected hardwood flooring / finish material manufacturer.

1 • HARDWOOD FLOOR CARE AND MAINTENANCE

.01 With minimum care properly finished hardwood floors are the easiest of all floor surfaces to keep clean and new looking. Preventive maintenance is the key to maintaining a beautiful, long-lasting hardwood floor. What is minimum care? The following points are critical:

Dust and debris tracked over a floor can scratch and dull its finish so it is strongly recommended that hardwood floors be vacuumed or dust mopped weekly. However, do not use dusting products because they can dull the finish.
Food and other spills must be wiped up immediately with a slightly dampened towel.
As wood and water don't mix, never intentionally pour water onto a hardwood floor, no matter what finish the wood floor has, or what claims a manufacturer makes for their finish. Never wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discolouring residue.
A damp mop may be used for spills and general clean-up on floors that have a non-waxed polyurethane or Swedish finish in good condition except that excessive amounts of water may seep between the boards and cause them to warp or stain. Caution: Excessive damp mopping overtime will effect the strength of the floor finish and its' bond to the wood floor surface.
For Manufacturers of pre-finished wood floor products with finishes such as UV Cured Urethane, Aluminum Oxide, Ceramic finish, always use the manufacturers recommend cleaning products.
Where recommended, use a damp rag or sponge and wipe the floor dry as you go. Do not use oil soaps or ammonia products because they can damage and dull surface finishes.
Never use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on hardwood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes cause wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly. The only remedy in this situation is to sand and refinish the floor.
Never use wax or wax based products over surface finishes, particularly urethane.
Wax-finished floors should never be cleaned with water, not even with a damp mop. Occasional buffing will help to remove scuffmarks that may appear in the wax coating. Re-waxing may be necessary when buffing no longer restores the shine. Such floors need only be re-waxed once or twice a year - or as often as needed in heavily travelled areas using liquid buffing wax / cleaner combinations recommended by the flooring manufacturer. The wax must be spread evenly and allowed to dry before buffing to the desired lustre.
Do not over-wax a waxed floor and avoid wax build-up under furniture and other light traffic areas by applying wax in these areas every other waxing session.
If the wood floor has dirt build-up or the wax is discoloured, a combination liquid cleaner / wax made specifically for wood flooring should be used, making sure that it is solvent rather than water based. This should be spread with a cloth or fine steel wool and rubbed gently to remove grime and old wax. The floor should then be wiped clean and allowed to dry for about 20 minutes before buffing.
Unless otherwise recommended by the flooring manufacturer a surface finished floor should never be waxed.
The use of door mats or throw rugs is recommended at the exterior and interior of all entrances to help keep tacked-in grit (dirt and sand) and moisture to a minimum.
The use of plastic or fabric-faced glides or pads on furniture legs is recommended to prevent scuffing and scratching the floor. These must also be cleaned occasionally. During cleaning and when moving heavy furniture, it should be picked up and carried to its new location in order to protect the flooring.
Cleats, sports shoes, high heels, and pets can dent or scratch any floor surface especially hardwood no matter how hard the wood or finish. As an example, a 57 kg. (125 lb.) woman wearing high heels exerts a 2,000 psi (pounds per square inch) force while an exposed heel nail can exert up to 8,000 psi. It is recommended that such shoes be removed or be kept in good repair and that pet nails be trimmed on a regular basis. The use of wood flooring in kitchens is not highly recommended due to food and water spills. However if it is used, an area rug should be placed in front of sink areas.
A humidifier should be used throughout the winter months to keep all wood movement and shrinkage to a minimum.

Quantities of water left on the hardwood surface during cleaning should be kept to a minimum and always wiped dry immediately after application. Wet mopping as shown in this image is not recommended and can cause finish de-bonding and premature break down.

.02 For specific details on the care of hardwood floors the Design Authority or Owner should consult with the hardwood flooring manufacturer or supplier.

.03 Recommended Maintenance Schedule for urethane finishes. Note: Always follow the manufacturers specific guidelines.

Daily - Sweep or dust mop, wipe up spills locally
Weekly - Vacuum using the bare floor setting
Monthly - Clean (damp mop, not wet mop) with recommended wood flooring cleaner
Every 3 - 5 Years (or as necessary) - add a maintenance coat
Every 10 years (or as necessary) - Sand and refinish

.04 For wood floors finished with an oil finish requiring regular maintenance, do not use water or regular cleaning products. Follow the manufacturers cleaning instructions.

2 • REMEMBER

.01 It is extremely important to always use the floor manufacturer's cleaning and finish products and recommendations when known. The use of improper cleaning products or procedures can contribute to additional wear, may void any warranty or guarantee, and cause failure when re-coating.

.02 Lightly worn or scuffed areas may be screened and recoated. The frequency of recoating depends on the amount of traffic.

.03 Refinishing a hardwood floor should only be done if the finish or surface is damaged or when cleaning no longer restores shine.

.04 For recoating and refinishing procedures refer to NFCA Reference Manual Part D04D – Installation Guide - Finishing.

.05 Examples of typical maintenance mistakes

Wrong leg protectors

Dragging furniture

Over mopping with vinegar & water

No mat beneath an office chair

Update: May 2017