Real wood floors not only look beautiful: They also convey a warm and comfortable feel-good atmosphere. But floors with a wood look made of materials such as vinyl, PVC, ceramics or stoneware are also increasingly finding their way into our interiors. It goes without saying that there are a few things to consider when cleaning and caring for this variety of materials. You can now find out what special features these are.
Sealed parquet: What do you have to consider when cleaning and maintaining?
Since sealed parquet already has an outer protective layer such as a special parquet varnish, it is the easiest to clean. It prevents moisture, dust and dirt from penetrating the material. However, it is important that you clean your parquet floor regularly. Because dust particles and dirt can leave an unsightly veil and scratch the surface.
We therefore recommend that you regularly dust off your sealed parquet and clean it with a mild and nourishing cleaning product such as Emma Grün floor cleaner/parquet . Always use as little water as possible for the application and it is best to avoid synthetic all-purpose cleaners. They are often particularly aggressive and leave a matt film on your parquet floor, which you can usually only get rid of with a lot of water due to the adhesive silicone. This is exactly what you should avoid, however, so that your beautiful parquet does not suffer.
Should a small mishap happen and food or drinks land on the floor, you are doing your wooden floor a great favor if you immediately remove the result of the small mishap. In this way you prevent liquids or fat from penetrating the natural material despite sealing and leaving ugly stains or even permanent damage.
Cleaning and maintaining unsealed & oiled parquet: What are the differences to sealed parquet?
The biggest difference is that unsealed and oiled parquet does not have a protective layer or impregnation. That is why the natural wooden floor must be waxed or oiled at regular intervals. Only then can you be sure that it is protected against external influences such as dirt, moisture and the stresses of everyday life. You should always be aware of one thing when purchasing unsealed or oiled parquet: They are always more sensitive to scratches and wear and tear than sealed parquet floors. Cleaning and care is correspondingly more complex. The following applies here: only with an optimal care routine will your parquet floor remain as beautiful as on the first day.
1. The dry cleaning:
An unsealed natural wood floor must be dry cleaned at regular intervals. Slight dirt and dust particles are best removed with a cordless brush or a manual brush. But please make sure that the bristles are particularly soft. If they're too hard, there's a chance you'll damage the delicate surface while sweeping.
2. Wet cleaning:
Caution: Unsealed parquet should never be cleaned with too much water! You should always clean the natural floor of dirt and dust with a damp cloth. If you ignore this advice, the wood may swell. The result: Your parquet floor is over.
To prevent this from happening, we recommend that you use a sustainable wooden floor soap for the damp cleaning and wipe the wooden floor with a slightly damp, soft cotton cloth. The floor should then dry completely. Good tip: Make sure that nobody steps on the wooden floor until the floor is dry. Otherwise unsightly stains and footprints could remain on the wood surface as a result.
3. The post-processing:
But your parquet floor does not only need regular attention when it comes to cleaning. He also benefits from a certain rhythm when it comes to grooming. If you notice that your parquet has lost its beautiful shine, it's time for a nourishing treatment and protective impregnation.
For a beautiful result, we recommend a natural polishing agent such as Emma Grün Premium Wood Wax or a suitable care oil. It gives your parquet floor moisturizing care and ensures that the natural grain of the material appears again instead of the gray veil. In addition, the high-quality care allows small signs of wear and tear in the form of tiny scratches to disappear as if by magic. Another advantage: Your parquet is again optimally protected against moisture, dust, dirt and the stresses of everyday life for the near future.
The care is applied using a cotton cloth, a soft brush or a clean paint roller. When applying, make sure that you work the wax or oil evenly into the wood surface. Then let the care product soak into the floor completely. On large areas such as a floor, it is also advisable to use a polishing machine when treating with a wax. You can rent equipment like this from any good hardware store.
Good to know: If you want to treat your oiled parquet with a care oil, you should not clean the floor with a wooden floor soap beforehand. Because the natural soap leaves a protective layer on the wood surface that prevents the oil from being optimally absorbed.
Cleaning laminate: Here's how!
Laminate is much easier to care for than parquet. It can also keep up well in terms of looks. In the meantime, various beautiful designs are available on the market, which conjure up a true oasis of well-being in every room. Another reason why people prefer the classic flooring is the price. Laminate floors are much cheaper than parquet and they are also easier to maintain. But here, too, there are different levels of quality. Because when it comes to laminate, a decision is made between classic and real wood laminate.
The same applies here: Regularly remove dirt and dust from the surfaces. In a direct comparison with real wood parquet, you can use a normal vacuum cleaner. You should also avoid using vast amounts of water and chemical cleaning agents when cleaning. It is better to use an organic floor cleaner for wooden surfaces such as Emma Green Universal Floor Cleaner . It removes dirt from your laminate and cares for and protects the surface from external influences. This is ensured by high-quality home remedies that our grandmothers used to clean their floors.
How to get vinyl and PVC floors clean again!
These floor coverings are among the toughest of their kind. You can either use a broom or a vacuum cleaner to clean them and then mop it up with a natural all-purpose floor cleaner. Even though vinyl and PVC floors are very robust, you should avoid using abrasive cleaners and harsh chemical cleaners. They also leave scratches and annoying marks on the surface of materials like these. This really needs to be prevented.
