August 10th, 2019 | Updated on June 29th, 2022
Unfinished wood flooring is one of the best ways to give your house a rustic feel. So how do you maintain their luster? Should you go with cleaning them with harsh detergents or soaps, you risk stripping the wood of its grainy properties.
Scrubbing with aggressive force also can chip at the hardwood. Luckily for most homeowners, there are conducive ways to clean an unfinished wood floor without destroying the wood.
1. Routine Cleaning
Regular cleaning makes your floors safe from not just scratches or chipping; it also keeps them germ-free. There are admittedly few ways (if not nonexistent) to prevent dirt from making their ways into your home. However, routine cleaning ensures the dirt on the wooden floor is kept at a negligible level.
Some reputable stores provide unfinished hardwood flooring online along with a hardwood vacuum cleaner that is designed to clean the surface without damage to the wood.
Brooms may seem like a good choice, but they are not as effective as a vacuum cleaner which is built to clean the floor without etching the boards. While cleaning, keep your ears peeled for grating sounds as little objects can get into the bristles and scrape at the surface.
Before you mop the floor, ensure liquids are used lightly. A damp mop is better than a soggy one as the latter will allow the excess liquid to seep into the boards, which causes a stain.
2. Preferred Cleaners
They are quite a few cleaners out there in the market but none is as effective for as common vinegar. Getting unfinished hardwood flooring online may come at a significant cost, but you can rest assured the best cleaning agent for the installed hardwood floor will not break your bank.
Vinegar is a cheap common household item that can be used for a variety of things, including cooking and cleaning. It is one of the best cleaning agents which is safe to use for your floor.
As an acid, it is preferable to dilute in water, and the appropriate ratio is 4 liters of water for each 1/2 mug of vinegar. To prevent streaking, mop floor in the direction of the grain while using lengthy strokes.
One major disadvantage that makes hardwood enthusiasts wary of using vinegar is the pungent odor. The smell does fade away but can be quite strong when the liquid has been recently used on the floorboards.
You could counteract the pungent smell of the vinegar by squinting a tiny drop of essential oil to the liquid mix.
3. Trisodium Phosphate & Mineral Spirits
Another alternative to vinegar is adopting mineral spirits or Trisodium Phosphate. Either of these agents is a satisfactory deep cleaner leaving your hardwood floor with a soft glow. Ensure to scrub gently with a scrub brush, carefully working the liquid into the stain, and finishing up with a warm rinse of water.
Conclusion
To assure you of perfect results, try a spot test before using for the entire unfinished hardwood floor. Albeit, safety is important while cleaning, don’t forget to adhere to standard housekeeping practices to avoid accidents.
