How to clean engineered wood flooring

Invested in engineered wood flooring in your home? With the correct maintenance this flooring can last up to 30 years making it a great investment for both your home and the environment. In this quick how to guide we discuss the best way to maintain your engineered wood flooring.

Even if your chosen engineered flooring has a water-resistant coating, you should minimise mopping as much as possible. Dry cleaning regularly is the best method to maintain your engineered timber flooring.  Sweep with a soft-headed brush or use a vacuum with a soft bristle attachment. We’d recommend doing this daily, if possible, to avoid the build up of dirt on the floor’s surface.

Although more durable than solid wood flooring, you still need to clean up any spills or excessive liquids immediately to avoid staining or marks on your flooring. You can use a damp cloth or mop to do this, just ensure it isn’t wet. When doing a deep clean, avoid using any abrasive cleaners, choose one that is appropriate for hard wood maintenance, and never use a steam cleaner as this will warp the floorboards.

If your engineered flooring has an oiled finish, this will need topping up regularly to avoid the wood drying out. First, clean the floor thoroughly using the steps above and then, once dry, apply the oil in an even coat following the manufacturing instructions during the drying process.

Like solid wood flooring, engineered flooring is easier to scratch than the likes of luxury vinyl flooring and laminate. Therefore, we’ve compiled a few hints and tips to reduce the likelihood of scratching.

1. Add floor protectors to the bottom of furniture, like felt patches on your sofa and dining chair legs.
2. Don’t drag or slide furniture or heavy objects across the floor.
3. Place mats in entranceways to reduce moisture, stones and general dirt from being brought into the home, even taking off shoes as soon as possible.
4. When choosing your mats, avoid ones with a latex or rubbing backing as these can permanently discolour the floorboards.