How to wash a parquet floor: what to wash and how to properly care for parquet

One of the most beautiful and environmentally friendly floors is a floor finished with parquet. It looks luxurious, but, unfortunately, is quite demanding to maintain. This is what stops many from arranging such a foundation in their apartment. However, if you know how to wash a parquet floor and how to properly care for it, you can be convinced that the material can easily turn from capricious to practical and delight its owners with its beauty for a long time.

How to clean parquet floors

A few words about parquet

This type of flooring consists of a large number of small elements made from wood species such as maple, beech, birch, etc. Sometimes there are also quite exotic types of covering made from wood from plants growing in the tropics - bamboo, wenge, merbau . The material has a beautiful appearance, is quite durable and reliable, has excellent sound insulation properties and retains heat well in the house.

The structure of the parquet board

Comparative table of wood hardness for parquet

On a note! Parquet, despite the description above, is not an ideal type of flooring, as it does not like moisture and temperature fluctuations. The thing is that it is made of wood, which is capable of changing its size under the influence of environmental factors and reacts sharply to any fluctuations. This is what basically causes all the problems that owners of parquet floors experience.

Parquet comes in several types - piece, mosaic or typesetting, panel and in the form of parquet boards. Let's take a closer look at them.

Parquet

Table. Types of parquet.

Parquet prices from

Tarquette parquet

The solid board has proven itself quite well. Just like piece parquet, it is made from natural wood of various species.

How to make the floor less dirty

If the parquet is often walked on, it is better to cover it with carpet. Compliance with preventive measures will preserve the beauty of the parquet longer and delay the next repair.
The floor of rooms where people often go to greet guests; It is best to cover the floor with carpet to protect it from damage and dirt. Glue felt tips to furniture legs to prevent them from leaving scratches when moved.

Wood does not like humidity, so the humidity level should not be higher than normal, otherwise the parquet board will begin to swell and mold will appear underneath it. But too dry air is harmful: it will cause the floor to crack.

You should not walk around the apartment in street shoes, so as not to stain the floor again. Dirt corrodes the wood and is difficult to remove.

Parquet is considered a safe flooring material. It has a beautiful texture, gives the room a unique style, and does not emit harmful substances into the air. But hardwood floors require proper maintenance to keep them clean and free of stains and ghosting.

Basic rules of care

Whatever parquet is used to decorate the floors in the house, it requires special attention and care. This is not a coating that you can give up and wash in the same way as, for example, linoleum. The material will not forgive this and will quickly lose its appearance, and the money spent on installation, one might say, will go down the drain. Although, if you look at it, caring for parquet is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. It’s just important to follow simple rules regarding cleaning and washing it.

Parquet cleaning

You don’t need to wash your parquet often, but you can’t leave it completely without wet cleaning. There are two types of cleaning material using water.

1. Current , which is carried out according to a specific schedule and usually no more than once every two weeks (subject to low traffic in the room). Parquet floors need to be washed twice a week only in rooms with an average level of traffic, and in places where a lot of people walk, the flooring will have to be washed more often - daily, which, of course, reduces the service life of the parquet.
2. General cleaning is necessary only when the usual method of wet cleaning has become ineffective. Usually it is carried out no more than once a year, but if the room has high or medium traffic, then 3-7 times throughout the year.

Parquet floors require periodic cleaning

In addition to the restrictions regarding wet cleaning of parquet, caring for it requires adherence to certain rules. Only in this case will the coating last as long as possible, maintaining a beautiful appearance. Rules for cleaning and caring for parquet:

• Varnished parquet cannot be washed immediately . The material must be left at rest for at least 14 days after this procedure. The maximum that can be done is to collect dust with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a soft brush;
• if something was spilled on the parquet, it is important to remove the stains immediately before they are absorbed into the wood;

Marker on the parquet

• a small rug must be laid on the parquet floor in the corridor near the front door , which will collect the bulk of the dirt penetrating from the street into the house;
• It is important to put protective caps on the legs of furniture standing on parquet or place felt or felt pads under them . This measure will prevent scratching the delicate material;

