Many homeowners worry about how to maintain wire brushed floors. This is quite understandable as wire-brushed flooring is more difficult to maintain than most other flooring types. However, you don’t have to worry so much about the maintenance of your flooring. New and improved technology makes this easier.
In this article, we will provide you with tested and trusted techniques to keep your wire brushed floors clean and in good condition. We will also explore the different types of cleaning agents to use for your floors and much more.
Important Things to Note About Cleaning Wire brushed Oak Floors
The manufacturing process for wire-brushed floors involves brushing the floor’s surfaces using a stifle-bristled wire brush. The stifle-bristled wire scrapes the surface layer of the softer wood away. Hence, it exposes the wood’s darker grains, creating more texture. It also exposes the wood’s beautiful parts.
This wire brushing process is either done using a machine or by hand. With a machine, the scratches are more uniform, and planks are easily matched. However, with the hand, the scratches are random and resemble naturally-distressed wood.
Before knowing how to clean wire brushed floors, you must understand that it is a little more complicated than other hardwood floors. If a wire brushed floor has a smooth and well-maintained finish, you can sweep it easily. These floor types have more texture than others. Hence, their tiny crevices tend to collect dirt and dust easily.
As a result, it is important to sweep thoroughly to get all the dust and dirt off. Using a mop may be of better value in this case. Another thing to note is that wire brushed floors have ultraviolet finishes. Hence, you don’t actually clean the wood, but it’s UV finish. The finish acts as the wood’s protective layer.
When cleaning your floors, always use quality products. Using substandard products will leave your wood floors damaged. In the next section, we will shine a light on the best products and techniques for cleaning your hardwood floors.
Related Article: White Oak Flooring: Effective Maintenance Tips for Winter
Tips On How to Maintain Wire Brushed Floors
You need to practice regular maintenance of your wire brushed flooring to make it last as long as it should. A few tips to aid the floor’s cleaning and maintenance include:
Don’t use wet mops on your floor
Water can dull your wood’s finish and cause damage to the wood. Using wet mops also causes wood discolouration.
Avoid using self-polishing acrylic waxes
Using this wax causes your wood to become slippery. The wood also begins to look dull faster than it should.
Get rid of spills and sticky spots instantly
When you spill something on your wire brushed floor, you must clean it immediately. Don’t let it stick to the surface. Use a damp cloth to wipe the spills and a soft, clean cloth to dry the area.
Avoid using water and vinegar when cleaning your floors
If you use water and vinegar to clean your wire brushed floors, it will leave you negative effects. Since it’s an acid, vinegar will break the wood’s surface finish down. Over time, the surface finish shine will reduce. This, in turn, will leave your flooring with a dull appearance.
If you use water and vinegar as a cleaning solution for your floor, it can leave excess water on the floor. This will cause your floor to swell and lose its colour.
Avoid waxing your floor
One of the most effective tips on how to maintain wire brushed floors is the use of wax on your flooring. Even if you want to refinish your flooring area after many years, you need to consult a professional. They will be able to determine and apply the right kind of finishes for your floors.
Prevent dust from accumulating on your floors
The nature of wire brushed oak floors make it easier for dust and dirt to accumulate on its surfaces. Dust and dirt will cause a damaging effect on your flooring and its protective finish. Dust is also hazardous for your health, especially if you have allergies or asthma.
It is somewhat impossible to have a completely dust-free home. Even at that, you must ensure you clean off dust or dirt particles as soon as they appear on your floor’s surfaces. If you don’t do so, these particles can scratch and damage your floor surface. You must also take measures to reduce dust in your home.
Use the right tools when cleaning your wire brushed flooring
As part of how to clean wire brushed floors, you should always use the right tools. The main cleaning devices for your floors include brooms, vacuums, and microfiber mops. There are variations and several types for each category.
People also use two or more of these devices in cleaning their floors. Some people may prefer using brooms or dry mops to clean before vacuuming. Others like sweeping, vacuuming, and then dry mopping. Whichever way or method you choose, the best cleaning technique will require using one or more of these tools.
What are the Best Methods for Cleaning Wire Brushed Floors?
In a step-by-step process, here’s what you need to do to maintain wire brushed floors:
- Before cleaning your floor, sweep or dust-mop it to remove large dirt or debris particles.
- Use cleaners that are pH neutral and gentle on your wire brushed flooring.
- Clean your floor in sections using a fine spray mist. Never apply too much liquid to your flooring.
- You should use microfiber mops. You can use traditional mops, but these mop types usually allow excess water to remain on your wire brushed floors.
- If possible, use a wire brush floor cleaner specially formulated for the cleaning process. This kind of cleaners will help you maintain your floor’s look and beauty.
- You need to take caution when using micro mops, especially if your wire brushed floor is hand-scraped. Some of these mops grab and splinter the floor’s edges.
In addition to these tips, there’s a need to develop a workable daily and weekly schedule for cleaning your floor. For your daily schedule, practice dusting your floors with a cloth or microfiber mop. Doing this daily is your floor’s best defence against surface damage and scratches. Also, microfiber mops trap particles, dirt, and allergens effectively using static electricity.
While using microfiber mops, avoiding lifting them off your floor when cleaning. Doing this ensures you don’t damage your flooring and keeps the dirt trapped on the mop’s pad.
A weekly maintenance schedule for your wire brushed floor involves cleaning areas you can’t reach with daily cleaning. This sort of cleaning requires the use of wet mops and vacuums. These tools are best for removing dirt from difficult areas, corners, and spaces between the wood.
To avoid damaging your floor, you must take extra care when using mops and vacuums. Don’t allow your vacuum’s beater bar to strike your floor. Also, ensure your vacuum’s wheels don’t damage your floor.
