How To Maintain Or Recover Your Parquet Floors?

Multilayer floating flooring or solid flooring, unlike laminate flooring, has a greater tendency to wear than the latter. For this reason, to maintain or recover your flooring, the first thing we must know is how to differentiate what type of flooring it is, especially if it is a floor that came when we bought our house and that we have not installed ourselves.

What type of flooring do I have in my house: multilayer floating flooring or solid flooring?

To simplify, there are two large groups into which you can classify the flooring you have at home, and they can be distinguished according to the material used in its manufacture: synthetic wood – multilayer floating flooring – or natural wood -100% wood -, also called parquet of timber.

It is enough to observe it with the naked eye to discover which group if it does it carefully. But if you still have doubts, we will give you some critical clues so that you can find them. 

• Go for a walk.

Watch your footsteps when you do. If it is a solid or natural wood floor, you should notice a more significant sound attenuation than if you did it for a synthetic wood floor.

• Blow up a balloon.

And it is that you will need it to check the static electricity of the bed. You will see that if the base is made of synthetic resins, it has a higher charge of static electricity than if it is made of 100% natural wood. You can also use any garment or fabric made of synthetic fibres. 

And now, how do I keep it like the first day?

Once you are clear about the type of flooring you have installed, we can proceed to dedicate all our care and attention to it so that it remains shiny and as if it were new for as long as possible.

1. Avoid the big bumps.

Powerful blows will destabilise the structure that makes up the platform, in addition to causing aesthetic damage.

2. Use correct footwear

To be at home. Much of the visible damage that occurs on our floor is because we use footwear that does not behave very well with the platform, and that is, for example, shoes with a heel that is too thin, causing marks and scratches on the floor. Flat.

You may also notice these scratches if the shoes have worn soles or tops. In that case, the damage caused can be even more significant, as if a small stone has been embedded in the sole when walking outside.

Put “socks” on your furniture. He will say, what a barbarity! But if traditional felts keep coming off, give it a try. You will notice how comfortable it is, especially if they are chairs or furniture that require or can be moved. We recommend that you do this, especially with the table that you usually move for daily use. You can use something inconspicuous and small like socks for small children. They are tiny in size and can be found in all colours.

«A wooden floor, excellent, is a living floor. It has streaks and even natural ageing. These characteristics make a wooden floor unique.” 

Wood changes and responds to agents such as water and humidity. Leaving a wet umbrella dripping at home is a big mistake because it causes damage to our platform, especially if it is made of solid wood and the varnish that covers it is not waterproof. Place an umbrella stand to match your platform, of course. In general, take care that wet objects or clothing do not drip on your floor, and if this happens, dry it with a cloth as soon as possible.

Protect from the sun. It is recommended that in areas highly exposed to intense lighting or direct sunlight, avoid leaving furniture or elements in the same place for a long time, as the shade of the exposed area may vary slightly.

Products to clean wooden floors. For regular cleaning, it is best to use a vacuum cleaner first. With it, we will eliminate dust and any abrasive agent, such as sandstone, left by our shoes on its floating platform. After passing it, use a cotton or micro-fibre mop, spraying a small amount of cleaner for this type of floor on it -sometimes just water and a neutral cleaner is the best- and rub in the direction of the length of the slats.

Avoid waxes, detergents or oil-based soaps -unless it is the manufacturer’s recommendation-. They can discolour and damage the surface, creating a film of grease. Grandma’s recipe of using a mixture of water and vinegar is not recommended on varnished floors. It is also not true that wooden floors cannot be cleaned with a mop; it is almost recommended in the summertime. 

And lastly, don’t be afraid to slash and varnish it.

Don’t be afraid to do it when necessary. What is recommended is usually about ten years, but it depends on the use and cares that the floor has had. If it is multilayer laminated flooring, it can only be done at most once or twice since the thickness of the layer of wood is at least 2.5 millimetres.

You will see that, if you apply all these tips, your parquet floors, whether it is multilayer laminated flooring or solid flooring, will remain new much longer and will be an angular piece to make your home look warm and comfortable.