Protective Silicone Cap for Furniture

• in the room where this type of flooring is located, there must be a constant optimal microclimate for it . The air temperature is maintained within +18-25 degrees, and the importance is no more than 50-60%;
• daily cleaning should be dry , using a brush or vacuum cleaner;
• wet cleaning should only be done with a rag well wrung out of excess moisture;
• Do not forget about periodically updating the protective coating on the parquet (oil is usually applied once every 6-8 months, and varnish - once every 5-10 years).

Transparent protective mat for parquet

Advice! It will be useful for animal owners to know that special antistatic agents for parquet are available on sale. They will keep the surface clean longer - wool will not accumulate on the floor.

Everclear Antistatik care product (antistatic)

Compositions used

The main attribute is parquet cleaning products. Without this, it will lose its original beauty and quality. You can use formulations containing:

• oils;
• wax additives;
• polishes.

These products are used only for their intended purpose. As soon as the varnish layer on the surface has dried, it is recommended to apply a special emulsion. This is necessary for the floor to maintain its beauty, increase strength and wear resistance.

For daily cleaning of parquet without streaks, it is enough to use shampoos. This will help to easily remove dust, dirt, give freshness and beauty. There are products both unscented and with various scents.

Rules for cleaning parquet

Cleaning is simple. Necessary:

1. A sufficient amount of water (20-25°C) is collected in the container.
2. A special solution is added to it.
3. Initially, you should vacuum the floor to prevent excess debris from scratching the surface.
4. The rag is dipped into the container and wrung out to moderate humidity.
5. Thoroughly wipe the floor and corners under furniture.
6. If the room is too large, you should change the water several times.
7. For difficult to remove stains, use specialized parquet cleaning products.

After the entire parquet floor has been washed, you need to go over it with a soft cloth to absorb any remaining moisture.

Homemade compositions

When cleaning parquet, folk methods for making a homemade cleaner can help. Soap will do. It must be taken into account that it must be low-alkaline. Shampoo solutions are also used. To remove grease stains, we recommend:

1. Pour magnesium powder onto the stained area. Leave for 2 hours and rinse.
2. Clean the stained area with sandpaper. But it will wear off along with the top coat. After this, it will be necessary to cover the worn area with a layer of varnish.
3. Apply white clay. Then iron with a warm iron through the fabric.
4. Pour talcum powder. After 5 minutes, wash off.

It is worth noting that some of them are risky and may damage the coating.

To remove other stains when cleaning parquet:

1. Black shoe marks can be easily washed off with a nylon cloth.
2. The blood is wiped with water.
3. For marks from writing stationery and chocolate products, white spirit will help.
4. Glued chewing gum is removed with ice. Apply ice and carefully scrape with a spatula.

After using folk compositions, it is recommended to wipe with a damp cloth.

Special purpose compounds

The best and most reliable remedy is a cleaner. The compositions are aerosols or concentrates. The answer to the question of how to wash parquet without streaks lies here. Cleaners contain substances that are not dangerous to the wooden surface. This helps a lot when cleaning. These products do not leave behind streaks. This is their main advantage. The best cleaners include:

1. Aqua sport. Product from the USA. All customers remain satisfied after using it.
2. Rubi. High quality product. Not inferior to the above brand.
3. Glutoclean. Anti-grease stains and scratches. Contains substances that can hide minor scratches.
4. Thomas Floor. Has dirt-repellent properties. Contains wax.

All of these specialty chemicals can be used during cleaning. But they won’t be able to deal with stubborn stains.

