When accidents happen, you’ll need a plan to clean your hardwood floor.
When you have an accident and fall or cut yourself, what do you do? Typically you apply first aid as quickly as possible! The same thing is true of your hardwood floor – when accidents happen, you need to do some first aid to your floor quickly. Simple, everyday maintenance is easy to do and will keep your floors looking nice year-round, but when accidents happen you’ll need a plan to tackle the problems. Here are some common accidents that you may need to remedy to keep your hardwood floor in top shape.
Food Spills
Particularly common on your kitchen’s hardwood floors, if the spill is wet or fresh you can simply wipe up the stain with a slightly dampened cloth. But if the stain has caked or dried, you’ll need something extra. Use a sharpened knife blade and, taking special care not to scratch the wood surface, scrape up the spill working from the outer edge towards the center. If the floor is waxed, re-wax and buff the area of the spill.
Oil and Grease
For an oil and grease spill on a surface-finished floor, apply mineral spirits and wipe clean with a cloth. If the floor has a penetrating finish, apply some tri-sodium phosphate or a soap with high lye content to clean it up.
More Serious Stains
Some stains, like ink spills or accidents from a pet, will require more effort to clean up. For these kinds of spills, clean the spot using no. 2 steel wool and mineral spirits or a specially formulated wood cleanser. Then clean with household vinegar and let it stand for a few minutes. After this, re-wax and buff or apply two coats of urethane to the spot, depending on the finish of your floor.
Other Common Accidents
More than likely, if you have small children, you may find yourself staring at crayon marks or chewing gum on your hardwood floor. Crayon marks can usually come off by rubbing with a soft cloth dipped in a mild dishwashing detergent. Chewing gum, on the other hand, is a bit more challenging. Drip some wood floor cleaning product and allow it to penetrate to get the spill to loosen. Then scrape the blemish off with a plastic spatula or sharpened knife edge. Alternatively, you can make the chewing gum more brittle by applying ice to it before scraping it off.
Hardwood Flooring with John K Eareckson & Co.
At John K. Eareckson & Co., we pride ourselves on providing the best quality and craftsmanship in the Baltimore-Washington area, from custom hardwood installation and repairs to refinishing. So if you’re in the market for new hardwood flooring, pick up the phone and give us a call today! If you have any questions about new hardwood floors, please contact John K. Eareckson & Co. by calling 410-788-4200 or visit JKEHardwoodFlooring.com today for a free quote regarding any of your hardwood flooring needs. You can also follow us on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter!