Categories
Floor Care

Tips From the Pros: How to Clean Hardwood Floors

A man hand applying wood care products and cleaners on hardwood floor surface. Shining hardwood floors are a real show-stopper in the interior of a home. However, without proper care, hardwood can become worn, dull, and, even worse, scratched. A busy lifestyle and the call of everyday obligations can make it hard to find the time to invest in maintaining the brilliance of your hardwood floors.  Hardwood floors can be quite an investment, and when they’re not properly cared for, they will wear. That’s why TLC Cleaning has a few tips on how to clean hardwood floors and to keep them looking their best for years to come.  If you find you lack time to invest in maintaining your hardwood, contact TLC Cleaning to keep your floors shining while you’re away. We service Fargo and Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. 

How to Clean Hardwood Floors: The Basics

Beautiful, clean hardwood floors in a nicely decorated living room/kitchen. When it comes to cleaning and caring for them, it’s done the same way whether you have pine, bamboo, oak, or cherry floors. However, if you know your flooring type and the manufacturer, it could be helpful to see if there are any additional care instructions available. When caring for your floors, you can follow a formula: sweep, mop, restore. Once the floors are restored to their original sleek beauty, regular maintenance becomes a manageable task.  

Sweep the Debris

Someone wearing blue slipeprs and socks sweeping the floor. Sweeping is the first step of how to clean hardwood floors. The build-up of dirt, debris, and pet hair are the primary culprits of scratching the floor. It’s crucial to remove the debris, especially in high-traffic areas. A few tips to keep your floors dirt-free:  
  • A dry microfiber mop is great for picking up and trapping loose dirt. Or use a regular, soft-bristled dust broom to sweep up. (hard bristles can scratch the floor’s finish)
  • If using a vacuum, make sure to either turn off the beater brush or use a floor attachment. When using the beater bar, you risk scratching and damaging the floors. 
  • It would be best if you swept the floors at least once a week. While a deep cleaning could be necessary for high-traffic areas and common places pets reside.

Mop the Floors

Someone wet mopping with a lime green bucket and mop. Mopping is the second step for how to clean hardwood floors. Once you have cleared the floors from all the loose debris, dirt, and hair, it’s time to start wet mopping. Sweeping won’t clean the dirt or grime that has built up. It may be essential to mop high-traffic areas more frequently than once a week.  A few tips to keep the grime at bay:
  • When you mop the floors make sure you wring out all excess water; you want a damp mop, not a sopping wet, plop mop. 
  • Standing water can cause damage to the wood and can strip the finish.
  • You should clean your floors with a recommended hardwood floor cleaner. These wood floor cleaners are formulated and tested to clean and help protect.    
  • If using a steam mop, make sure it has a hardwood setting. If there is too much heat and steam, it can cause damage to the finish. 
  • Avoid mopping with harsh cleaners. Harsh chemicals will dull the finish of the floor. 
  • Use caution when using any DIY or homemade cleaning solutions containing vinegar and water. Concoctions with a high vinegar content can erode the finish. It’s always best to do a spot test.

Restore the Floor Finish 

Hardwood floors with polish on the left side, and unpolished on the right. Sweeping and mopping won’t rectify dulling or scratched floors. Restoring your hardwood to its former glory will rid the floor of scratches, scuffs, and lackluster appearance. Part of restoring hardwood floors is knowing how to care for them properly.  A few tips on restoring: 
  • A liquid scratch concealer works well to conceal scratches. Once cured, the concealer hardens and protects your floors from future scratches and won’t come off while cleaning. But make sure you get a color that matches your finish as close as possible. 
  • Use a hardwood floor polish to bring back shine and remove micro-scratches. 
  • Read the instructions for the floor polish and go over some Do’s and Don’ts before you get started. 
  •  Try a hardwood floor wax, but do your research. Hardwood floor wax will interfere with the finish of a Polyurethane finish. Check the care instructions of the flooring manufacturer. 
  • Other restoring methods could include scratch repair kits and touch-up repair kits. 

Maintain the Hardwood Floors 

Gorgeous and shiny, well-maintained hardwood floors. Once you have swept, mopped, and restored your floors, the best part is that maintenance is minimal. Once you incorporate taking care of your hardwood floors into your cleaning routine, it should be a breeze.  A few tips on maintaining your hardwood floors:
  • Dry mop or sweep with a soft-bristled broom at least once a week. 
  • Use a recommended hardwood floor cleaner to remove any built-up dirt residue.
  • Mop the floors with a hardwood-safe cleaner at least once a month, but more often for high-traffic areas.
  • Apply a fresh coat of finish to the hardwood floors every couple of years. 

Protect the Floors 

A small area rug place in a high-traffic area of the kitchen to protect from wear and tear on hardwood floors. Protecting your floors from the damaging effects of dirt and other small debris is the best way to ensure you get the most out of your investment.  A few tips on protecting your hardwood:
  • Place rugs near the entrances of your home; this will provide guests and furry friends a place to remove dirt and small rocks from their shoes and paws that could scratch the floors. 
  • Remove shoes and leave them near the entrance to prevent tracking in particles that could cause abrasions. 
  • If you have pets in the home, cut their nails frequently to keep them from scratching the surface. 
  • The floors in high-traffic areas see the most wear and tear. Protecting these areas with rugs will protect the flooring from potential scratches, spills, and everyday traffic. 
  • Rugs also create a barrier between your hardwood floors and heavy furniture. When shifted, heavy furniture can cause gouges or deep scratches in the wood. Alternatively, you can use furniture pads on the bottom of the legs and feet of furniture to protect the wood. 
  • Always clean spills promptly, and make sure they are completely dry.

