How to clean and care for quality hardwood floors

Quality wood straight planks or parquet, our goal is the same - to ensure that our products serve our customers through a lifetime. That is why when manufacturing our wooden floors, wall coverings and dining tables, we put special emphasis on preserving the breathability of wood. However, what is alive also requires care. Although the surface of our straight planks and wooden parquets is both beautiful and resistant thanks to the surface treatment with OLI-NATURA plant-based oils, in order to keep this beauty, this natural protective layer has to be refreshed from time to time.

Professional care of straight planks and wooden parquet

So that your quality wood floor remains beautiful for a long time and you can enjoy it just as long, it requires regular and, above all, proper care and cleaning. Adequate and professional care is a guarantee for you to maintain a quality surface for a lifetime. Regular care will be appreciated by your floor, and as a result it will develop an ever more beautiful and natural patina over time, which is why we ask you to always follow the care instructions.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your parquet dealer or the parquet company that carries out the construction, where you will receive all information you need to properly care for and clean parquet floors.

How to take care of quality wood flooring in everyday life?

Quality straight plank flooring and wooden parquet keep their beauty and have an especially long lifespan, if you pay attention to the following small details in everyday life.

• Leave your freshly impregnated floor at least 2-3 days until you expose it to its normal wear or start cleaning it.
• Do not use steel wool or sharp cleaning pads for the maintenance of wooden floors, wall coverings, terrace deckings or solid wood tables. Avoid oiling pads with too strong polishing effect.
• Dirt and sand can be like sandpaper on your floor and have to be removed immediately.
• For cleaning and care you should only use high-quality products that are compatible with each other.
• By placing a door mat in front of the entrance, you can achieve an effective reduction of dirt on your floors.
• In order to avoid scratches, you may put pieces of felt under your seating furniture. If you have furniture with rollers, the floor should be protected with mats.

How to protect the wooden floors during the heating season?

The impregnated surface of the straight planks and wood parquets is subject to natural wear and tear (depending on the stress it is exposed to). That is why regular maintenance of wooden floors is essential. As wood is a natural material, it is constantly adapting to the relative air humidity of the room. During the heating season, the air humidity decreases, to which the wood reacts by releasing moisture, i.e., it shrinks. As a result of the process, both the straight planks and the wooden parquet may start to deform; and this phenomenon may intensify during a prolonged heating season, which means that wider gaps may appear on your wooden floor. By the end of summer, these gaps are usually smaller or become completely closed and disappear. Gap formation can be prevented to a certain extent, for example, by hanging humidifiers above your radiators and/or having adequate amount of plants in your house.

In general, the room temperature should be approx. 20 ° C and the relative humidity should remain between 55-65% to prevent significant changes in the size of the wood planks.

Setting the right humidity and temperature values in your room is good not only for your natural wood flooring, but also for your family. After all, in rooms with ideal relative humidity, the heat sensation is more pleasant, and there is a lower chance of developing dry skin, burning eye feeling, and even respiratory illnesses can be prevented.

Different ways to clean a wooden floor

The wooden floor can be cleaned in two different ways. The process is described in detail below. In all cases, please clean your wooden floor as described.

Dry cleaning of wooden straight planks and parquets

Daily cleaning of oiled / hard wax oil-treated floors should be carried out dry with a broom or vacuum cleaner. Dirt and sand can be like sandpaper on your floor and can cause fine scratches on it.

Wet cleaning of wooden straight planks and parquets

For regular cleaning, wipe your floor with "OLI-NATURA Wood Soap". Wood soap quickly and effectively removes grease stains without fading the colour of the wood floor. We recommend washing the average soiled floor of the apartment at least once a month with OLI-NATURA Wood Soap. It is recommended to wipe frequently used, especially heavily used surfaces at least once a week.

Deep cleaning of wooden straight planks and parquets

Manual or machine deep cleaning is required if the floor is so heavily soiled that it cannot be removed by basic, normal cleaning. Have a floor deep-cleaned by a specialist for the shortest and most professional work possible. After deep cleaning, your floor must be re-oiled! Use OLI-AQUA CLEAN 15.97 l Parquet Grundreiniger for deep cleaning.

Maintenance and refreshing of wooden floors

Occasionally, oiled or wax-treated straight planks and wood parquets require refreshing. As a result of proper care, the protection of your wooden floor against dirt is re-ensured, and minor surface scratches can be easily removed. We recommend that you note the type of your flooring and keep it after the purchase. Thanks to this, later you can easily choose the right care products for your wooden floor. If you are not exactly sure what care product you should use, turn to our expert colleagues who will be pleased to help you with any questions. It is important to perform both dry and wet cleaning as described above before starting the maintenance and refreshing of the wooden flooring.

Maintenance, care and refreshing of hardwood floors with own hands

We can entrust the annual care of wooden floors to a specialist, but we can also do it ourselves. The process is simple, and following all the rules, it is not a difficult challenge. For our customers who wish to maintain and refresh their wooden floor themselves, we have compiled an accurate and detailed description of how to carry out the process (follow this link). Please always follow the instructions, and if you have any questions, please contact our expert colleagues who will be happy to help you. All in all, the care and cleaning of quality wooden parquet and straight planks require only minimal attention, but if done accurately, the maintenance will delight us with the lifelong treasure of the forests’ beauty.