Preserving the timeless elegance of your engineered hardwood floors involves avoiding common cleaning mistakes and adopting effective maintenance practices. In this blog, we’ll guide you through the dos and don’ts of how to clean engineered hardwood floors, offering tips for proper care and highlighting specific considerations based on your floor finish – whether oil, urethane, or UV matte lacquer. From entryway protection to furniture care and installation tips, this guide ensures your engineered hardwood floors remain a lasting asset in your home.

Engineered Hardwood Cleaning Mistakes

Beautiful Los Angeles home with new hardwood floors and moss on the walls

Taking care of your engineered hardwood floor becomes simpler when you are aware of what actions to avoid. Certain cleaning practices for engineered hardwood should be steered clear of, as they have the potential to cause lasting damage to your engineered wood floors. Let’s delve into these practices.

  • Excess Water: Wipe up spills promptly, dry thoroughly after mopping, and allow the floor to air dry before foot traffic.
  • Harsh Chemicals: Steer clear of ammonia, vinegar, wax-based cleaners, harsh scented cleaners, high pH cleaners, and oil soaps (soaps containing harsh oils).
  • Steam Mops: Avoid moisture-heavy cleaning methods like steam and wet mops to prevent warping.
  • Rough Applicators: Use soft materials like microfiber cloths or soft bristle brooms instead of abrasive tools.

Tips for Properly Maintaining Your Engineered Hardwood Floors:

Garrison Cleaning Kit on a beautiful engineered hardwood floor

 

Entryway Protection:

Place walk-off mats at entrances and in high-traffic areas, such as kitchens, common rooms, and hallways, to minimize dirt and debris.

Furniture Care:

Use proper felt coverings on furniture and other direct contact points to prevent scratches and scuffs.

Office Chair Considerations:

Utilize a smooth hard surface mat for rolling office chairs to avoid damage to the hardwood.

Exercise Equipment Caution:

Never place gym weights or free-standing workout equipment directly on the hardwood to prevent dents and damage.

Appliance Maintenance:

Use proper floor protection like a Ram Board during appliance maintenance, delivery, servicing, or replacement.

Remodeling Precautions:

Employ proper floor protection during remodeling to avoid embedding drywall dust, paint, and debris in the wood grain. And, always remember, flooring should be the last element in a remodel to avoid damage to the flooring.

Tape Avoidance:

Avoid using tape on your floors, even those with low adhesion properties, as it may damage the surface.

Prompt Spill Cleanup:

Remove spills promptly using a soft cloth and properly designated cleaning products, depending on the finish of your flooring, listed for effective cleaning. The Garrison Cleaning Kit offers a great and inexpensive option for quick clean-ups.

Pet Care:

Keep pets’ nails trimmed and paws clean to prevent dirt, gravel, grease, oil, and stains.

Color Shading Awareness:

Be mindful that area rugs and furniture may take on different color shading due to hardwood characteristics and UV exposure. Move the layout of your room with proper floor protection to limit these effects. Proper window treatments, such as blinds, curtains, and window films will help alleviate the potential of color shading due to UV exposure as well.

Footwear Guidelines:

Remove work boots, shoes with metal or hard plastic runners, golf shoes, cleats, and high heels at all entries.

Humidity Control:

Maintain the proper relative humidity in your home between 35% – 55% throughout the year to prevent excessive drying of the wood flooring. Consider using a humidification system if necessary.

Temperature Regulation:

Ensure that the floor’s surface temperature does not exceed 82°F to prevent potential damage

How to Clean Engineered Hardwood – Oil Finished

Garrison Cleaning Kit on a beautiful engineered hardwood floor

Dry Sweep with Care:

  • Dry sweep until the pad is full, then replace it until the entire area is clean.
  • Avoid using a fiber-style beater bar on the hardwood; opt for a felt-type smooth beater bar.
  • Ensure a clean beater bar and wheels on the cleaning device after each cleaning session.
  • Leverage the Garrison Cleaning Kit for easy clean-ups that wont negatively impact your warranty

Stay Dry:

  • Never wet-mop, damp-mop, or use a steam cleaning device on the engineered hardwood.

Mind Your Cleaners:

  • Avoid using oil soaps, liquid or paste wax products, and household cleaners containing surfactants like citrus oils, lemon oil, tung oil, silicon, vinegar, or ammonia.

Say No to 2-in-1 Cleaners:

  • Avoid 2-in-1 cleaners with polish that may contain acrylics or urethane polish for restoring gloss.