While using a mop, avoid using excess liquid to clean your floor. If you mist your floor lightly with a good cleaner, it cleans it well enough. Applying a gentle touch when cleaning your wire brushed floor is always the best way to go.
More Tips to Help You Maintain Wire Brushed Floors
Throughout this article, you have become acquainted with multiple tips on how to maintain wire brushed floors. Most of the tips you have learned so far deal majorly with cleaning.
However, to keep your wire brushed hardwood floors in the best condition, there’s a need to do more than clean. These tips are precautionary and include:
Prevent dust from attacking your home
The worst enemy your beautiful wire brushed floor designs can have is dust and dirt particles. Hence, you must defend your home and flooring from these dangerous particles. The steps you can take to do this include:
- Using rugs at your home’s entry points and active areas to keep dirt away. Avoid wearing shoes on the flooring to eliminate dirt and sources.
- Clean your floors often to remove dirt and dust particles. Create a daily and weekly maintenance schedule suitable for you and keep to it. If maintained, this schedule prevents dust and dirt from accumulating on your floor.
- Practice changing your furnace filters and vacuum filters. Doing so keeps these appliances in optimal working conditions. It also ensures you reduce the dust particles present in your home.
- Ensure you look out for places with a high potential of dust build-up in your home. These include curtains, drapes underneath your appliances, walls, ceilings, etc. Clean these places regularly and rid them of dust particles.
Use a workable dusting technique
Dusting is one of the effective ways to maintain wire brushed floors. However, you must find a dusting technique you are comfortable with and can keep to. Some dusting tips you can follow include:
- While cleaning your home, ensure the floor is the last place you dust. It is advisable to start from your ceiling and end at the floor. Doing this ensures you don’t overwork yourself by re-cleaning previously dusted areas.
- When dusting, start from the farthest place and work your way towards your room entrances. Room entrances are areas of high traffic and tend to be the source of most dust and dirt particles. Hence, it is advisable to clean them last.
- While cleaning, it is advisable to break up your room into sections. This improves efficiency and helps you keep track of your work. It also maximizes effectiveness and energy.
Other effective hacks for how to maintain wire brushed floors include:
- Don’t walk on your floors with heeled shoes, sports shoes, and cleats as they can dent surfaces.
- Don’t drag or slide furniture on your wire brushed floor surfaces. Carry such furniture over the floor’s surfaces instead. If that is not possible, place a protective covering over the floor’s surface to avoid denting it.
- To prevent discolouration, prevent direct sunlight from striking your floor.
- Maintain an annual indoor relative humidity range between 35%-55%. Temperature levels should range between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Use humidifiers during the dry season to prevent your floors from shrinking due to low levels of humidity.
- Use dehumidifiers or air conditioners during the wet season. Don’t expose your floor to water during inclement weather.
- Use doormats and area rugs of high quality to prevent dirt and other particles from getting to your floor and scratching its surfaces.
- Your furniture’s legs can scratch or damage your floors. Hence, use caster cups, felt protectors, or casters on furniture legs to prevent this from happening. Clean these cups and protectors regularly to prevent dirt from accumulating on their surfaces and damaging your floors. Also, replace them regularly.
- If you have pets, it is necessary to trim their nails regularly. If you don’t do so, these pets can scratch floor surfaces and spoil the floor’s beauty. Also, ensure you place your pet’s water or food bowls on protective mats. This prevents water or food particles from spilling directly on floor surfaces.
- You should rearrange your furniture and rugs periodically. This ensures an even ageing for your floor.
- You want your wire brushed floor to maintain its beauty and texture. However, with time, it becomes dull. When this happens, you must recoat or refinish the floor’s coating. It is advisable to refinish every three to five years.
How to Repair Wire Brushed Floors
Despite your best efforts at maintaining your wire brushed floors, they can still suffer damage. Luckily, you can easily repair minor dents or damage by using a finishing putty.
When it comes to major floor damages, you will have to replace the entire board. In this case, you must consult a professional.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Maintain Wire Brushed Floors
Below are answers to some common questions:
Will my wire brushed floors fade or change colour?
Yes, it can. If you expose it to direct and heavy sunlight, it can quickly discolour the floor. Prevent direct sunlight from striking your floor and change your furniture arrangement periodically to prevent discolouration.
How often should I clean my wire brushed floors?
You should clean your floors as often as possible. Dust and dirt particles can damage your floors. Hence, you must ensure you get rid of such particles by practicing regular floor cleaning and maintenance.
How best can I clean my wire brush floor?
The best way to clean your wire brush floor is by using a broom, microfiber mop, or vacuum. Avoid using water to clean your floors, as excessive moisture will cause damage. You can use a damp mop or a quality cleaner to clean tough stains.
What is the best way to keep dirt off my wire brushed floor?
Avoid walking on the floor with your shoes or footwear on. Place doormats at your home entrances and encourage visitors to take off their shoes before coming in.
Related Article: How To Choose Hardwood Flooring
Keep Your Wire Brushed Floors in Great Shape
Wire brushed floors can take a lot of beating. Thanks to the distinct scratches and scrapes, it may be hard to notice new dents on your wire brushed floors. However, this isn’t a reason to neglect cleaning your wire brushed floors.
We suggest having a daily, as well as a weekly routine for cleaning your wire, brushed floors. The weekly routine will involve the use of special cleaning agents as described in this blog.
However, your floors can get damaged to the extent that only a replacement will suffice. If you want to replace a damaged wire brushed floor or want to get wire brushed flooring for your room, you are in the right place.
Do well to visit our online store for wire brushed flooring designs. Here at LV Flooring, you will find an extensive collection of flooring designs that match your taste and desires. Our wire brushed floors are of the highest quality, durable, well-finished and will turn your home into a paradise. Visit us today, and you will be glad you did.