Cleaning equipment

Before considering the question of how to clean parquet at home, you need to decide on a list of everything you need:

1. Rags are the main cleaning attribute for cleaning parquet floors. It is better to have models designed specifically for wooden surfaces. To prevent excess moisture from causing harm, you need to buy cotton options, as they are easier to wring out.
2. You can use a mop. It is recommended for cleaning hard-to-reach corners from dust. There are special modifications with gyroscopic spraying. They prevent the formation of excess water.
3. For dry cleaning, use a vacuum cleaner. It is not recommended to use a washing vacuum cleaner at home. Because due to prolonged contact of the aqueous solution with the top layer of the coating, blisters may form.

After cleaning, the parquet will lose its functionality and beautiful appearance.

Fighting stains

Do not allow stains to appear on the floor. Children playing, an accidentally dropped cup of coffee, a drop of oil and much more are problems that lead to cleaning parquet floors at home. The biggest fear is that the stains may leave their mark forever. You should get rid of them immediately as soon as they appear. Cleaners will not be able to remove stubborn stains; emergency measures must be taken.

Some difficult stains to remove:

1. A trace of greenery. Household chemicals containing chlorine will help. For example - Domestos, liquid Comet. They must not contain abrasives. The stain is soaked with the product. Leave for 3-4 minutes. Then wash with a cloth and rinse with water. If cleaning the parquet is unsuccessful, the procedure must be repeated.
2. The ingrained dirt can be cleaned with a kerosene solution. Requires 2 20 l. Dilute 90 ml of kerosene with water. It should be noted that the product leaves behind a strong odor. Therefore, to remove it, you should wash it a second time with a solution of vinegar and water.
3. Traces of resins are removed by freezing, similar to chewing gum. Remaining traces are removed with solvents.
4. It is better to remove old stains from pets with bleach. Dissolve in water in a ratio of 1:10. After this, the appearance of the coating will change slightly. Unscheduled color restoration procedures will be required.

At first glance, floor cleaning seems difficult. But if you look carefully, this will not become a problem. It is enough to follow the recommendations and clean up the contamination in a timely manner. Living in a clean room is not only pleasant, but also safe.

Caring for varnished parquet

For a long time since the appearance of this type of flooring, parquet has not been treated with varnish. It was washed with plain water and then rubbed using special products and a clean rag. This was the only way to give the floor shine and chic. But I had to polish the parquet very often, which was tedious. Thanks to this, parquet manufacturers decided to varnish the material so that it retains its shine for a longer period. But varnished parquet, in addition to its advantages, also acquired disadvantages - now its surface could be easily scratched, which means that it had to be treated with even more attention.

Lacquered parquet floor

Before wet cleaning, the varnished coating must be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner - this allows you to remove sand and small stones, which under the rag could create an abrasive effect and spoil the surface. Only after this is the parquet wiped with a damp, well-wrung cloth, and then treated with a dry cloth.

Advice! To wash varnished parquet, it is recommended to use products specially designed for this purpose, which can be purchased in the store. It is also recommended to rub it with a special polish that has a water- and dirt-repellent effect.

Lobacare Remover - cleaning varnished parquet

Protective and decorative compositions from the store

Maintenance is not limited to washing the floors: it is recommended to systematically cover the parquet with special substances that prolong the life of the floor.

Parquet wax

This type of surface treatment tool allows you to very quickly and effectively “fix” various scratches on the board, allowing you to restore not the entire surface, but only the necessary points, without leaving visible boundaries.

Important: the product does not interfere with air circulation and is highly waterproof.

There are several categories of parquet wax:

• Bun. Easiest to use. To apply it, just arm yourself with a spatula.
• Liquid. The advantages include the absence of the need for preliminary preparation of the substance, as well as the ability to treat hard-to-reach places.
• Solid. It allows you to adjust the shade of the surface depending on the amount of injected water required to obtain the desired consistency.

This is interesting: there are also types of wax that allow you to change or emphasize the shade: transparent, darkening, brightening.

