How To Clean Engineered Timber Floors

If your engineered timber floors are not looking their best at the moment, and we’ll assume they aren’t, since you’re looking up information on how to clean them – then now is a great time to give them a refresh.

Time to clean your engineered timber floors.

Perhaps it’s been a while since you had them installed, or you’ve moved into a property with engineered timber floors and they’ve gathered some good old Melbourne mud.

Engineered timber flooring looks incredible and you want it to stay that way, so let’s make sure you clean it right.

We’ll break down the most efficient and safest ways to clean your engineered timber floors, so the lifespan and integrity of the floor is not affected and they look clean and fresh.

So, let’s dive in…

How to clean your engineered timber floor

The safest and most efficient methods for cleaning an engineered timber floor are:

1. A microfibre spray mop with a timber cleaning floor solution
2. Spot sweep with a dustpan and brush
3. Sweep with a soft broom
4. Vacuum
5. Damp mop, when necessary

These may sound obvious, but we want to reiterate:

you shouldn’t use abrasive scrubbers, materials and chemicals on your engineered timber floors as they could damage them or reduce their lifespan.

If you need to use something stronger than a little bit of water or a mild surface spray or floor cleaner, then check with a flooring expert to ensure the product you’re using isn’t going to cause any damage.

Can You Mop an Engineered Timber Floor?

You’ve got some built in grime, the dog has walked through with muddy paws – can you mop those beautiful, engineered timber floors?

The answer is yes, but carefully – very carefully.

Ensure you mop is thoroughly squeezed of excess water – we must stress, use a damp mop only. You do not want to saturate your engineered timber with water as that’s not what it’s designed for.

Too much water on engineered timber can cause it to warp.

We’d also strongly recommend a non-abrasive mop to prevent scratches.

In areas of water exposure like bathrooms and laundries you’re better designing around tiles, to prevent any water damage.

A mop can be used if you have no better option available, but for long term cleaning solutions we would strongly recommend using a microfibre spray mop with an appropriate timber flooring cleaning solution.

A microfibre mop looks like the image below. If you’d like an appropriate floor cleaning solution we have product available for purchase, simply contact our flooring experts for information.

Some tips to stay on top of your cleaning

Here are some basic cleaning tips to stay on top of your floors to maintain their lifespan and keep them looking great.

1. Don’t steam clean your floors. This includes handheld steamer mops which could warp your floor.
2. Use door mats at entrances
3. Clean spills up straight away to prevent staining and damage
4. Follow the instruction provided by the team that installed the flooring (if possible)

So, as a reminder – if you want to extend the lifespan of your engineered timber floors and keep them looking fresh and clean then you need to:

1. Stay on top of spills and mess
2. Spot clean where possible
3. Always use non-abrasive materials and products
4. Use a damp mop where necessary and never saturate your engineered timber floors.

Follow these tips and your engineered timber floors will stay clean and looking great.

If you’re interested in installing engineered timber floors or want to speak to some flooring experts, Suburban Flooring can help. We’re based in Melbourne and know everything there is to know about modern timber flooring.

How should you clean engineered timber flooring?

1) Spot sweep with a dustpan and brush
2) Sweep with a soft broom
3) Vacuum
4) Mop, when necessary

Can you mop engineered timber floors?

Yes, but carefully. Ensure you mop is thoroughly squeezed of excess water. A damp mop is ideal. You do not want to saturate your engineered timber with water as it may cause it to warp.