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When it comes to hardwood flooring, there’s nothing quite like a hard-wax oil finish for lasting protection and unparalleled elegance.
Unlike other finishes, hard-wax oil penetrates the pores and fibers of the wood, strengthening and protecting from within. Once cured, the surface hardens to create a soft matte finish that brings out the wood’s natural characteristics and bold beauty with a water-resistant surface.
Because they’re unique, it’s important to know how to care for your hard-wax oil floor. It isn’t any more difficult than caring for other finishes, but hard-wax oil floor maintenance requires the right knowledge and, most importantly, the right products.
The key to getting the most out of your hard-wax oil floor finish is regular cleaning and maintenance. Here, we’ll take a look at what you need to know to care for your floor and ensure its beauty lasts a lifetime.
Hard-Wax Oil Floor Cleaning
To keep your hard-wax oil floors looking their best you should clean them regularly. Cleaning is quick and easy, though. For everyday cleaning, a broom or vacuum cleaner is all you need. Make sure to use a vacuum without a beater bar.
For regular cleaning of spots and stains, first sweep or vacuum to remove dust and dirt. Next, use a quality hardwood cleaner and protectant like DuChâteau Premium Floor Cleaner & Protectant. Safe and environmentally friendly, this easy-to-use woodcare product gives you a thoroughly clean and nurtured floor while maintaining its protective finish, all without the hassle and headache of multiple products.
Note: you should NEVER use wood floor cleaners formulated for polyurethane-coated wood floors, as these contain alcohol, ammonia or other drying agents that will dry out your floor and damage it. Make sure the cleaner you choose is formulated especially for hard-wax oil floors.
To clean your floors:
1. Mix hard-wax oil floor cleaner with the suggested amount of water in a bucket (2 capfuls per gallon for our DuChâteau brand).
2. Fill a separate bucket with clean water to rinse your mop between applications.
3. Use a sponge mop to apply the cleaner, making sure to rinse the mop and remove the excess water after each application.
4. Finally, let your floors dry for one hour after cleaning.
Spot-Cleaning Tough Stains
When you encounter a tough stain on your hard-wax oil floor, the first thing to keep in mind is: don’t panic. Most stains can be easily removed with a little ingenuity. The best approach to removing tough stains on your hard-wax oil floors is to use a maintenance oil like DuChâteau Maintenance Oil.
To remove tough stains:
1. Stir the maintenance oil and apply it sparingly to the stain using a clean cloth.
2. Scrub the stain with a soft scour pad like a 3M Scotch-Brite green pad. Always scrub in the direction of the grain and never scrub too hard or for too long.
3. Use a soft cloth to wipe up the excess oil.
Hard-Wax Oil Floor Maintenance
In addition to cleaning your floors, you should regularly apply a maintenance oil like DuChâteau Maintenance Oil. This will keep your hard-wax oil floor protected from foreign contaminants.
Ideally, you would oil your entire floor every year, but this isn’t always practical. We do, however, recommend you use maintenance oil on all visible areas at least once a year, especially those in high-traffic areas. After application and drying, the oil will blend back to an even look between exposed and covered areas.
To apply maintenance oil:
1. Stir the oil in the can thoroughly.
2. Use a funnel to pour the oil into a squirt bottle.
3. Squirt a controlled amount of oil to your floor’s surface. One quart will cover 750 to 800 square feet.
4. Apply by hand with a soft cloth or with a low nap-style mop in the direction of the grain, ensuring a light, even coat. For larger areas or commercial applications, you can use an orbital buffer with polishing pad.
5. After application, be sure to wipe away all excess oil from the surface of the entire floor with a clean white cloth. When finished, your floor should not appear wet have any streaks.
6. Allow a minimum of 6 to 8 hours drying time. If necessary, you can walk on the floor sooner using paper or cloth shoe covers.
7. The wax requires 24 hours to reach full hardness. No furniture or rugs should be placed on the floor in that time.
8. Always carefully read manufacturers’ instructions.
Periodic application of this all-natural product will help rejuvenate the surface coat of your floors and prevent desaturation of hard-wax oils. It will keep your floors looking great and relatively impermeable to foreign contaminants.
Every few years, you should oil your entire floor for good measure. If you live in a drier climate, you may want to oil your entire floor more frequently.
The Takeaway
All-natural, non-toxic, hard-wax oil finishes offer lasting protection and unparalleled elegance. They simply require regular cleaning and maintenance to look their best. Using the right products and the right techniques will ensure that the beauty of your hard-wax oil floors lasts a lifetime.
DuChâteau hardwood floors are finished in hard-wax oil that is non-toxic with no biocides, no preservatives, and benzene-free. We offer a range of premium cleaning and maintenance products to help you maintain your floors’ incomparable beauty.
Our flooring specialists are ready to answer any questions you may have. Contact us today. 1.888.382.4283″