Maintaining your wood floor properly will allow you to make your investment profitable. A well-maintained hardwood floor can last 100 to 150 years! In addition to being durable, your hardwood floor never goes out of style. All the more reason to take good care of it.

As you can see, wood is a durable floor covering and maintaining it is a good idea. To properly maintain your floor, all you have to do is add good practices to your daily routine. These are simple actions that make a real difference.

Here are our best tips for cleaning your hardwood floor and maintaining its longevity.

How to clean your hardwood floor?

Everyone knows how to clean their hardwood floor. But it's the little things that make a difference.

Step 1 - Sweep or Vacuum

This step may seem trivial, but it's more important than you might think. The accumulation of sand and abrasive dust can ruin your floor. Removing the dirt and debris will reduce the risk of scratches.

Use a vacuum cleaner that is suitable for wood floors. High quality stick vacuums are especially recommended. They are easy to handle and have multiple settings to avoid scratching your hardwood floors.

Step 2 - Mopping

Once a week. This is the ideal frequency to keep your floor clean. Mopping is not rocket science, but using the right products is an important consideration. If keeping your floor clean is important to you, avoid abrasive chemicals and solvents!

Use your cleaning products in small amounts. A little goes a long way! Also, try not to apply the product directly to your floor. Apply it to the mop first to avoid damaging it.

USE A SWIVEL HEAD MOP

This type of mop not only offers greater resistance, but also better maneuverability. The repositioning of its center of gravity and its telescopic handle make it more ergonomic. The handle is also retractable for easy storage.

USE A 50% MICROFIBER, 50% COTTON MOP COVER

Microfiber offers excellent electrostatic properties that capture dust and pet hair. The cotton makes it ultra-absorbent. The cover is ecological since it is washable and reusable.

MIRAGE CLEAN: A PRECIOUS ALLY

This wood floor cleaner removes dust, grease, dirt and other residues. It contains anti-slip properties. Guaranteed free of phosphates, solvents, and ammonia, Mirage Clean products are environmentally friendly and biodegradable according to OECD 301D standards.

Shop for Mirage products here.

Additional maintenance for hardwood floors

Hardwood is a living material. This means that it reacts to changes in the outside environment. To allow your floor to withstand this, you can employ additional maintenance actions.

Protecting your floor from moisture

A wood floor can be particularly vulnerable to changes in humidity. It absorbs and releases moisture before installation, but also after. Throughout its life, wood expands in summer and shrinks in winter.

To protect it from moisture, start by controlling the ambient humidity level in your home.

"The ideal humidity level is less than 35% in winter and more than 65% in summer."

Source: Government of Quebec

As you probably know, wood and water do not mix! And that literally applies to cleaning too! Wring out your mop as much as possible when you clean your floor. And wipe up any liquid spills quickly.

Protect your floor from scratches

Attach felt pads to the underside of all furniture to make it easier to move and prevent scratches. Keep the pads clean and in good condition. Also, replace plastic casters with wide rubber or soft polyurethane casters.

Get professional advice

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the experts at Barwood Pilon. They will be happy to answer you! Known for the quality of our products and our outstanding customer service, we make your satisfaction our top priority. This is what makes us the best allies for your flooring projects.