Wooden floors always rank among the most popular in renovations; besides the elegant look, they tend to warm up your living space with all the beauty. The durability and ease of maintenance forced many homeowners in Melbourne to have wooden floors. Cleaning the wooden floors by sweeping, vacuuming, or mopping floors once or twice a week will make them look shiny. However, besides the easy cleanliness, wooden floors are sensitive. They can easily be damaged if some wrong cleaning products are used during House Cleaning Services in Melbourne. In this blog, we will explore the cleaning products to avoid during home cleaning from Home Cleaners in Melbourne.
Not Use Cleaning Products on Wooden Floors: Home Cleaners in Melbourne
1. Ammonia
Ammonia is an effective product for removing stains, mold, and mildew. It is used in many homes as an ingredient in cleaning. However, it is not safe for wooden floors as it is abrasive and can dissolve lignin in the wood. Living is the holding component that ensures the structural integrity of the wood. Thus, using ammonia could weaken your floors and eventually ruin them.
Use gentle cleaning agents like baking soda to eliminate stains and dirt. Do not combine ammonia with bleach, as this will produce bad fumes. Relax and call Home Cleaners in Melbourne; they only use what is appropriate for your wood flooring.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide
It is very popular for its strength in eliminating stubborn stains and germs. Hydrogen peroxide may also be excellent cleaner surfaces, but it is certainly not suitable for wooden floors. However, if you persist in using this product to clean your wooden floors, then you may have the chance of getting them coloured instead of getting them ruined.
The chemicals in hydrogen peroxide are too harsh on the delicate finish of your wooden floors, which can start to appear dull or fade over time. To avert this, use a damp microfibre mop often to keep dirt and grime at bay without harming your floors. Professional House Cleaning services in Melbourne can help you maintain your wooden floors with gentle yet effective cleaning methods.
3. White Vinegar
White vinegar is one of the most common and environmentally friendly cleaners. It can shine back on many surfaces in your house. It might work magic on sinks, microwaves, or other dense areas but could do better on wooden floors. Wooden floors will strip off their protective finishing coat because of acetic acid in vinegar, potentially leading to dullness and long-term damage.
Replace the vinegar with a mix of castile soap, rubbing alcohol, and warm water. This is less abrasive on wood, yet it does the job well to safely remove dirt and grime without damaging it.
4. Bleach
Bleach is a very strong disinfectant, often used for hard-duty cleaning purposes. However, you should never use it on wooden floors because bleach causes permanent color discoloration on your wooden floors, leaving unappealing marks there. Even with a small amount, it may permanently damage the soft wood surface.
Use stain removers instead of bleaches. Specialized cleaners are designed to clean wood floors and not damage the wooden surface. These cleaners are made to remove stains without damaging the floor.
5. Sandpaper
Owing to its scratching sound, sandpaper sounds like the final solution for removing stubborn stains from your wooden floors. However, it has to be more abrasive since it brings unpleasant scratches to the surface, thus destroying the smooth finish of your floors. A magic eraser works well to remove minor stains and grime. However, this product is not as abrasive and clean without damaging your wooden floors. With time, professional Home Cleaners Melbourne has learned that these non-abrasive tools can produce the best results while preserving the beauty of your floors.
6. Soapy Water
Soaps and water seem like harmless cleaning agents, but they are certainly not designed for use with wooden floors. Soaps dry with a tacky residue that dulls the wood’s natural shine. This residue accumulates over time, making your floors less attractive. Clean, shiny floors are maintained with a damp microfiber mop and a wood-safe cleaner, which clear dirt and grime away without leaving any unwanted residue.
7. Lemon Juice
Although it sounds like a very natural cleaner, lemon juice is dangerous to wood floors because of its acidic nature. Its acidic nature causes the protective finish to strip off, opening the floor to scratches and discoloration.
A safer cleaning alternative is to ensure the use of only non-acidic, wood-safe cleaners. Such products are formulated for cleaning without stripping the finish or causing any long-term harm.
8. Liquid Polish
Liquid polish is available to keep wooden floors shiny. However, only some polishes are safe for wood. Some contain waxes and oils that gradually accumulate on the floor, creating sticky residues. Repeated use of such products tends to leave floors appearing dulled and permanently discolored.
To maintain the natural beauty of your wooden floors, consider using only products designed for wood maintenance. Otherwise, you must contact House Cleaning Services in Melbourne to ensure that the right products are used.
Daily Care Tips for Wooden Floors
There are daily care tips that ensure your wooden floors remain the way you want them to. The following are tips for daily care:
Clean Spills Immediately: Whether it be water, Sauce, or any liquid, clean it immediately before it forms a stain or damage. However, use a soft cloth or tissue to wipe it and clean the place using a damp cloth.
Use Doormats: The doormats can limit the amount of dirt that is ushered into your wooden floors if you put a thick one outside and a thin one inside the door.
Position Carpet Strategically: Place the carpet in areas that receive much movement in the house, like the kitchen sink and dining table, to catch spills and dirt. However, the disadvantage is that carpets retain moisture, which destroys the wood.
Regulate vacuuming and mopping: You could mop the floors with damp microfiber once or twice a week. This would keep the floors clean without causing dullness or scratches.
Prevention From Abrasion and Scratches
Your wooden floors should never be scratched and abraded, and this can be successful if you follow these simple guidelines.
Clip your pet’s nails: Pet claws easily scratch wooden floors, so regular nail clipping will reduce the risk of scratching the floor.
Furniture: You always find it quite convenient to use felt pads at the bottom of furniture legs to avoid scratch marks when moving pieces around.
Handle heavy things carefully: While shifting heavy furniture or appliances across the floor, not a single fall should be tolerated. Do not drag them on the floor; instead, use a dolly or a pushcart. When possible, lay a protective surface, such as plywood, underneath it before placing it in position.
Conclusion
Wooden floors are easy to maintain if the proper care and cleaning products are used. Avoid ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and bleach in any cleaning solutions, and choose wood-safe alternatives so you might have beautiful floors for decades on end. Whether you clean regularly or are preparing to make an end-of-lease move, professional Melbourne Home Cleaners can keep your wooden floors in fabulous condition.
If you have concerns, feel free to call a professional cleaning service for expert advice on caring for your wood floors. House Cleaning Services in Melbourne specializes in the proper use of tools and techniques to protect your floors so that they may retain their natural beauty over time.