Varnish

The varnished coating has a sufficient number of disadvantages:

• this is not a “breathable” coating;
• sensitive to temperature changes;
• quite a labor-intensive application procedure.
• are subject to mechanical stress, so special bearings must be secured under furniture legs;

Parquet cleaning products

To wash parquet, it is best to purchase special cleaners, which are available in the form of concentrated solutions or aerosols. They must be used only in accordance with the instructions so as not to damage the base. Typically, these cleaners contain substances that do not have a negative effect on wood - some can even be used daily.

Examples of parquet cleaners:

• Rubi;
• Aqua Sport Wood Flor Cleaner;
• Glutoclean Pufas;
• Loba ParckettCare.

Bona Cleaner parquet care product

Aerosols for parquet are used on the principle of glass cleaning fluids. They are applied to the surface to be cleaned and then removed with a clean, dry cloth or a special mop with a soft nozzle.

Attention! Compositions intended for cleaning parquet should not contain ammonia or alcohol, as well as any solvents.

Parquet care products

What to do with darkened areas?

If you find dark areas on the parquet, it means that the wood of the boards in these places has simply lost its appearance. In this case, the only way to remove dark spots is to ride a bike.

The main stages of parquet scraping

How to properly clean parquet

Brushes, mops and rags - the best way to wash parquet floors

There are several recommendations regarding the equipment used to clean parquet floors from dirt. For example, microfiber cloths are great for cleaning it. They are quite soft and absorb moisture well.

Only a special mop should be used - soft, without hard edges, so as not to accidentally scratch the base. It is best to use one that has a hygroscopic nozzle and a mechanical spin.

Use only soft mops

Some housewives expect to use a vacuum cleaner to wash parquet, but this unit is not suitable for such a delicate surface. It releases too much water, which can be absorbed into the wood and ruin the floor. An exception is special vacuum cleaners for parquet boards.

To sweep parquet floors, it is recommended to use a brush with natural soft bristles. It could be goat or boar hair. Synthetic brushes can only be used if they have soft and thick bristles.

Floor sweeping brush

What is

The first floors made from beautifully selected wooden planks appeared in Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries. This covering was made from several types of wood, using wood of different colors and structures to create patterns and ornaments on the floor. Individual parquet floorings were tightly fitted to each other using special grooves.

Modern parquet has different structures and special types. Separate floor planks are still in demand, but mosaic, panel and parquet boards are especially easy to assemble and decorative.

Fighting stains

Parquet, like any other type of coating, is not immune to the appearance of stains of various types on it. You need to deal with them depending on what caused the stain on the material.

Stain on the parquet

It is recommended to first freeze grease stains and only then scrape them off with a thin, sharp object. Moreover, it is important to carry out the procedure very carefully so as not to spoil the outer protective layer of the material. Freezing can be done by placing any bag from the freezer on the stain. After this, a layer of clean thick fabric is placed on the remaining grease stain, and it is necessary to walk over it several times with a heated iron.

The blood can be washed off well with a regular sponge soaked in cold water. If the stain is old, then it can be treated with a solution of ammonia. A solution of washing powder or a small amount of bleach (ratio to water 3:1) can handle the ink from the pen.

Blood stains are a minor problem

Repair and restoration

Repair and restoration of parquet includes sanding and sanding, puttying, filling large gaps, leveling foam parquet and varnishing.

Sanding and sanding

After 3-5 years, depending on the load, dents and scratches appear on the parquet, damaging not only the paint, but also the slats. To restore the appearance of your floor, sand it with a hardwood floor sander. These machines are sold or rented at hardware stores. The first sanding removes the varnish, the second smoothes out the unevenness of the parquet.

Instead of a sander, you can use a hand sander, which is sold at hardware stores. The scraper is a sharp scraper with a straight working edge. Use this tool to wipe the surface (loop) of the parquet until dents and scratches are removed.

Parquet putty

The moisture content of the boards is not constant. In summer, under the influence of higher temperatures and fresh air from open windows, it decreases. It rises in winter. Fluctuations in humidity affect the geometric dimensions of each board. The spaces between the parquet increase and decrease. To grout parquet, you need an elastic material that does not peel off when humidity decreases and cracks increase, and does not crack when humidity increases and the distance between the slats decreases.

