Products for caring for parquet at home

If you want to preserve the original aesthetic appearance of the parquet board, you need to fulfill certain maintenance requirements:

1. Systematic care of parquet is carried out using a conventional vacuum cleaner. Attention! A washing vacuum cleaner is not suitable for cleaning the coating.
2. The frequency of wet cleaning is once a week. If a large amount of water is spilled on the floor, the area must be wiped dry immediately. If this is not done, water will get between the parquet boards, and over time they will begin to rot. As a result, you will have to spend money on repairing the floor.
3. Control the humidity in a room with hardwood floors. This flooring does not like changes in humidity. To maintain stable humidity in the room, install an aquarium. It will help prevent parquet boards from drying out and slightly increase air humidity.

4. If ink stains, vinegar, dirty marks, or furniture polish residues appear on the floor surface, you should immediately remove them with a damp cloth. When placing sealant or cardboard under furniture, dark spots also remain on the floor. Pet owners are forced to protect their floors from liquids getting on it.

5. High-quality care of parquet boards is possible only in cases where the correct care products are chosen.

When choosing a rag, give preference to a material that absorbs water well. The rag should not be hard so as not to scratch the parquet.

Indoor microclimate

Parquet breathes, as it is made from natural, environmentally friendly materials. If there is a high level of humidity in the room, it swells and becomes deformed. If the air is too dry, the coating dries out, resulting in cracks and crevices. Therefore, before laying parquet, it is necessary to take care of high-quality waterproofing.

A gap of 1 cm should be left between the walls and the covering. It is filled with a special elastic sealant, which allows the parquet to expand with changes in temperature and humidity. Parquet boards of absolutely all wood species are subject to seasonal changes in size to varying degrees, and this is normal. There are no particular problems with ash, oak, walnut and maple, but exotic tree species will certainly cause trouble.

The effect of this process can be reduced. It is necessary to control the air humidity in the room, but this is only half the battle. Parquet should be used under certain conditions: relative air humidity should be no more than 60%, temperature should be within 15-25°C.

When cold weather sets in, the heating season begins and naturally the indoor air becomes dry. Parquet boards decrease in size and gaps appear between them. In this case, there is no need to be upset. When the heating season ends and the air becomes humid again, then there will be no trace of the cracks.

And if you want them to not exist in winter, then it is necessary to provide additional humidification of the air in the room. To do this, it is worth purchasing a special device, and the best option (if technically possible) is to install a humidifier in the ventilation. If the air humidity does not fall below 45%, then cracks will not form. A hygrometer will help you monitor the humidity level in your apartment. By the way, too dry air negatively affects a person’s well-being.

In summer, when it is warm and rainy, the humidity level in houses can rise to 95%. Moisture is absorbed into the wood and it increases in size. Several days of high humidity can cause the parquet to become so-called “boat” - when the edges of the planks become higher than their center. A similar effect will occur if the floor is flooded with water and all the water is not removed in time. As humidity levels decrease, parquet boards slowly begin to return to their original shape.

That is why in warm countries where there is always high humidity, such as Indonesia, India, and some parts of China, a completely different method of laying parquet is used: sanded and oil-impregnated planks are laid without using glue on a substrate, and they are pressed near the walls.

Video - how to wash parquet

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Oleg Grishin

Flooring specialist with 10 years of experience. Oleg has something to share with our readers

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Even more interesting:
• Pros and cons of parquet
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• We cover the parquet with varnish

Discussion: there is 1 comment

1. Lech:
   01/24/2019 at 12:15

   I didn’t think that parquet was so difficult to maintain. We must try not to spoil it.

   Answer

The main enemies of parquet

Water in any of its conditions is the main “enemy” of parquet. If liquid has been spilled on the floor, it must be cleaned up immediately. When washing, the parquet cloth should be slightly damp. Cleaning vacuum cleaners should not be used to care for parquet.

Next, we will consider the “enemies” of parquet that leave scratches on it. These include pets, furniture, and stilettos. Pets scratch the surface of the parquet with their claws, so it is necessary to trim them regularly. There are special felt or rubberized pads for furniture legs.

They are especially necessary for regularly moved objects, that is, for chairs, armchairs, coffee tables. A separate topic for conversation is all shoes with heels, including women's shoes. If you don’t want to see scratches from shoes on the parquet, then follow the rule: change your shoes into slippers yourself and change your guests’ shoes.

And it is absolutely forbidden to drop heavy, angular objects onto the parquet. Undoubtedly, anything happens in life, but you still need to try to be more careful and attentive.

