Cleaning Soap-treated Hardwood Floors
If you have a soap-treated wooden floor, cleaning is straightforward. Washing the floor with natural soap helps maintain the surface, as the soap treatment itself acts like a wash. However, it's crucial to use the right soap, as not all products create a breathable protective layer on the wood.
Why you should wash your soap-treated wood floor with natural soap
If you want to keep your soap-treated floor beautiful for many years, it's important that you:
- Use a natural soap regularly, as the protection wears off over time
How often should I soap my wood floor?
A soap-treated wooden floor needs to be treated regularly as the protection wears off over time. When you wash the floor it is important:
- That you wring out the mop or floor cloth well so that you don't leave lakes of water. Most wooden floors can't handle that.
Guide: How to soap treat your wooden floor
Using a natural soap will care for and protect the surface of your wooden floor.
What you need before you start:
- Natural soap
- Broom or vacuum cleaner
- Flat mop or floor cloth
1 | Sweep or vacuum the floor so that the surface is free of loose impurities
2 | Mix the natural soap in the recommended proportions
3 | Wash the surface along the length of the floor and wood fibers
Always use a hard-wrung floor cloth or mop. Remember that a wooden floor cannot be soaked and if water spills occur, the floor must be wiped immediately to avoid moisture damage.
If the floor is very dirty, it's a good idea to work with two buckets; one bucket for clean soapy water and one bucket for wringing out the cloth.
4 | Particularly difficult stains can be removed with a wood cleaner
Frequently asked questions and tips for a soap treated wood floor
Use doormats and small rugs add
There are areas in your home where your wooden floor is exposed to wear and tear. The entrance hall is where you walk in and out with shoes, siding, water and snow, and the area around the dining table is put to use every day.
Minimize daily wear and tear in these areas by placing a doormat in the entrance hall and carpet under the dining table.
Avoid scratches on your wooden floor - use felt pads add
We cannot stress this tip enough. Use felt pads under your furniture. Even if you lift your chair when you sit down at the table, your guests or children may not - a chair dragged across a wooden floor will most likely leave scratches and expose the open wood.