WOCA Cleaning Products Only:

Use exclusively WOCA cleaning and maintenance products for Garrison oil-finished floors:

  • WOCA Natural Soap
  • WOCA Oil Refresher
  • WOCA Maintenance Oil/Maintenance Paste
  • WOCA Stain/Spot Remover
  • WOCA Wood Cleaner/Prep

Make sure to use the proper WOCA color for your Garrison flooring. You can find our Hardwood Cleaning Guide here, and you can email us at info@garrisoncollection.com for further assistance.

Regular Sweeping or Vacuuming:

  • Sweep, vacuum, or use the Garrison Cleaning Kit regularly to prevent the buildup of grit that can damage the wood surface.

Pre-Clean with Vacuum:

  • Always vacuum-clean the floors before applying any cleaning solutions.

Vacuum with Caution:

  • When using a vacuum, ensure the vacuum head has a soft bristle brush or felt type.
  • Avoid using a vacuum with a beater bar head.
  • Keep the vacuum wheels clean to prevent damage to the finish.

How to Clean Engineered Hardwood – Urethane & UV Matte Lacquer

Garrison Cleaning Kit on a beautiful engineered hardwood floor

Regular Sweeping or Vacuuming:

  • Sweep, vacuum, or use the Garrison Cleaning Kit regularly to prevent the buildup of grit that can damage the wood surface.

Pre-Cleaning with Vacuum:

  • Always vacuum-clean the floors before using any cleaning solutions. Use a vacuum head that is brush or felt type, avoiding those with a beater bar head. Ensure the vacuum wheels are clean to prevent damage to the finish.

Mopping Recommendation:

  • When mopping, use a terry cloth mop instead of string head mops, as they tend to leave excess water that can damage the flooring. The Garrison Cleaning Kit also offers a great and inexpensive option for quick clean-ups.

Damp Cleaning Guidelines:

  • Damp cleaning is recommended using a Swiffer wet jet system or a Bona moistened cleaner pad (not spray on the floor). The moistened pad should be pH 7 neutral. Avoid using Swiffer pre-treated moistened pads and other cleaners with non-neutral pH levels.

Recommended Products to Clean Engineered Hardwood:

Use the following cleaning products with a terry cloth mop:

  • Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
  • Woodwise
  • DuraSeal

Avoid Excess Cleaner:

  • Do not allow excess cleaner to remain on the floor’s surface, as it may permanently damage the wood fiber.

Avoid Wet-Mopping with Water:

  • Never wet-mop, damp-mop, or clean your floor with water or other cleaning products. Failure to clean your floors properly can severely damage the flooring, and such damage may not be covered under warranty.

Avoid Hardwood Floor Machines or Steam Cleaners:

  • Do not use hardwood floor cleaning machines or steam cleaners, as they can harm the flooring.

Avoid Certain Cleaning Products:

  • Do not use oil soaps, liquid or paste wax products, or household cleaners containing citrus oils, lemon oil, tung oil, silicon, vinegar, or ammonia. Using these products may void your warranty and harm the long-term performance of your floor.

Avoid 2-in-1 Cleaners with Polish:

  • Do not use 2-in-1 cleaners with polish that may contain acrylics or urethane polish. Using such products may void your warranty and result in unsatisfactory outcomes if not applied properly.

 

Engineered Hardwood Installation Tips

No Re-Oiling Required:

  • Garrison products, unlike other brands, do not require re-oiling after installation.

Timing Matters:

  • Install our flooring after completing all major construction, including painting. This is crucial, especially for wire-brushed products, as drywall dust and dirt can be challenging to remove from the wire-brushed grooves.

Clean Installation:

  • Remove all glue residue meticulously during an oiled floor installation. Attempting to remove dried-on glue and residue later may lead to drying out the flooring in affected areas.

Post-Installation Cleaning:

  • We recommend cleaning your new floor with the proper designated cleaner like the Garrison Cleaning Kit, immediately after installation to ensure a pristine finish.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, engineered hardwood stands out as a valuable choice for flooring, contributing to enhanced home value. Maintaining its stunning appearance requires avoiding common hardwood cleaning mistakes, following specific maintenance tips, and using recommended products based on the floor finish. Garrison’s unique features eliminate the need for re-oiling post-installation, with timing and meticulous cleaning emphasized for a lasting, elegant floor. This guide provides essential insights to ensure your engineered hardwood floors remain a timeless asset in your home.