Parquet Floor Maintenance Guide

The maintenance of the parquet is not general. Each type of parquet has its specific method, whether it is oiled, laminated or sealed. Here are the basic rules for maintaining and preserving your floor so that it lasts as long as possible. Often chosen as the most aesthetic solution, parquet is present in more than 57% of French homeowners. Ooh la la!!

However, wood is a very hard-working material and can quickly lose its shine if not properly maintained. Here is what we recommend to our customers and to all those who wish to take care of their parquet floors as we do daily for our customers.

General parquet maintenance

Of course, each type of parquet floor must be maintained in a specific way, but several general concepts apply to solid wood parquet as well as to sealed parquet, for example. It is important to know that the biggest weakness of parquet floors is water. At the risk of swelling and warping, parquet is very sensitive to humidity and even more so to water, so to clean it, do not pour huge buckets of water on your floor, especially not. 

Instead, clean your floor with a slightly dampened mop and let the floor dry as it pleases. To prevent the wood from swelling, avoid letting water accumulate on the floor. We often meet customers who, after a flood, ask to have several boards replaced because they have swollen and lost their original shape. Scratches on the floor are also a frequent problem. These things happen, it’s normal, but to maintain your floor there are a few things you can do. 

The first is to avoid all objects with wheels in your home, such as chairs or furniture such as pedestals. Choosing objects with rubber wheels is the best option. This will not leave an indelible mark like the plastic wheels on your office chair for example. The same goes for furniture, dress them up with felt pads. In conclusion, exercise caution when selecting cleaning products to use. Maybe you are sensitive to this but your spouse or children are not, so tell everyone in the household what products are recommended for your floor and only for your floor. Parquet floor sanding is also one of the main way to maintain it. 

Maintenance of laminate & floating parquet

These types of parquet need to be protected from water more than others. This surface must be cleaned quickly and above all dried very quickly if the floor is wet. Overall, it doesn’t need any specific treatment. Large nicks cannot be repaired or only with difficulty. Laminate flooring has an installation system that allows it to remove damaged boards and replace them with brand-new ones. 

So remember to keep a small stock of planks in case you have to deal with this problem. Maintenance of sealed floors Sealing is a much more common treatment than any other floor treatment. Keeping your surface in good condition is a fairly simple process. Of course, sealed parquet is also not conducive to too much water, even though it is much more resistant than laminate parquet. Stick to the slightly dampened mop method, which will do the trick. 

Another maintenance solution is a special reviver for sealed parquet. As your floor loses its effectiveness over time, this solution, to be carried out once a year, will be very beneficial for your floor and will restore its original appearance. 

Attention, if you carry out this maintenance, it is imperative to do it on the totality of the surface of the parquet floor because if not it would remain a trace of your passage and thus a difference of colour between your maintenance on some boards and the remainder of the surface.

Maintenance of waxed parquet

The maintenance method for waxed parquet is a solution that is used less and less because its protection is not as appreciated as for others such as glazed parquet for example. With a raw, authentic, natural look, relatively old floors are maintained in this way. 

To take care of your floor, it is important to polish it frequently, or every other day for the busiest rooms in the house, and to wax all waxed floors in the house every two years. The advantage of this finish is that scratches can be removed by sanding the affected area and finish by waxing the repaired area for an even finish over the entire floor.

Maintenance of oiled parquet

 The victim of its success, oiled parquet is increasingly in demand because it has many advantages. The first positive point is that it is less sensitive to water than other parquets. In addition to being less prone to scratches, the oiled parquet is environmentally friendly and can also be cleaned with a damp mop. 

To benefit from its qualities over time, you should maintain your surface with parquet oil once a year on average. This will ensure long-term protection. If your floor deteriorates, the same solution as for waxed floors, sand and apply oil. It will smooth the surface and give it a fresh look.

Refurbishing an old wood floor this way can also be done by the Doctor Wood experts, who have been doing this work since 1995. They truly take pride in their work. You can check out the reviews to see that for yourself. Plus check out the Parquet Floor London services page.