These putties are sold in construction and hardware stores. They are called "parquet filler". To grout parquet, proceed as follows:

• pour 1-2 teaspoons of putty and rub with a wide spatula into the cracks between the parquet boards;
• remove the paint layer with a grinder or hand putty;
• vacuum dust from the floor;
• After the putty has dried, treat the surface with a grinding machine or scraper.
• sand or treat the parquet until dents and scratches are removed;

Elimination of large cracks

After three to five years, in a room with good ventilation and low humidity, the parquet will dry out. Boards that have lost moisture decrease in size, and the spaces between them increase. Putty on such large cracks looks ugly.

It is preferable to repair dry parquet using the tongue and groove method. To do this, heat 2-5 boards using a residential building or a hair dryer until you smell the hot putty. Parquet adhesive heats up and becomes soft and elastic.

Insert the spatula into the gap between the planks and lightly tap the handle of the spatula with a hammer to move one plank closer to the other. The spaces between the boards will change: one will become smaller and the other larger. Cut a piece of wood to the required length and thickness, coat it with putty and insert it into the gap. After the grout has dried, smooth the repaired area with a sander. Repeat this on all problem areas.

Leveling swollen parquet

The poured parquet swells within 5-10 hours. To prevent the parquet from swelling, try to immediately collect the water and dry the floor with a household or construction hair dryer for 1-2 hours. If you manage to remove the moisture and the wood does not absorb it, the parquet will remain intact.

Dry foam parquet in the first two to three days. After five days, a complete replacement of the parquet will be required, as high humidity awakens fungal spores and mold grows on the floor.

Heat the swollen area with a hairdryer or home hairdryer for two to three hours. Heat with a hairdryer for ten minutes and wait for ten minutes. If the swelling has subsided a little, there is a chance to repair the floor at minimal cost. If no change occurs within two hours, the amount of moisture and subsequent damage to the coating is too great and a complete replacement of the parquet will be required.

Heat the parquet, place a thick cloth on it and a sheet of plywood at least 16 mm thick on top. Fill the entire surface of the plywood with two or three layers of brick. After 24 hours, remove the brick, plywood and fabric. If the swelling subsides, repeat the procedure. The second or third time the lid will snap into place. If the swelling does not go away, it is necessary to replace the parquet.

How to properly wash parquet?

Let's take a closer look at how to wet clean parquet using a regular soap solution.

Step 1. The required amount of water at room temperature is collected in a clean bucket. A small amount of detergent is diluted in it or a little soap is dissolved.

Detergent diluted in water

Step 2. Before you start cleaning, it is important to remove dirty shoes from your feet. This will prevent the newly cleaned parquet from getting dirty.

Shoes need to be taken off

Step 3. The rag or mop is dipped into a bucket and wrung out well until it is wet - no water should flow from it. The parquet floor is wiped with this rag. Corners and areas along the walls are thoroughly washed. The cloth should be rinsed periodically in clean water.

The floor is being wiped with a mop

Advice! If the floor space is quite large, then during washing it is best to replace the water in the bucket with new water several times.

Step 4. Areas with complex stains are treated with special parquet products.

Using a parquet cleaner

Step 5. After wet cleaning, the surface of the parquet floor is polished with a soft terry cloth.

The floor is wiped with a soft terry cloth

Prices for Polarwood parquet boards

Parquet board Polarwood

Dry cleaning

Parquet flooring should be cleaned without any noticeable stains, without resorting to detergents. This type of cleaning should be carried out as often and regularly as possible. This is done with a regular mop with a soft attachment, which collects particles of debris and accumulated dust.

You can also resort to using a vacuum cleaner. Some manufacturers equip devices with special attachments. The most common brand is Karcher. The price tag for such a unit is quite significant, however, if you want to preserve the coating for a long time, this is the right investment.

