For their ease of spot cleaning, the gorgeous patina and feel they give to your hardwood floors, natural oil finishes are a great choice. Still, your oiled hardwood flooring needs regular maintenance to preserve its good looks.

Oiled hardwood flooring is also maintained differently than varnished hardwood floors. Oil finishes penetrate the grain of the wood, ensuring deeper treatment and better protection. Wood varnishes, on the other hand, sit on the wood surface and don't hide scratch marks as effectively.

For the above reasons, at California Designs, Inc., we advise to only use cleaning and care products specially formulated for oiled hardwood floors.

Below we discuss our best tips for maintaining your oiled hardwood flooring:

Use Doormats to Protect the Hardwood Flooring in Your Property's High Traffic Areas:
Hardwood floors are tougher than standard wood flooring, but they aren't indestructible. Floor areas exposed to high foot traffic will wear out faster and will need added protection.

Doors that lead out of the house, for example, let in a lot of sand and dirt from people walking in from outside. The oil finish on your hardwood floor will scratch and wear off if people don't dust off their shoes. Placing doormats at all the entrances will keep your hardwood floors clean and scratch-free for longer.

Clean Your Oiled Hardwood Flooring Regularly:
The best time to start cleaning your hardwood floors is immediately after they are installed. This is because oil soaps recommended for cleaning hardwood floors result in a protective film that toughens your floor's surface against wear.

For regular cleaning, a simple vacuuming will do in most cases. But, again, once a month your hardwood floor will need a thorough clean using a good oil soap. Even darkwood floors that tend to conceal dirt will benefit from the added conditioning from regular cleaning with an oil soap.

Spot Clean Hardwood Floors to Prevent Dirt Build-up:
Where stained varnished wooden floors will need a complete sanding and refinishing to restore them, oiled hardwood floors can be spot cleaned. This is why many homeowners prefer oiled hardwood from the many available flooring solutions.

Use a hardwood-friendly oil soap to immediately clean off coffee, wine, and other liquid spills to keep your hardwood floors looking good in between fresh oil treatments. As you spot clean, don't let your floors get too wet. Standing water causes warping that will ruin your floorboards.

Refresh Your Oiled Hardwood Floors at Least Once a Year:
Your oiled hardwood flooring will eventually lose its luster and start to show its age. Common signs of this are a more visible wood grain and when the floor gets dirty easily.

The good news is your oiled hardwood flooring can be refreshed at minimum expense. Use a recommended floor refresher to update your wooden floor once or twice a year.

Are you drawn to their timeless appeal and are looking to install oiled hardwood floors in your house?

Reject imitations and only settle for the genuine article. California Designs, Inc. has the widest selection of real hardwood floors sourced from all over the world. Contact us today for a free quote.