Maintaining newly sanded or polished timber floors

After the floor has been finished, it is a good idea to wear socks on the new surface for a minimum of 48 hours. Leave at least three to four days when the floor has been finished before moving furniture back. This will help to minimize the risk of damage to the floor. Floors can take up to 14 days to fully harden!! Avoid using trolleys with small wheels. It is particularly important that you do not lay any rugs for two weeks after the floor has been completed. Following these and the following tips will ensure your floor will look its best for a long time.

• Use mats at the front of entrances to minimize grit and sand from outside - rugs or runners in areas that are highly trafficked will also minimize grit and sand on the floor.
  
• Fit protective pads to the legs of tables and chairs so that they can be moved easily without the risk of scuffing the floor.
  
• Avoid direct sunlight as it will cause fading over time … it is a good idea to use curtains or blinds to filter the sunlight coming in through the window.
  
• Use an anti-static dust mop – an anti-static dust mop is a better option than a vacuum cleaner as it is much less likely to scratch the floor.

...................................................................................................................................

Ongoing cleaning

• Keep dirt off the floor, dust, mop or vacuum regularly and keep doormats clean. (If using a vacuum, make sure that the vacuum doesn’t scratch the floorboards.)
  
• Use only top quality floor mops and thoroughly wash new mops to remove any lint remaining from the manufacturing process.
  
• Wash the floor with an almost dry sponge mop using a mixture of ? cup methylated spirits to no more than a half bucket of cold water – the spirits help to evaporate the water.
  
• Wipe the floor dry as you go so that water remains on the floor for as little time as possible.
  (Under no circumstances use household detergents!!)

Maintaining your timber floors is going to be less troublesome than the ongoing cleaning and maintenance of carpet and, in the longer term, easier and less expensive than for most other floor coverings, which will eventually need to be replaced.