We are excited to announce that we have relocated to a new address, 1140-21331 Gordon Way, Richmond, BC V6W 1J9, Canada.

Our previous location unfortunately suffered damage from a fire, but we have now reopened and are ready to welcome you at our new place.

Please feel free to give us a call at (604) 278-6256. We can't wait to see you!

Guide: How to Clean and Take Proper Care of Hardwood Flooring

Proper care preserves the organic beauty of hardwood flooring. With routine cleaning and a little maintenance, the material will stay as lustrous as when you first saw it in a store.

Sweeping or dust mopping

Ideally, you'll adopt a daily routine of sweeping the hardwood floor, at least in high-traffic areas. A quick going over with a broom or dry dust mop collects dust, fine grit, and pet hair. These particles have an abrasive effect under your feet. Over time, the slight grinding action will dull the surface if you don't keep particles to a minimum.

Vacuuming

A vacuum thoroughly removes fine grit from hardwood flooring beyond what a broom can achieve. Realistically, you won't vacuum every day, but you should strive to do it weekly as long as you're sweeping most days.

Wet mopping

About once a month, give the hardwood a proper wash. A microfibre mop is best because it holds just enough water to be damp instead of getting sopping wet. You don't want to be mopping up puddles of water on hardwood flooring.

As for hardwood floor cleaners, avoid strong chemicals that could interfere with the finish and leave a cloudy sheen. A mix of water and good old Murphy's Oil Soap is safe and reliable.

The experts at Island Carpet and Flooring welcome questions about floor care. The staff at our flooring store in Vancouver can recommend proper cleaning products for your solid wood, engineered, or laminate flooring.

Hardwood floor polishing

Two to four times a year, a hardwood floor benefits from polishing. This restores the original shine.

Before picking out a polishing product, you need to know if your hardwood has a penetrating finish or a urethane-based surface finish. If you don't know which finish your floor has, scrape a bit of the surface in a corner.

If the knife leaves a smudge, you have a penetrating finish. This means you apply wax.

If the knife collects some clear material, you have a surface finish. This means you apply a wood floor polish. Put it on in a little test spot before doing the whole floor just to be safe.

Whenever you have questions about hardwood floors, we can advise you at Island Carpet and Flooring. We'll help your hardwood floor in Vancouver endure beautifully for generations.