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How To Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors

If you made the investment to install engineered hardwood floors, or you were lucky enough that your house came with them, then you’re probably interested in protecting your investment by cleaning and caring for them correctly. 

In this article you’ll learn what to do to clean engineered hardwood floors and which tools to use. We’ll also go over how to minimize damages by creating a cleaning and care routine that works for you. 

How to Clean and Care for Your Engineered Hardwood Floors

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Engineered Hardwood floors add a beautiful element to any home. 

The only downside is that they tend to show dust and dirt faster than other floors. Because there’s nowhere for dirt and debris to hide, it becomes obvious when they need to be cleaned. 

But don’t worry! Your cleaning routine doesn’t have to be a hassle. 

In this article we will go over how to clean your engineered hardwood floors to keep them clean and beautiful. 

We will also highlight the things you’ll want to avoid, so that you don’t accidentally cause damage to your floors. 

What to Avoid

Taking care of your engineered hardwood floors also means knowing what to avoid.

Harsh Cleaners 

Stay away from harsh cleaning chemicals, because they can ruin the finish on your floors. 

Never clean engineered hardwood floors with ammonia. Also avoid wax-based cleaners, oil soaps, or cleaners made with vinegar.  

Harsh Tools

Steel wool brush or scouring pads are too rough to be used to clean your engineered hardwood floors. They will cause more damage than good. 

Also, do not vacuum your engineered hardwood floors with a rotating bristle bar or beater bar. This can damage your floor and wearout or damage your vacuum.

Excessive Moisture

You’ll want to avoid excessive getting excessive water or moisture on your engineered hardwood floors. Unfortunately, water can seep in between the planks and cause them to warp or cause damage underneath.  

Because too much water can damage your floors, avoid using floor steamers and excessively wet mops. 

Best Tools to Use

A microfiber cloth or mop is incredible for collecting dust and debris without causing any wear or damage to your floors. 

You’ll also need a soft broom or a lightweight vacuum. 

Lastly, sponges or old rags also come in handy when deep cleaning your engineered hardwood floors. 

Best Cleaners to Use

The best cleaner will be the cleaning product recommended by your floor’s manufacturer. If you can’t find that information, then you’ll want to choose a cleaning product that is designed specifically for engineered hardwood floors. 

A good choice would be From The Forest Hardwood Floor Cleaner. 

Cleaning Routine 

You might be surprised how much of a difference a regular cleaning routine makes in extending the life of your floors. Cleaning them regularly will help extend their life and keep them looking beautiful. 

So what should your cleaning routine look like? 

Sweep Regularly  

The most common step to keeping your engineered hardwood floors beautiful is also the easiest: sweeping regularly. 

Don’t underestimate the power of regularly sweeping to keep dirt, dust, hair and other debris under control.  

You could also use a lightweight vacuum with “bare-floor” settings or with a bare-floor attachment. 

How Often Should You Sweep? 

Well that depends on how much traffic your floors receive. For high traffic areas like hallways or entryways, you might have to sweep everyday or every other day. Areas with less activity would only need to be swept once a week. 

Mop Regularly

Along with sweeping your floors regularly, it’s also best to get into the routine of mopping on a regular basis. Remember, you’ll only want your mop to be slightly damp. Don’t let the moisture seep into the floor. Use just enough water that it will evaporate within a few minutes. You’ll then want to check your floors and dry off any remaining water. 

How Often Should You Mop? 

Again, how often you need to mop depends on how much foot traffic your floors see. 

Rooms with high foot traffic could use a mop about once a week, while rooms with less activity probably only need to be mopped once a month. 

You’ll know it’s time to mop if your engineered hardwood floors begin to look dull

What About Deep Cleaning? 

Over time, dirt and grime can build up on your floors – even with a regular cleaning routine. That’s why you’ll need to know about how to deep clean your engineered hardwood floors. 

There are specific products designed to help you deep clean and rejuvenate your floors. Check out this one here.   

Remember to apply your deep cleaning agent with a rag, mop, or sponge. It’s important to keep your mop damp, but not wet. 

After applying your cleaning product of choice, you’ll most likely need to rinse them down with some water and then towel them dry. 

How to Repair Scratches

Besides your regular cleaning routine, you’ll also have to do your best to protect your engineered hardwood floors from dents and scratches.

Obviously, it’s impossible to never get a scratch or dent in your floor, but there are a few things you can do to help keep the damage to a minimum. 

Repair Scratches 

If your floor already has some scratches, there is something you can do to make them less noticeable. 

Use scratch concealer to eliminate the obvious scratches. This will seal the area and keep the damage from getting worse by preventing moisture from seeping down into the wood. 

Prevent Scratches

Do your best to prevent scratches by using floor mats, floor rugs, and runners. Mats and rugs work to trap dirt and debris from getting onto your floors and can help prevent scratches from happening. 

Never use mats with latex or rubber backing though! These can damage the finish on your floors and cause more harm than good. 

You can also put protective mats or rugs under your table and chairs, to help prevent scratches from happening. 

You’ll also want to make sure that all the furniture in your home has felt padding on the bottom of the legs. This will help you avoid damaging the floors when rearranging your furniture.

Hopefully you’re now fully prepared to clean and care for your engineered hardwood floors!

engineered hardwood floors

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