Learn How to Clean Hardwood Floors from TLC Cleaning

A professional cleaner wearing bright green cleaning gloves mopping a hardwood floor. If you know how to care for hardwood floors, they can last for years and bring warmth and style to your home, but sometimes life is busy, and we fall behind on things like restoring the floor. If this is the case for you, contact TLC Cleaning We do the cleaning, so you get back to doing what’s important!
Categories
Carpet Care Floor Care

How to Remove Set-In Stains in Your Carpet

Muddy footprints. Kids’ spilled Mac n’ Cheese. Dog vomit. Red wine from a mom’s night-in. What do all of these sloppy substances have in common? If you have carpet in your home, just reading this list might prompt you to think about how to remove set-in stains.

Keeping the carpet in your home fresh and clean can be a challenge. If you have kids or pets, your carpet is even more at risk.

red wine glass spilled on to carpet

The truth is, regardless of your household size or lifestyle, chances are, you’re going to need to attend to a carpet stain or two at some point. Accidents happen, and when they occur on your carpet, you’ll want to know how to remove set-in stains.

woman cleaning rug in slippers and pink cleaning gloves

If cleaning your home and your carpet is something you frequently don’t have time for, maybe hiring a professional cleaning service is the right choice.

TLC Cleaning, your cleaning experts, are ready to help you keep up on the housework.

Whether you’re looking for weekly services, or deep cleaning once a month, we are here to get your house looking its best. Our experienced staff will make your home shine. You’ll love having extra free time to spend doing things you enjoy, instead of working on chores.

While you wait to set up your cleaning services with TLC Cleaning, you might be facing a mess on your carpet. If you need to remove stains right away on your own, take a look at these helpful hints.

You might find just the remedy to get your carpet looking new again. When tough stains hit, you don’t have to worry.

Pet Stains

yellow lab puppy smelling a spill on carpet

Let’s start with some of the worst of the worst when it comes to how to remove set-in stains. Pet stains.

Pet stains not only look terrible, but they can smell horrible as well. Even when you think the stain is gone, the smell can linger.

Your pet might be one of the loves-of-your-life, but their messes on your carpet are anything but lovable. If your four-legged best friend has left you a surprise on your carpet, don’t stress. You can take action to take care of the stain.

If the stain is fresh, use a towel to soak up the mess. Blot the stained carpet until it is virtually dry. If in the unfortunate event, you find the stain too late and it’s already dried, you can re-wet the stain to clean more effectively.

a calico cat watching human clean carpet stain

If you like to clean using natural household products, give white vinegar a try. Mix with warm water and spray on the stain.

The vinegar will also help neutralize the yucky smell. Let the vinegar solution sit on the stain for a few minutes. Blot the stain with a towel until it is gone.

Do you want an alternative to vinegar? Try using laundry detergent mixed with water instead. Use the same technique as the vinegar mixture, but rinse the stain with warm water after and then blot dry.

Coffee Stains

blonde woman in robe pouring coffee on to counter and missing her glass

A morning isn’t morning without your cup of Joe. But what do you do if you have a spill?

It happens all too often. In your still half-asleep stupor, you clumsily knock over your mug, creating a hard-to-remove stain right on your beautiful carpet.

Like with any stain, the first thing to do is to blot the stain to dry it up. Don’t rub or smear, just dab with a dry cloth.

To clean, try either a vinegar and water mixture or a laundry detergent and water mixture. Both solutions are gentle on your carpet but effective on those spills.

coffee cup spilled on to carpet

You can also try and use a store-bought carpet spray cleaner to try and remove the stain. Always do a spot-test first. Test the product on a hidden spot, such as in a closet, to make sure the carpet won’t discolor.

Blood Stains

young girl pointing to a band aid on her elbow

Did the kids’ roughhousing go too far, and now you have blood on your carpet? Or perhaps a wounded pet is responsible. Whatever the case, blood in your carpet can be a difficult stain to battle.

Just like treating laundry with bloodstains, use cold water instead of warm. Bloodstains might be one of the more stubborn stains to tackle, but there is hope.

Add about two teaspoons of dish soap to a spray bottle of cold water. Saturate the bloodstain and use a white towel to blot up the blood. Use cold water to rinse the spot and continue to repeat until the stain is no more.

Mystery Stains

a plate of spaghetti spilled on carpet

Set-in stains can make your carpet look old and nasty. If your carpet has mystery stains throughout, several home remedies may be effective in removing them.

If you have these ugly spots on your carpet, invest in a stiff brush, and get to work getting rid of these unsightly stains.

Hydrogen peroxide is an inexpensive possibility for removing set-in stains. Soak the stain with hydrogen peroxide, but only after testing on an out-of-sight area.

Once you soak the stain with peroxide, let it sit for fifteen minutes. Take your stiff brush and scrub gently to loosen the stain.

If you have a steam cleaner, feel free to use that to suck up the peroxide. If not, go back to the trusted blot method using towels.

Club soda is also a tried and true method for stain removal. If you like home remedies, you can use club soda to try and remove set-in stains. Club soda is a fantastic choice for laundry stains as well.

Let the Professionals Take Care of Your Carpet Woes

a steam cleaner cleaning carpet

If you’re reading over this list thinking you’d prefer professionally cleaned carpets instead of working through your set-in stains, TLC Cleaning is ready to help.

Let us take the stress and time out of cleaning your carpets. You’ll enjoy a thoroughly clean home as well as extra time to relax, regroup, and live your life.

Don’t let household chores and stained carpet keep you from the things in your life that matter most.

Contact us today and set up your professional cleaning services.

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