How to take care of an oiled floor?
Oiling is a long-known effective method of protecting wooden surfaces. The benefits of oils are well illustrated by the fact that they are used in shipbuilding to maintain boats. They are also used as a form of protection for terraces and wooden elements of garden architecture, which are exposed to intensive destructive atmospheric factors. All of this is thanks to the excellent properties of oil. It penetrates deep into the structure of the wood, making it resistant to various types of damage and supporting its ability to regenerate. It effectively impregnates while allowing for the maximum natural effect to be maintained. It does not clog the wood's pores, which allows the material to breathe continuously, positively affecting the microclimate of interiors. Oiled floors are durable and look elegant. We suggest how to take care of them to maintain their advantages for a long time.
Daily care of an oiled floor is not demanding. It is mainly based on vacuuming or sweeping the parquet and wet mopping it. Flat microfiber mops or string mops can be used for this purpose. Cleaning agents designed for oiled surfaces are added to the cleaning solution, and it is recommended to thoroughly wring out the mop before wiping the surface each time. Most of these cleaning agents are colorless, but some are designed for whitened floors or are enriched with color pigments. It is recommended to avoid using steam mops. High temperatures can negatively affect the appearance and durability of oiled wood. For the same reason, do not use hot water for cleaning, but use cool or lukewarm water instead. The oiled floor quickly dries after cleaning, maintaining an attractive refreshed appearance. The frequency of wet mopping the floor depends on how intensively the rooms are used and how much traffic there is. In residential interiors, several cleanings per month are usually sufficient.
There is a wide range of products available on the market for caring for oiled floors. These are primarily soaps that are mixed with lukewarm water and used to clean the parquet. They not only remove dirt but also have lubricating and protective properties. It is important to pay attention to the recommended proportions because they sometimes differ between floors protected with standard oils and UV oils.
For some products, different proportions of water and concentrate are used for daily cleaning and for periodic thorough cleaning. Specialized emulsions for oiled floors can also be used for regular maintenance. Many of them create a protective film on the wood with anti-slip and anti-static properties, and some of them are enriched with oil.
Intensive cleaning agents with the addition of anionic and nonionic surfactants are used to remove persistent dirt. These so-called intensive cleaners leave the floor without a protective layer, so after using them, the floor should be treated with an appropriate care oil.
The first impregnation of an oiled floor should be done after it has been installed. The frequency of subsequent maintenance depends on the intensity of use of the parquet. In rooms with less traffic, maintenance once a year is sufficient. In rooms with more traffic, it is recommended to re-oil the floor every 5-6 months. The most demanding places in this respect are those such as restaurants or shops, where maintenance may be necessary every 2-3 months. Maintenance is carried out using specialized care oil. Before applying any regenerating agent, the previous layer should be thoroughly removed, and after application, the floor should be polished. Periodic maintenance creates a protective layer that effectively protects the surface of the wood from scratches. It refreshes its appearance and positively affects durability. Thanks to this, oiled parquets can be successfully used for a long time. It is estimated to last for even several decades.
After a longer period of use, oiled floors require renovation. During daily use, scratches and small chips appear on the surface of the wood. Small gaps can be filled with carpenter's putty and re-oiled. Damage to a larger area of the floor requires machine sanding. The number of allowable sanding treatments depends on the thickness of the solid wood layer with which the floor is equipped. Floors with a solid wood layer thickness of 4 mm can be sanded twice. A 6-millimeter layer of solid wood allows for even three or four sanding treatments. Thanks to such wide-ranging renovation options, layered oak floors can be used for at least 30 years, and in the case of a thicker solid wood layer, the parquet will remain in good condition for up to 50 years. After sanding, the floor requires thorough dusting and re-oiling.
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