Taking proper care of your hardwood floor will keep it looking beautiful for years to come. To help you maintain a clean home and prevent future damage, the hardwood floor refinishing pros at Cincinnati, Ohio’s Old Reliable Floor Co. are here to explain the best ways to clean your hardwood floors.

Before you begin cleaning, you need to know what type of hardwood floor finish you have. Cleaning your floor correctly will ensure you don't accidentally damage it and require hardwood floor refinishing. Most new wood floors are surface-sealed, which are the most resilient and can be easily cleaned with a broom and mop. Older styles can be penetrating-seal-treated, oil-treated, lacquered, varnished, shellacked, or untreated. These types should not be mopped and must be protected with regular coatings of liquid or paste wax.

You can tell what kind of hardwood floor you have by rubbing your finger across it: a surface-sealed floor will not smudge while any others with a waxed surface will smudge. No matter what floor type you have, you should sweep it often to prevent dust or dirt buildup.

For surface-sealed floors, the best mopping options are a floor cleaning product recommended by the manufacturer or installer, or dish soap and water. Oils, waxes, and furniture sprays will leave a residue on this type of floor, while ammonia, alkaline solutions, or abrasive cleaners can dull or scratch the finish.

For all other hardwood floor types, you need to use a floor stripper to remove old wax buildup. There are several options available at any hardware store, including mineral spirits. While you’re at the store, make sure to pick up liquid or paste wax for recoating your floor. For the best results, protection, and lasting effects, avoid acrylic, water-based waxes, or one-step waxes. Strip the old wax using a clean, soft cloth, and then apply a new coat of wax either with an applicator (liquid wax) or another soft cloth (paste wax). If you want extra protection, apply a second coat. Finally, buff the surface with a cloth or rent a buffing machine.

If your floors need more work than simple cleaning, the experts at Old Reliable Floor Co. in Cincinnati can help with hardwood floor refinishing, restoring hardwood floors, staining hardwood floors, and more. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call them today at 513-922-5598 or visit them online.