The next group of “enemies” of parquet is dust, dirt, sand. Because of them, a beautiful shiny coating can turn into scratched gray. Dust can get caught in the pores of the wood. The result of a large amount of dust and dirt and infrequent, incorrect cleaning may be that the clogged dust can only be gotten rid of if the entire top layer of the coating is removed, that is, it will have to be restored from the very beginning (pro

Mastic

The product consists of wax and a number of polymers. Creates a thin protective film on the surface, adding shine. The industry offers consumers the composition in finished or soluble form. The first type of mastic can be immediately applied to the parquet. Soluble is a dry mixture that is diluted with hot water in the proportions recommended by the manufacturer.

When choosing a specific option, it is necessary to take into account the color of the parquet and the wood from which it is made:

• water-based - a universal composition for parquet made of any material;
• water-soluble - used for oak;
• turpentine - intended for beech, birch;
• wax - composition for juniper, pine, maple and ash.

Recommendations for caring for varnished parquet

Parquet protection is provided by several layers of varnish or an oil-wax composition.

There are certain rules on how to care for varnished parquet:

• For the first 2 weeks after applying the varnish, dust is collected from the surface with a vacuum cleaner, then you can do wet cleaning.
• The existing wheels on chairs and chairs must be such that they cannot damage the parquet.
• Cotton cloth should be used to clean floors. The surface can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or hair brush.
• When caring for varnished parquet, it is prohibited to use abrasive materials.
• If you use hard objects, the varnish layer may be damaged, which will lead to dirt and water getting into the wood.
• How to clean parquet floors? Special care products for parquet coated with varnish (cleaners) are excellent in combating stains. In relation to varnish, such products are neutral. All major companies that produce parquet chemicals also produce similar products. It is ideal to use the cleaner and varnish that covers the parquet from the same manufacturer.
• You should not experiment and use completely unsuitable liquids for cleaning the floor: dishwashing detergent, alcohol, gasoline or paint thinner.
• The reason for thorough manual or machine cleaning of parquet flooring may be sufficiently strong hardened dirt that cannot be removed during normal cleaning.
• The varnish layer needs to be renewed from time to time. The parquet is sanded and varnished again every 5-8 years. Wax mastic for parquet is also popular, allowing you to extend the life of the material.

Preventive measures

Floors made of parquet boards and PVC tiles in any apartment will experience daily mechanical stress, as a result of which more and more chips, scratches and other damage will appear over time. To ensure that your parquet board lasts as long as possible, you can take some preventive measures:

• We remove floor carpets. They will in no way help protect the parquet from damage, but will make it even worse. Under the carpet, a lot of dust and sand particles usually accumulate, which can scratch the top layer of varnish or wax.
• We take care of furniture on wheels. Such furniture can severely damage the parquet board when moved. This can be prevented with the help of special plastic mats or soft rubber wheels - however, here you need to select them so that they do not leave black marks on the floor.
• we make overlays for furniture legs. It is best to make them from felt; other materials may leave dark marks on the floor. Another possible option is not to make overlays, but to use corrugated cardboard when moving furniture.
• take off your street shoes. Shoes from the street carry a lot of grains of sand and pieces of dirt that do not benefit your floor in any way, so we take off our shoes, high heels and shoes on the rug in the hallway and put on slippers with soft soles.
• We look after pets. If you have pets at home, it is recommended to actively monitor the condition of their nails and trim them regularly, as well as wash the animal’s paws after a walk.
• We place a rug at the door. At the entrance doors, it is desirable to have a hard mesh mat that removes dirt, and a soft material that absorbs excess moisture.

The listed preventive measures will help you protect your parquet floor from unnecessary negative influences and extend its service life.

Parquet floors require special care. If you decide to install such flooring in your apartment, then be prepared for the fact that you will have to carefully monitor it.

In terms of labor intensity, cleaning a parquet floor is not too difficult; the main thing is to follow simple requirements: minimize the contact of the board with water, use only high-quality proven cleaning products, taking into account the type of protective layer, and promptly update the varnish and wax coating.

And to restore beauty and restore the original shine, use the recommended fresheners and spray. With proper care, a parquet floor will last you a long time; it will also last for the next generation of your family.

Frequency of use of parquet care products

In the apartment, parquet products are applied as needed - approximately every 2-3 months. Every month or perhaps every 2 weeks the products are used in offices, on stairs, in corridors. Every week in high-traffic areas, such as shops, cafes, schools. Where the load is very high, this needs to be done very often. It is difficult to say, it is important that there is always a thin protective layer on the coating.

To protect the varnish layer, polishes containing wax and special odorless products that are diluted with water are most often used.

There are also special oils to protect parquet. They do not create an outer film, as is the case with varnishes; oils only fill all the pores of the wood coating. They do not allow moisture and various contaminants to penetrate deep into the fibers.

The process of restoring oil-impregnated parquet is absolutely not complicated: you only need to treat the damaged areas. There is no need to sand the entire surface, as is the case with varnish. Oiled parquet is much more convenient in terms of restoration, which is very fast. One day is enough for this. This method of finishing parquet floors is best for shopping, entertainment and other establishments that are not profitable to close for a long period.

