Wood Floor Cleaning Frequently Asked Questions

The most common type of wood floor is a surface-sealed floor, sealed with polyurethane, urethane, or polyacrylic. These floors are resistant to stains and water damage, so you can just sweep them and mop them for everyday cleaning. Penetrating-seal-treated and oil-treated floors are also common but trickier to care for, as they should be protected with paste or liquid wax. Varnish, lacquer, and shellac floors are not as resistant to spills, wear, and moisture. As with completely untreated floors, treat them the same way as penetrating-seal-treated and oil-treated floors. If you’re not certain of the type of floor you have, rub your finger across it. If a smudge appears, it has been treated with an oil finish, lacquer, varnish, or shellac and then waxed. If there’s no smudge, the floor was surface sealed.

No! Oils can leave residue, while furniture sprays will give you a slippery surface, which is not what you want on a floor. Putting wax on is time-consuming and makes it difficult to re-coat. Don’t use an abrasive cleaner or ammonia, as these products can scratch the finish or give the floor a dull appearance. Only use a special floor cleaning product recommended for that particular floor. Otherwise, use mild soap and water. Avoid vinegar and water, as that can cause a wood floor to look dingy and won’t remove built-up dirt.

If the wood floor sees a lot of traffic (such as in kitchens and dining rooms), try to sweep it daily and mop once or twice every week. For a floor with less traffic, once every month or every season should be fine. Do not use too much water, as this can discolor and damage the wood. Instead, use a slightly damp mop only. After cleaning with the cleaning solution, go back over the floor with clean water to give it a rinse.

If it has been a long time since your floors have been professionally cleaned, they might have lost their original luster. If this is the case, KIWI’s wood floor cleaning specialists can restore your old wood floors so they look new. We will carefully clean and mop your wood floors by gently buffing, waxing, and polishing, removing dirt and stains, and bringing back the shine. KIWI is fully insured and licensed with nearly 40 years of experience cleaning wood floors. This deep-down cleaning can also remove caked-in toxins from the floor, giving you healthier air in your home. In addition, at KIWI, we know which types of hardwoods require water or shouldn’t be cleaned with water and whether they should be waxed or not. We’ll take special care of your wood floors!

Professional floor cleaning services can handle various types of flooring materials, including hardwood, Engineered Hardwood, and LVT. They use specialized equipment and techniques tailored to each flooring type to ensure a thorough and safe cleaning.

That depends on factors such as the type of floor and foot traffic. Generally, it is recommended to have hard surface floors cleaned every 12-18 months.

In many cases, professional floor cleaning services can significantly improve the appearance of worn or damaged floors. They use specialized techniques to remove dirt, stains, and scratches and can apply sealants or coatings to protect and restore the floor’s appearance.

After a professional cleaning, the drying time for floors depends on factors such as humidity, ventilation, and the specific cleaning method used. Generally, hard surface floors should be dry within a few hours, while carpets may take 4-6 hours or longer to dry completely.

To maintain your floors between professional cleanings, consider the following tips: vacuum or sweep regularly, clean spills and stains promptly, use appropriate cleaning products for your flooring type, and apply protective mats or rugs in high-traffic areas.