How to Clean a Hardwood Floor Part 2

Part two of our series on how to clean a hardwood floor explores what to look for in a cleaning service.

Hardwood Floor Cleaning| (210) 637-5050

Hardwood Floor Cleaning Services: Check Them Out

Whether or not you are looking for a hardwood floor cleaning service in New Braunfels, TX  or not, and no matter where you are in the world, there are certain things to look for in a service.  First off, before you arrange an appointment, write down some questions.

How much is it to clean a hardwood floor?  Do they charge by square footage, or do they charge a flat fee?  How much experience do they have?  Do they do other services in addition to wood floors?  This last one is important because sometimes it helps to find a cleaning service that can do other things too.

For example, in addition to hardwood floors, they may also do bathroom remodeling, or do work with tile and grout.  You may have a one stop service when you're done.  However, there is another thing you want to do when you're getting ready call a service in.  You want to check out their reputation.  There are several sources for this.  You want to read online reviews for the business, but use caution.  Overwhelmingly positive reviews could be fake, particularly if they are obviously written by someone who is using English as a second language.  You also want to take a hard look at universally negative reviews for a couple of reasons as well.  It is either that they are the victim of a negative smear campaign by one of their competitors or probably more likely, they really are bad at what they do.  But how do you know which one to pick?

Hardwood Floor Cleaning: Trust Your Feelings

How do you find a hardwood floor cleaning service?  Well, let's say you have found a service by searching online.  They have a nice mix of reviews, so it appears natural.  Don't blithely schedule an appointment though.  Call them.  You want to talk to the owner.  How does he respond to customers?  Is he friendly and professional or rude and hostile?  While phone etiquette isn't everything, sometimes it can be a telltale sign that something is wrong if he's rude.   Ultimately though, when in doubt, trust your feelings.  If you feel the price is too high, unless you live in a one horse town, you can go to someone else.

So remember, when you want to get cleaning done, ask some questions.  Do your homework by checking out their reviews, and ask your friends and family.  That way you know you've found the right hardwood floor cleaning service.

For more information on hardwood floor cleaning, be sure to read part one and part three as well.

Lone Star Tile and Grout Cleaning
4019 Stahl Rd, Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78217
(210) 637-5050
More Info on Wood Floor Cleaning

How to Clean a Hardwood Floor

Do you know how to clean a hardwood floor?  We do.  So we hope these tips will come in handy.  Part one of a three part series explores some general tips.

Clean Your Hardwood Floor | 210) 637-5050

Hardwood Floor Cleaning: What You Shouldn't Do

When you want to clean your hardwood floor, it's important to know what to do as well as what not to do.  First off, use caution when picking store-bought products.  A great many of them have oil or wax in them.  While waxing and applying an oil to a hardwood floor may sound like a good idea, you have to know that over time, these products leave a lot of residue on your floor that will get gummy and attract dirt.  After a while your floor will start to appear dingy and worn out.  If you're like most people, you think the solution is more polish.  It isn't.  In addition, there are some floors such as teak that already have a high oil content.  If you add a product that is oil or wax-based, it will not only make your floor dingy, it will also likely make it permanently slippery too.

On the flip side of this, be sure to read the ingredients.  If there is anything acidic or harsh chemicals in the mix, don't use it to clean your hardwood floor.  For example, we once had a client who used a  product from a store that actually contained bleach that was supposedly "safe" for any surface, including hardwood floors.  Suffice it to say the label was wrong.   The bleach not only stripped away the polyurethane coating, it did what bleach often does, it well, bleached his floor.  What was a $2,500 floor was now a bunch of driftwood.  So to sum up, what you shouldn't do includes anything with harsh chemicals or anything wax and oil based.  Another thing to add to the "Do Not List" is don't wet mop your floor.

How You Should Clean Your Hardwood Floor

How you should clean your hardwood floor is actually easier than you might think.  First off, place throw rugs at each entryway into a room with hardwood flooring.  These rugs will help to capture dirt, and most importantly, fine grit that can scratch your hardwood floor.  Any boots or shoes that could scratch up your floor should be removed.  Usually flats, or sneakers are fine, however, with sneakers they can leave scuff marks, so be careful even with them.

Sweep your hardwood floor at least once a week with a soft dustmop or a simple straw broom.  Sweep outwards out of the room and ultimately into a dustpan or outdoors.  You can also clean your hardwood floor with a little bit of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, and a non lint cloth.

So remember, taking care of your floor is always a good idea.  So know what to do AND what not to do.  That way you will always be able to maintain and clean your hardwood floor between visits.

For more information on hardwood floor cleaning and refinishing, be sure to read part two and part three as well.

Lone Star Tile and Grout Cleaning
4019 Stahl Rd, Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78217
(210) 637-5050
http://www.lonestartileandgroutcleaning.com