Most residential hardwood floors are factory-sealed with polyurethane. Floors in older homes may have been sealed after the floors were laid. Some hardwood floors are not sealed at all. To care for any kind of hardwood floor, including newly installed floors, follow these steps, and use proper hardwood floor cleaners.
01
Vacuum and dry mop to remove dust and debris.
Always vacuum and dust before cleaning your floors—debris can scratch your hardwoods and dust will turn into mud after you add your cleaning solution. Make sure your vacuum doesn’t have the brush roll on, then dust mop to pick up anything missed with our Quick Shine® Hard Surface Floor Mop.
02
Mop and shine.
Start with a lightly damp fiber mop pad, use Quick Shine® Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner or Quick Shine® High Traffic Hardwood Floor Cleaner in our Quick Shine® Multi-Surface Spray Mop, and rinse pad frequently every few sections to avoid any streaking.
03
Quick Shine® it before you refinish it.
Your floor can gleam like new without the expense and hassle of a complete refinishing. Before sanding down your worn or dull hardwood floors, refresh their original shine with Quick Shine®. Follow the steps above, then squirt Quick Shine® Multi-Surface Floor Finish or Quick Shine® High Traffic Hardwood Floor Luster in an “S” pattern and spread working in small sections toward the exit of the room. High-traffic areas (including any “lanes” or worn spots) should be freshened every two to three months, and light-traffic areas every four to six months.
REMEMBER: Less is more! Work in light coats. Even heavily worn floors can be bright again after two or three coats.
04
Maintain and protect.
Add rugs to high-traffic areas to pick up abrasive materials before they are tracked in. Use felt protectors on furniture legs to prevent scratching. Wear socks instead of shoes, and keep pets’ nails trimmed.
If you plan to use Quick Shine® Multi Surface Floor Finish or Quick Shine® High Traffic Hardwood Floor Luster, do not clean the floor with oil soap, pine oil, orange oil, ammonia, vinegar, or any other all-purpose cleaner! These cleaners can leave an oily residue or detergent haze that interferes with the bonding process.
