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Hardwood floors are known for many features; one of them is their longevity. A hardwood floor can last decades, if not longer. One of the main reasons they last so long is the finish. When hardwood floor is laid, it can then be stained. This stain will provide a richer color to the wood and help to enhance the look of the wood grain. The final step in the installation process is to finish the floor. The floor is typically finished with polyurethane.

Polyurethane can be oil or water based. The polyurethane is a liquid that eventually dries and forms essentially a hard plastic layer on top of the wooden floor. That plastic layer will slowly degrade over time. Once it is degraded to the point of exposing the wood, the hardwood will be in danger of being damaged. To prevent the wood from becoming damaged and keep your floors looking great, you need to keep a solid layer of polyurethane. Here are some signs the polyurethane is wearing thin.

1 – The Floor is Cloudy

Polyurethane comes in several different shades ranging from matte to glossy. Even a matte polyurethane can be polished to something resembling a shine. Over time, as the polyurethane degrades, it will become scratched and scuffed. Those scratches will prevent it from taking a shine. If you sweep and polish your floor and it doesn’t shine in certain areas, you likely have thin polyurethane.

2 – It Feels Rough

You might need to test this with bare hands or bare feet. If you are walking on your floor, you might even be able to feel where the polyurethane is missing. The hard shell of polyurethane should be smooth. The actual wood surface will be a little bit rougher.

3 – You Have Warping

If you notice warping or cupping in your hardwood floor planks, you could have a problem with your polyurethane coating. The coating is designed to keep moisture out of the wood. If moisture is getting in, it could be a problem with the polyurethane. Look for the other signs of missing polyurethane on the planks that are warping.

These are just three of the signs that something has gone wrong with your polyurethane coating. Lastly, you should probably have your floors refinished about every ten to fifteen years. So, if it has been longer than that, you might need to call an expert to apply a new finish.

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A hardwood floor is fairly easy to maintain; generally, you just need to sweep it from time to time. If you allow dust and dirt to accumulate, it can begin to scratch the surface of the wood. From time to time, you’ll need to also mop the floor or clean it with a mild detergent. You’ll need to clean up different types of spills or pet urine occasionally as well. There is a danger to mopping the floor, though. The biggest threat to your floor is going to be moisture; if moisture seeps into the pores of the wood, it can cause the wood to swell, warp, or grow mildew. To prevent that, you need to be careful.

Check the Finish

The first thing you should do is sweep the floor. While you are sweeping the floor, you should look for thin spots in your floor’s finish. The floor is likely finished with polyurethane, but it could also be oil or wax finished. You need to make sure that the protective layer is thick throughout the entire floor. Typically, you can do this by running a hand over the floor to feel the polyurethane coating or simply look at the floor under the light. Even a satin or matte finish will reflect light more than bare wood.

Wring the Mop Well

If you decide to mop the floor, you want to reduce the amount of standing water as much as possible. You can do this by wringing the mop very well before you apply it to the floor. Soak the mop in the bucket, wring it until the mop head is just damp, and then mop up the floor. Also, make sure that you are not using a very acidic cleaner. Make sure it is a mild cleaner designed for hardwood flooring. That will protect the coating on the floor.

Check For Cracks

You need to also check for anywhere that moisture can get under the hardwood planks. The planks, if they are solid planks, are set into a subfloor. That subfloor can trap moisture, leading to floor damage. The most common places for cracks are between different planks or where the plank meets the wall. Make sure that they have not warped or changed to the point that they no longer fit.

Use a Cleaner

If you want to reduce the amount of water on your floor as much as possible, you can use a cleaner instead of mopping. That will keep the amount of water to an absolute minimum.

The post How to Prevent Moisture Damage When Cleaning Your Hardwood Floor appeared first on hardwood marketing.

A hardwood floor is a great-looking floor that can last for decades; however, they do require some maintenance to stay in good shape. The maintenance involves sweeping your floors regularly as well as cleaning it with something a little bit stronger. A mild detergent is typically sufficient to clean a hardwood floor. However, you might be wondering which substance is right for your floor. Many people who clean their own homes use some combination of vinegar and water as a standard go-to cleaning solution. It’s so simple to mix some vinegar with water to make a mild detergent. Others even soak orange peels or cloves in the water to add a different scent to the solution. Is this right for your floors?

Don’t Use Vinegar

It’s important to remember that when you are cleaning your hardwood floor, you’re not actually cleaning the wood. You’re cleaning the finish on the surface of the wood. Typically, this is a polyurethane finish, but it could be made of some other substances. Vinegar is an acidic solution. When you apply an acid to the finish on your floor, you will actually eat away at the surface a little bit. Every time you spray an acidic solution such as vinegar on your floor, you will be degrading the finish a little bit more.

It might not be noticeable at first, but the floor will begin to look cloudy. It will seem like it is more and more difficult to get your floor to a shine. Eventually, it will no longer polish at all. At that point, you’ll need to have your floor refinished.

Water Concerns

You need to be careful with a vinegar and water solution because of the water component as well. In fact, you should be cautious with any solution that uses a large amount of water. Water can soak into your hardwood or get underneath the planks. That can cause swelling, warping, and mold. If you use any cleaning substance that uses a lot of water, you’ll need to make sure that you do not saturate the wood too much. Also, make sure that you mop it quickly and get it completely dry.

Using towels or a dry mop is a great way to dry the floor. You can also open windows and turn on the fan to get the floor dry. You should keep in mind that a hardwood floor with a good polyurethane finish should be water and stain resistant. That means that it will not take a strong chemical to clean the floor.

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