One of the most common types of coatings used for the floor is polyurethane. Especially for hardwood floors. The overall purpose is to keep the floor protected and increase its durability.
However, if you don’t bother maintaining it well with proper cleaning, then the shine and strength gradually fade away. And that’s quite opposite of what you’re willing to achieve with the coating.
Especially in the case of wooden floors, cleaning it the right way is way more important than what people usually think. So, let’s talk about how to clean polyurethane floors today, particularly wooden ones.
Here’s How to Clean Polyurethane Floors the Right Way
The slightest damage or stain can look really ugly on wooden floors, even with polyurethane coatings. And so, learning how to clean polyurethane wood floors means you must also focus on not just simple wiping but deep cleaning.
Usually, it’s best to give the floor frequent dust and debris removal clean-ups. Then the deeper type of cleaning that includes mopping floor should be done at least once a week. You should also get rid of spills and work for restoring shine. Let’s go through all of these ones by one.
The Regular Cleaning for Dust & Debris
Sweeping with a dust mop is something you should do every day. A dust mop is the best to keep debris and dust out of your polyurethane coating included a wooden floor. As it is gentle enough and less damaging to keep things safe.
You want to run the dust mop over the floor’s surface. It should pick up debris or dust from the floor. Take breaks and bring it above the trash. Give it a good shake to drop all the gross stuff inside trash.
If you don’t have a dust mop, use a broom instead. Some people find using bristle broom more effective to clean hardwood floors. But make sure you are using the ones specifically made for hardwood floor clean-ups. Usually, the synthetic fiber ends included brooms work best here. These also come with exploded tips to give the most effective outcome.
Using a vacuum can also help you with the removal of dust and grime. However, it’s not necessary to use a vacuum every day. Instead, go for a vacuuming session every once in a week. There are settings available for hardwood floors. Use the specific setting and it should be safe for your polyurethane hardwood floor.
Some vacuum might not come with such a setting. In that case, you should keep the beater bars and rotating brushes turned off. Vacuuming is surely the best out of all of these for getting most debris out from the surface.
Also, you can get a handheld attachment with a soft brush. These are not only gentler on the floor but also very easy to use. You can simply go for any of these options to get rid of dust out of the polyurethane flooring that can cause trouble.
Give Your Floor a Wet Mop
The next best thing to do for your polyurethane-coated wood floor is to give it a wet mopping occasionally. You’ll need to use a soap and water mixture for this. The soap choice needs some careful considerations of yours. Go for the ones that are pH neutral. So that the floor goes through mild exfoliation, nothing severe to get harmed.
There are specifically designed soaps for the polyurethane floor. It’ll be best if you can stick with those. Then get a sponge or microfiber mop to work with it. You just need to make sure the mop will not scrub your floor too hard. Any similar soft mop will work. Wet it with the soap and water mixture.
Then you need to wring the mop to get rid of excess water. We already know standing water is not good for the surface of the floor that has a polyurethane coating. So, through wringing the mop, you’ll use the least amount of water on your floor to clean it.
Following the grain of your wood, mop your floor gradually. So that you don’t end up causing any streaks on it. Change the mopping solution once it seems too dirty. After you are done cleaning the entire surface, let it dry as soon as possible. Use another soft microfiber cloth for this. Get rid of all the extra moisture and your floor should look much better than before.
Targeting Spills
No matter what amount of carefulness you follow by your heart, spills are something very rarely one can completely avoid. And that’s why it is best to not freak out about avoiding spills. Instead, focus on getting rid of the spills as soon as possible. You need to use a cloth that can absorb quickly and completely. Use another damp cloth for wiping the spot so that no residue is remaining. Then use a dry kitchen or regular towel to dry that area.
Sometimes you just make the mistake of ignoring the spill. And it stays there not grabbing your attention until it turns into a stubborn and dried spill. In such a case, you can take your lesson of not repeating this mistake. And also, you can use an ammonia-free glass cleaner to damp any microfiber soft cloth. Use that damp cloth to give the dried spill a good rub. Then use another clean damp with a water cloth to get rid of any residue.
There are pH neutral and mild cleaners also available that target spills made on polyurethane wood floors specifically. You can get one of those as well. However, make sure you avoid vinegar and ammonia at all costs. The acidic characteristics of vinegar can cause harm to the coating. And this will end up resulting in a less shiny appearance.
Occasional Buff to Complete Clean Up
Sometimes even after cleaning it, we fail to maintain the shine and gleam of the floor. If you want to restore shine to polyurethane on hardwood floors, then here’s a quick hack to include. Get a soft and absorbent cloth similar to baby cloth diapers. Then make a lemon juice and water solution. Damp the cloth with this mixture. Now use it for buffing the floor. It will not only clean the surface but also help to retain lost shine.
Another effective way is using water-soaked and boiled in two tea bags. Make it lukewarm and then damp the microfiber cloth with it. Squeeze anything that is extra and then buff your hardwood polyurethane floor with it.
Things to Keep in Mind:
- There are both oil and water-based polyurethane floors. Try identifying your floor’s polyurethane type. It’s going to matter if you decide to get a store-bought chemical cleaner. Or else there’s a chance of that cleaner ruining the coating.
- If you don’t frequently clean polyurethane surfaces, then the abrasive dirt can build up and cause scratches on it.
- Use a soft paper towel to get rid of any liquid spill as soon as possible. Prolonged moisture contact with polyurethane is damaging.
- Try to spot clean any stain with a wet and warm towel.
- In case you want to buy a cleaning agent for your coated hardwood floors, make sure to go for specifically formulated ones.
Wrap Up
And that was all about how to clean polyurethane floors. Keeping up with such a simple cleaning regime is more than enough to maintain your precious flooring. However, if the condition seems too severe to deal with it yourself, contacting a professional cleaning service might be your only option. You can book the service and get your troubled floor out from the calamity.
Keeping those floors in a good shape is not just important for your home’s overall look and hygiene, but also because who would want to spend on getting the floor done again. So, if you want to delay that for as long as possible, don’t sidestep these simple duties.
