Relative Humidity

A natural wood floor will expand and contract in response to changes in temperature and relative humidity. One of the most important actions you can take to prevent damage to your wood floors is to maintain the proper relative humidity in your home. For optimal performance of your floor, especially during heating season, your home should maintain a relative humidity range between 35-50%, and a comfortable temperature range between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintaining these ranges will help prevent wood from expanding, contracting, cupping, and splitting. So that you are always aware of these ranges, we recommend keeping a hygrometer in your home.

Routine Cleaning

Regardless of the finish of your floor, we recommend using a dust mop, a soft bristle broom, or a vacuum cleaner (with bristle brush) to remove dirt and debris as needed, and especially before damp mopping. When damp mopping your wood floor, it is important to know how your floor is finished. We offer the three finishes below. If you don’t know which finish is on your floor, please check your sales invoice or contact The Hudson Company.

Best Practices

1) After installation, protect the floors with heavy paper and/or Masonite hardboard sheets to prevent dirt and scratches during the remaining construction period. Never use corrugated cardboard, as it can leave grid lines on the floor finish.
2) Never apply tape to a prefinished floor, not even painter’s tape.
3) If dirt or sand is tracked inside, sweep immediately to avoid scratches.
4) To avoid stains, immediately wipe up any liquid or food spills with a damp cloth.
5) Install proper felt protectors under furniture legs, especially dining chairs.
6) Do not use excess water when cleaning your wood floor.
7) Rotate rugs to expose the floor to light so that the wood can oxidize evenly throughout the room.
8) Use only cleaning supplies recommended for your finish (see below). We do not encourage the use of other cleaners, as they can damage the finish.

POLYURETHANE FINISH After cleaning your floor of dirt and debris, we recommend damp mopping with Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner. This should happen as needed, or every 2-3 weeks. If you have heavy dirt buildup, we recommend Bona PowerPlus Hardwood Floor Deep Cleaner. Follow Bona package instructions, and remember, do not use excessive water.

Thank you for selecting a prefinished floor from The Hudson Company. Your new floors are an investment in quality craftsmanship, and careful maintenance will help preserve their natural beauty in the years to come.

OIL FINISH After cleaning your floor of dirt and debris, we recommend damp mopping with WOCA Natural Soap Hardwood Floor Cleaner. This should happen as needed, or every 2-3 weeks. When damp mopping an oil finished floor, we recommend using a cotton ring mop, and not a microfiber pad. For removing grease and other stains, we recommend using WOCA Intensive Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Follow WOCA package instructions.

To maintain the luster of an oiled floor, we recommend using WOCA Oil Refreshing Soap every 3-4 months. Oil Refreshing Soap comes in two colors: White and Natural. Use White for white oiled floors; use Natural on all other oiled floors. Follow WOCA package instructions.

WATER BASED OIL FINISH After cleaning your floor of dirt and debris, we recommend dry damp mopping with Blanchon Natural Soap. This should happen as needed, or every 2-3 weeks. Follow Blanchon package instructions.

Oil finished floors need to be refreshed every 2-3 years. High traffic areas may need to be refreshed more often. We recommend working with a local flooring professional to refresh your Oil finish and we recommend Blanchon Maintenance Oil. Follow Blanchon package instructions.