In many ways, caring for oiled parquet is the same as caring for varnish: dry and wet cleaning is necessary. Oil- or wax-finished floors require more frequent and thorough maintenance than varnished floors.

Detergents

To wash parquet flooring, use only special ready-made products of two groups - cleansing and protective-decorative.

Cleansing

Preparations with a cleansing effect remove stains and dissolve dirt deposits. It is important to follow the recommended dosage to avoid damage to the wood.

Returns the natural shine to the parquet, does not cause streaks, and preserves the integrity of the wood. Can be used for other coatings - laminate, linoleum. It is better to use gloves when washing.

P&G Professional Mr. Proper

One of the best floor cleaners, suitable for cleaning parquet. Economical - a cap is enough for 5 liters of water. Removes traces of food, old fat, and plasticine from the floor. No special soaking or rubbing is required. There is no need to rinse with clean water. Pleasant smell, the product does not harm your hands.

Cinderella

For washing parquet floors by hand. Consumption – 1.5-2 caps per 5 liters. After use, the parquet takes on a well-groomed appearance and shine. Does not require rinsing. The quality of the water does not matter; the product dissolves at any temperature and hardness.

Emsal

The product is used for washing parquet with any coating - varnish, oil, wax. Emsal protects seams, adds shine, and successfully copes with all types of dirt.

Typical damage and how to get rid of them

Now let’s look at what problems you might encounter if you have parquet floors in your apartment:

Color change.

This occurs due to prolonged exposure of parquet to bright sunlight. UV rays affect different types of wood differently. Don't forget about this when choosing parquet. Some species, such as cherries, ripen faster. This means that parquet made from such wood will quickly darken. The process of changing the color of parquet is natural and logical. If you lay a carpet on any part of the floor in a room and then remove it after a while, the difference in tone will be obvious.

Discoloration and staining.

Detergents, water, and pet urine can lead to this result. It is worth remembering that spilled liquid should be cleaned up immediately. It is strictly prohibited to wash parquet floors with products that contain ammonia. The solution to this problem is to sand the coating and apply a new layer of varnish. Some hardwood floor planks may need to be replaced.

Appearance of cracks.

Cracks appear due to too dry air. In winter, this phenomenon is considered normal. When the heating season ends, after some time the cracks should disappear. To ensure that such a problem never arises, it is necessary to monitor the humidity and air temperature in the room.

The appearance of wavy cracks.

This problem may arise after laying or varnishing parquet. The tree moves, so this is the result. Some types of wood (for example, oak) are susceptible to this process. It is impossible to eliminate this defect. This phenomenon is natural, so you should put up with it or replace the damaged planks.

Swelling of planks.

This phenomenon can occur due to high humidity, insufficient shift between the joints of dies in adjacent rows, or too small an expansion gap. This problem can be solved if you perform good waterproofing. The size of the expansion gap must correspond to the installation method used. End connections in adjacent rows should not coincide.

The groove connection is too tight.

One of the reasons for this problem is that the package was opened prematurely and the strips had time to swell. Other reasons could be a manufacturing defect or a poor quality tool was used during the installation process. In this case, you should stop laying.

Parts should be replaced if a manufacturing defect is noticed. For parquet laying work, it is necessary to use only special tools and devices. The tongues can be slightly sanded with sandpaper. If cracks form in already laid parquet, the surface is sanded, puttied and re-varnished.

Conclusion

Summarizing all of the above, we conclude that caring for parquet at home has several stages:

• Primary care is compliance with the best humidity and air temperature indicators for parquet.
• General care – protecting the coating from mechanical damage by laying out mats and various pads.
• Regular care - removing dust and dirt, using special detergents.
• Intensive care - applying protective agents at certain intervals.

If you do the installation according to all the rules and perform regular and high-quality care of your parquet floor, then the feeling of comfort and reliability will not leave you for many years.

How to wash parquet to make it shine

To make parquet shine, it can be treated with soluble mastics or turpentine-based products using a soft brush. This will make the finish shiny and also refresh it.

• Also, once every 7–10 days, you can treat the parquet board with wax or rub it with an electric polisher using a nozzle with rotating bristles. After this treatment, the floor is rubbed with a piece of felt or flannel fabric.
• A solution of glycerin (1 tablespoon per glass of water) will help restore the lost shine, regardless of whether your floor is varnished or “oiled.” Apply the product to a clean floor with a soft cloth, and the result will be no worse than using special products.

The chemical industry offers a huge selection of products for caring for parquet floors, and you can easily keep the flooring in perfect condition.

Source

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.

Sources

• https://pol-master.com/pol-pokritiya/parket/sovety-po-uxodu-za-parketom.html
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• https://pol-exp.com/kak-uhazhivat-za-parketom/
• https://bouw.ru/article/uhod-za-parketom-v-domashnih-usloviyah
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