HARDWOORD FLOOR CLEANING ARTICLES

Floor Buffers, Floor Polishers Or High-Speed Burnishers: Which Equipment Is Best For Your Hardwood Floor?

Houses with exposed hardwood floors (meaning without carpeting) are popular among some homemakers or property buyers. While you might think this would be easier to maintain than wall-to-wall carpeting, hardwood floors need as much care if you want to take some pride and satisfaction in keeping them sparkling and mirror-clean. But what equipment is best for keeping your hardwood floors clean and shiny?

Options for keeping the shine in your hardwood floors include floor buffers, floor polishers and high-speed burnishers.

Floor buffers are used with a cleaning product or agent. This includes a floor liquid cleanser sprayed on the floor before using the floor buffer. The floor buffer and liquid cleanser work hand-in-hand to loosen dirt and grime from the floor. Some even come with a floor stripper that removes stains from the floor’s surface. The floor buffer will leave your hardwood floors clean and with a glossy finish. Floor buffers are usually used on hardwood floors, marble and linoleum floors.

Floor polishers, on the other hand, are usually used to clean and polish hardwood floors after house construction or when the flooring materials are replaced because of irremovable stains or damage. This equipment is usually used on marble, granite and hardwood floors for a mirro-clean shine.

Finally, high-speed burnishers are used on hard floor surfaces to improve their appearance. This piece of equipment removes dust as well as leaves floors clean and glossy. It is usually used on large areas such as building lobbies, restaurants, hallways, and classrooms, among many others. However, this can also be ideal for home use especially if you have large areas that you want to keep dust-free and shiny.

Choosing the right floor cleaning equipment depends on your floor surface, how large the floor area is, your needs or preferences, and your budget.  You also have to consider the size or build of the equipment for they come in different size with corresponding uses, speed and control. Other considerations should include the price, if the equipment will last after several uses then it might be practical to purchase it. Also check if the equipment comes with other uses and could double up to use on other surfaces or cleaning projects.

How to Wax Your Hardwood Floor At Home
How well you take care of your hardwood floors at home will greatly determine how clean and shine it stays.
With regular cleaning along with time and effort set aside for waxing will ensure that your hardwood floors are protected and are as shiny as a mirror. While most homeowners may find it difficult to make time for or to keep up with, a bit of attention paid to your floors can be satisfying in the end. Just imagine your whole home beaming when sunlight passes through your sparkling windows to your shiny floors!
Why put wax on your hardwood floors at home? Wax can help protect your floors from stains and grime and give your hardwood surface a nice shine. Putting wax on the floor is an option if using a polisher or buffer is not enough to give it that brilliance.
You can apply wax to your hardwood floors with the easy-to-follow steps below.
Step 1: Prepare the area you will be waxing by moving furniture and other stuff on one side of the room or into other rooms.
Step 2: Prepare the materials you need to wax your floor. You will need floor wax, clean cloths or wax applicator, a floor broom or a vacuum, a floor mop, and a polisher. It will be easier if you have equipment that can apply the wax for you or you may use liquid floor wax for easier application. Check the directions on how the wax product you have bought should be used.
Step 3: Sweep or vacuum the floor and follow it up with damp floor mopping to remove dust and other grime on the surface of the floor. Let it dry completely.
Step 4: Apply the wax on the floor. Make sure that it is applied thinly until all the floor area is covered. If wax is too thick, it will become sticky, and you will have difficulty polishing the floor. Lightly wax and polish the wood moldings where the floor meets the walls of your house.
Step 5: Let it dry for about 30 minutes or until it is absorbed by the hardwood floor. Apply two or three more applications until a film like layer remains on the floor after it dries.
Step 6: Use the floor polisher to make your hardwood floor shine.
Step 7: Finally, use the buffer to bring out the floor’s original texture and look.
Do this only once or twice a year since too much wax application on your hardwood floor might darken its color.
Removing Water Spots & Scratches from Your Hardwood Floor
If you can commit to a regular cleaning schedule, maintaining those hardwood floors at home is easy. However, there will be instances when accidents happen. These range from spills, pets, and the constant traffic on your floors that result in stains, scratches, and dullness. If you can take action immediately, you can avoid problems and serious damage to your hardwood floors.
If you do need to remove spots and scratches from your hardwood floor, here are some tips can use.
Tip # 1
Be certain what type of hardwood floor you have. Ask your wood flooring retailer about this. Then choose the equipment and solutions needed to clean your floors.
Tip # 2
If you spill food on the floor, immediately remove solids with a cloth or paper towel. Rub the area with a damp cloth and dry with another clean cloth. Work from the outer edge of the stain towards the middle. Apply wax and polish or buff with a cloth to remove the scratches from the spill. If the affected area is large, use a floor polisher.
Tip # 3
Scratches made by your pet’s nails or claws can be fixed also by waxing and polishing.
Tip # 4
Water stains or spots can be avoided by taking action immediately. Use clean absorbent cloths to dry the area to avoid water from dripping onto the hardwood floor surface. Once the surfaces are completely dry, wax and polish it.
Tip # 5
To remove water stains or spots, use the finest steel wool or sand paper to rub the area. Use a wood floor cleaner but make sure to follow instructions on its label. Let the floor dry completely. Afterwards stain, wax and polish the floor.

Tip # 6
Another tip is to strip the floor using equipment specific for this job. Stripping means removing superficial dirt, grime and wax from the floor. Afterwards, you can re-wax the floor then polish or buff it.
If the stain or damage is too difficult to remove such as those caused by flooding inside the house, heavy furniture scratches,  or other catastrophes, it would be best to ask a professional to deal with it or to replace the damaged wood panels on the floor.