How and with what to polish parquet boards under oil

Oiled parquet floors are wear-resistant. With intensive use, defects in the form of abrasions and indentations may appear. To restore the lost smoothness of the floor, experts recommend sanding. The treatment concerns the top layer, that is, there is no need to remove the oil to the board. A new coat of oil is applied to a clean, dry surface. By reapplying oil color, you can update the color in individual areas or over the entire surface.

An additional method of caring for parquet boards under oil is polishing the floor covering. With its help you can:

• significantly extend the life of the board;
• regularly refresh and improve the appearance of the coating;
• give a matte finish and neatness to the floor, eliminate traces of abrasion.

To work with parquet under oil, experts recommend using special products. Dr. For this purpose, Schutz offers polish for oiled floors - a universal wax-based care product. The product has protective properties, gives wood wear resistance and strength. Regular use of the polishing compound makes the floor resistant to abrasion and moisture.

Application procedure:

1. Clean the surface from dirt using dry and wet methods.
2. Dry the floor to completely remove traces of moisture.
3. Apply the product in a thin layer using a soft cloth or a special applicator (you should buy it separately) in the direction of the wood fibers.

No additional processing is required, since the composition acquires the necessary strength on its own. If necessary, after the composition has dried, the floor can be polished using a polishing machine.

Types of pollution

Their classification will help to assess pollution:

• Superficial. These include stains from food - juice, coffee, fruit. Chemical components of ink, cosmetics, pencils - you can often hear a question from mothers - what should I do if my child stained the parquet floor with drawings?
• Deep. Those that eat into the wood structure. These are petroleum products - shoe polish, traces of shoes, tar, paints. Difficult stains include pet urine.

Helpful information

Rule No. 4 – most stains can be removed from parquet if you don’t delay cleaning and choose the right products.

How to wash a parquet floor, what detergents to use

1. Wipe the stain with turpentine (with a cloth soaked in turpentine), then with a damp cloth. If necessary, repeat the process several times.
2. Sprinkle the stain with magnesia powder, lightly rub into the stain, let stand, sweep away the powder. Repeat if necessary. Magnesia powder is a white powder that is magnesium oxide or magnesium salt. If you don’t have burnt technical or pharmaceutical/medicinal magnesia on hand (magnesium sulfate in powder), then tooth powder, one of the main components of which is MgCO3/magnesium carbonate (magnesium salt), will do.
3. Use a mushy mixture of washing powder with warm water - rub into the stain, let stand (for several hours, periodically wetting), then scrub vigorously and finally wipe with a damp cloth. Repeat several times if necessary.
4. Sprinkle the stain with talcum powder, or chalk, or magnesium powder, cover with several layers of gauze and iron with a hot iron.
5. A fresh greasy stain on unvarnished parquet can be removed with the finest-grained sandpaper.

If you don’t want to constantly wonder how to clean your parquet, the following tips will help you care for it:

Laminate features

Laminate consists of panels made from chipboard or MDF boards and several layers of paper, which are impregnated with melamine resins and then pressed under high pressure and at high temperatures. Finally, the products are coated with durable acrylic or melamine paint.

Laminated products are divided into wear resistance classes. Commercial laminate with increased wear resistance lasts more than 30 years. This material is more often used to cover floors in institutions and various organizations, but this coating can also be installed in the home.

In any case, choose a waterproof laminate with increased strength for your apartment, then it will last for several decades.

Give preference to laminate with a varnish coating, as the matte surface is very difficult to clean. Matte laminate will have to be wiped every day with a soft brush or cloth.

Whereas the varnish coating does not attract dust so much, and cleaning can be done no more than once every three days. And how to remove dust so that it does not settle for a long time, see here.

But regardless of the class and type of laminate, maintenance of the coating is necessary

In this case, it is important to avoid exposure to large amounts of moisture, as it negatively affects the wood material and provokes the formation of mold or mildew. Let's take a closer look at how to ensure safe and proper care of your laminate floors.