How to Maintain Bamboo Flooring
Maintaining bamboo flooring is quite different than taking care of the tradition hardwood floor. Bamboo is actually a grass instead of a tree, therefore maintenance is different. Unlike the traditional cleaners with oil, acids, or caustic ingredients that are used for hardwood flooring, are not recommended for bamboo flooring. Instead, regular dish detergent and water are the better choice.
Daily maintenance isn’t very hard. Placing a door mat at each entrance door will keep the dirt, sand, and other debris from being tracked in. Bamboo flooring needs to be swept with a fine fiber broom. This will not scratch the bamboo’s clear urethane coating as much as the traditional broom. Also, vacuuming as much as possible also helps in preventing scratches. The floor doesn’t absorb and expand like hardwood floors. So, you don’t have to worry as much when slips occur.
When it comes to mopping a damp micro fiber mop with plain dish soap water is the most ideal cleaner. This will keep the floor’s coating from being broken down and having a dull appearance. NEVER put wax on the flooring. This can cause the urethane to break down even years later. If a cloudy appearance occurs you will have to do the following steps to have a nice shiny floor again.
No heavy equipment will be needed. You need to use 100 grit papers to scuff up the entire floor. The purpose of scuffing the floor is so that the urethane will sink in and hold. Once the sanding is done make sure the dust particles are all removed. Dust particles should be collected by sweeping, vacuuming and then using a damp cloth and/or mop to collect all dust particles. Once the floor is dry and free from any residue apply the urethane with a lamb’s wool sponge. You may apply several coats to reach the desired shininess. The time span between the first and second coat needs to be 24 hours but no more than 48 hours. This gives each coat time to completely dry. When purchasing the urethane, the best to use is a solvent based urethane instead of a water based urethane and the reason why is that you have a longer open/working time.
Maintaining bamboo flooring is not as difficult as one might think. It is also an environmentally friendly alternative to other types of flooring. If you would like more information or considering bamboo flooring for your home, visit World Floors Direct. They specialize in bamboo, handscraped hardwood and cork flooring. They can answer your questions about different flooring options in addition to providing solutions and the necessary chemicals for proper maintenance.
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