People often ask if Swiffers can be used on hardwood flooring. Cleaning and caring for hardwood flooring with the products recommended by the manufacturer of the floor or flooring finish is very important. Engineered or prefinished flooring need different care than a solid wood flooring. Swiffer products like dry sweepers are likely safe for any floor but the wet jet products may take further research. 

The dry swiffer sweeper clothes are a good option for easily removing dirt and dust from the floor. Many people with pets find that these options are ideal for dealing with pet hair. When using a dry cloth you will need to be careful to change the cloth if it becomes too soiled and to make sure large debris is not picked up and dragged along the floor. These larger debris can cause scratches and premature wear on the floor. 

Many prefinished and engineered floors can be cleaned with the wet swiffer products. Unfinished, oiled and waxed floors cannot be cleaned with the wet swiffer products. Floors that have manufacturer instructions for cleaning should always adhere to these instructions. The manufacturer instructions for cleaning are often tied to the warranty and can void warranties if the wrong cleaner is used 

Swiffer products work very well. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute or GHRI did some testing with the swiffer WetJet products and found that they cleaned tough spills of wooden floors with ease. When choosing a swiffer system you do need to look for ones specifically designed for wood flooring, the cleaning solution in the other types can be too harsh for wood floor finish, 

The ease of use with the swiffer system is part of its appeal. Many homeowners find that the maintenance for hardwood floors is easy to keep up with a safe mopping kit like the swiffer. Maintenance on hardwood has improved over the last few years as finishes have improved and cleaning products like the swiffer have made it even easier. The process of cleaning with a swiffer is very easy to follow. 

Dry dusting with the swiffer dry system should be performed daily. This process keeps hair, plague, pollen, allergens and even dust particles from building up on the floors. When dirt and other debris build up on hardwood flooring they can cause premature wear to the floor. Swiffering daily to remove debris before they build up can help protect the floor from premature damage.

Vacuum weekly for even better cleaning. The dry system from swiffer works great but the vacuum works better for removing dirt that has gotten into cracks and bevels in the flooring. The corners and board lines can be hard to get with the swiffer so using the vacuum weekly can keep the floor looking great.

Finally, mop weekly after vacuuming. Spot mopping for spills is a great way to keep the floor looking great between cleanings. Weekly mopping should never be done with a wet mop but instead with a system like the swiffer WetJet spray mop or a microfiber mop. Mopping removes stuck on dirt, water spots and other contaminants that’s vacuuming can’t. When choosing a mop you will need to find one specifically designed for wood floors. The wooden floor solutions protect the finish while still removing dirt, dust and other contaminants. 

Swiffers work great on smooth finish but do not generally work on floors with more texture. Unfinished flooring, flooring with band saw marks and reclaimed wood are often not smooth enough for a swiffer and will snag the clothes rather than allowing them to glide over the surface. Swiffers also work great for tile flooring, vinyl flooring and laminate flooring. 

The swiffer system is a great way to simplify maintaining your hardwood floors. Always check first with your manufacturer to ensure the swiffer products are safe for your floor. Maintaining hardwood doesn’t stop at cleaning your floors. Buffing and coating and refinishing your hardwood floors are all parts of the maintenance process. Colorado hardwood can help with your floor finishing process whether it’s a new install, refinish or buff and coat. Call today to discuss your project with our highly trained team.

Flooring installers are often asked if engineered flooring can be refinished. This cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, the reality is it’s complicated. Many engineered hardwood floors can be finished but not all of them. 

Engineered hardwood flooring is a specific section of the flooring market that is created from a natural wood veneer with an engineered structure for the rest of the flooring. Engineered flooring is made of two primary layers but many homeowners never see anything beyond the veneer layer. The veneer is the top layer and is made up of naturally wood and is often a very thin layer. The second layer is a plywood or similar material that may be made up of several plys or layers. The layers go in opposite directions which creates a stronger underlayment. Engineered hardwood is often great as resisting cupping and warping. 

