Ahh hardwood. It looks beautiful and has its own gorgeous rustic charm.
But with it comes special maintenance!
And that’s the hard part.
However, it’s certainly much easier to do when you have the best equipment.
Nothing’s perfect, but here are some of the products and features to consider so you can make the best choice for your own needs:
1. Size of the Space
How much do you need to clean? A lot? Or just a little?
You may not need to sink a lot of money into a powerful machine if you just need to clean a small space.
Some are specifically designed for smaller or larger spaces.
Be sure to know the approximate square footage ahead of time so you know what to look at.
2. What’s the Source of the Dirt?
Where’d that dirt on your hardwood floor come from anyway?
Some cleaners remove dirt well. Others remove scuff marks caused by shoes. And others even specialize in spill removal.
A few cleaners work good (but not great) on everything.
So, when you identify the source of the dirt on your floor, you’ll know which cleaner to use.
3. Do You Need Cordless Equipment?
How big is the space you need cleaned? That may reveal the answer to your question.
Or, how complex do cords make cleaning your space? And how many different floors do you have to clean?
Cordless equipment is frequently available and just as effective as its corded counterpart.
4. Does the Equipment Have a Scraping Feature?
“Scraping” doesn’t sound good for hardwood floors. And you should trust that judgment.
Some cleaning equipment does scrape and will scratch your hardwood floors.
So make sure you read up on the equipment you’re considering to see if it might be a likely culprit to scratch.
5. What’s the Quality of the Mop Head?
Believe it or not, steam cleaners designed specifically for hardwood floor cleaning may actually cause more damage than anything else.
As they “clean,” they’ll actually scratch your hardwood floor.
And, still others don’t have adjustable steam settings. The one setting they have can result in too much steam, which can lead to warping and the voiding of your hardwood floor warranty.
So, extensive research on the equipment you’re considering is wise.
With these tips on hand, you now know how to make the best choice for your hardwood floors.
And you won’t have to deal with any unexpected stressors or hassles (like scratched floors).