Many engineered hardwood floors can be refinished but not all of them. Many engineered hardwood floors have a top layer that is too thin to refinish. The wear layer of engineered flooring is between 3mm and 7mm. When refinishing hardwood 1mm is often removed. Each refinish makes the floor thinner and eliminates the chance for additional refinishes. Depending on how thick the floor is there are different amounts of refinishes that can be performed. The general rule is that you can get one less refinish than the amount of millimeters the wear layer is, for example, a 5mm wear layer can be finished 4 times. 

When working with a contractor for new engineered floors they will likely advise you to choose a material with at least 2 mm of top layer veneer. A material with at least a few refinishes is ideal and gives your floor a longer life span. 

When sanding an engineered floor the finish and special texture are removed which can change the overall look of the floor. Wire brushing, hand scraping and unique finishes do not penetrate below the surface and buffing or sanding the floors will remove these features. 

When sanding a floor the top layer of the floor is removed to remove imperfections like scratches and dents. This process allows for the flooring finish to be replaced with a beautiful even coat. Stain can be applied during a refinishing, allowing the owner to change the color of the floor. 

The bevel is another aspect to consider when refinishing flooring. Bevels are also called micro bevels are a feature of prefinished flooring, allowing for some imperfections between boards. Since the flooring is not being sanded on site the bevel allows for uneven heights to be concealed. The depth of the bevel can impact the refinishing process and if you are looking to get rid of this bevel you may need to sand more off the surface of the floor. The preference of bevel vs no bevel is strictly about aesthetics and does not impact the structure or use of the floor. 

Engineered is a popular flooring type for a variety of reasons. Many people find engineering more appealing because of the accessibility, realistic look and the eco-friendliness of many of the lines. Engineered flooring is not made of a solid plank and this allows for some faster growing species to be utilized for the underlayer of the flooring. The style of engineered flooring is another big factor in its popularity. Many customers find that they look the look and feel of engineered flooring over solid wood because of the finish options and texturing options. Engineered flooring is unique and has more variation in color and grain when compared to LVP or laminate. The veneer is natural wood so it gives the look of real wood graining without any repeating textures or patterns.

Engineered flooring is also great at moisture resistance and can withstand more temperature fluctuations than solid wood flooring. The core in the flooring does impact the moisture resistances and ability to withstand humidity variations. The moisture resistance also allows for installation in nearly any room. Customers utilized engineered flooring in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and basements. Many homeowners lean towards engineered flooring because it’s DIY friendly. Most engineered products can be installed easily without prior experience because of the interlocking system. 

Engineered flooring is a great option for many people and there are a lot of great benefits of engineered hardwood flooring. Depending on your lifestyle and the material you may find that this flooring type can last many decades. The maintenance and surface layer depth both impact the lifespace of your flooring. If you are curious if your engineered flooring can be refinished we would love to take a look. Our team can help verify if your flooring has the appropriate wearlayer for refinishing. Call Colorado Hardwoods today to set up your free in-home consultation.

If you have hardwood flooring you may be searching for ways to ensure your floor looks its best. There are a lot of options for ensuring your floor looks great but maintenance is truly the key. Maintenance comes in a variety of different forms when it comes to hardwood flooring ranging from preventative measures to daily care and professional maintenance services. By utilizing this different variety of preventative measures you can extend your floors life expectancy and beauty. If you have installed new flooring your contractor may talk to you about the humidity in your home. Keeping your home’s temperature stable and the humidity in the acceptable range is a major step in wood floor care. 

Read More Hardwood Flooring Needs Maintenance to Look its Best

When talking about hardwood flooring there are a lot of different factors that are brought up but for simplicity sake we are only going to discuss the top 5 species in Denver. The top 5 wood species in Denver hit a few different marks including the aesthetic and natural beauty and the ability to acclimate to Denver’s climate. 

Read More Denver Hardwood Flooring and Here’s Why!