The use of special products designed for parquet care is a way to extend the operating period of the floor covering several times. Parquet maintenance is a set of measures that help to maximize the life of the floor covering. Despite the fact that it is the highest quality flooring product, it requires specific maintenance. Let's consider how to extend the life of a parquet board.
The main enemies of the parquet
In order for a parquet floor to serve for a long period of time, it must be properly maintained. The surface of the parquet board is quite sensitive to scratches, therefore it is recommended to prevent its contact with a number of substances as much as possible.
So, let's consider who is the enemy of parquet:
- Water … This is the main danger. If any liquid gets on the parquet floor, it should be removed immediately. As for wet cleaning, in order not to cause harm, you need to know how to wash parquet. Wet cleaning should not be done too often - once a week will be enough. Use a soft cloth wrung out almost dry. Do not clean the parquet with a washing vacuum cleaner.
- Sharp objects … Sharp objects can damage the parquet surface. If there are pets in the house, then they definitely need to do a manicure. As for cats, the claws can be removed altogether.
- Furniture legs … Stores sell special pads in different sizes and shapes. If you do not need to glue the linings on the legs of the cabinet, which moves very rarely, then it is necessary to attach them to the legs of chairs, armchairs and coffee tables. They can be felt or rubberized.
- High heels … You cannot walk on the surface in it. If the corridor is laid with parquet, then at the entrance you can lay a transparent rug that will not spoil the appearance of the room, but will protect the coating from scratches.
- Sand, dust and dirt … They are also capable of leaving scratches on the parquet floor. They not only scratch the top layer of the parquet, but also penetrate it. If they are not removed from the surface in a timely manner, they will become an integral part of it. Stubborn dirt will have to be removed by removing the top layer of the floor covering.
- Armchairs with wheels … This is another enemy of parquet. Special armchairs on wheels for parquet are available for sale. The wheels of this kind of furniture are made of soft rubber. They don't scratch the floor.
Parquet maintenance depending on climatic conditions
Parquet is made of natural wood. Despite the fact that during production each layer is treated with special means, the wood remains sensitive to changes in the indoor microclimate. This is due to the fact that the wood "breathes".
If the humidity in the air rises, then the tree increases slightly in size. As a result, bumps may appear on the surface of the parquet. If the air is dry, the product dries out a little. This is fraught with cracks. Therefore, even at the installation stage, care must be taken to ensure that high quality waterproofing material is laid.
Also, during installation, take care that the parquet does not fit snugly against the walls. It is necessary to leave a centimeter gap, which is filled with sealant. The composition itself is elastic, which will allow the parquet to expand without the formation of tubercles.
In winter and summer, the air humidity cannot be the same. Therefore, the size of the parquet planks changes. This phenomenon cannot be avoided in any way. But when choosing parquet, it is worth knowing that exotic wood species are more whimsical, but ash, maple, walnut and oak behave quite well when the microclimate changes. Therefore, it is worth stopping your choice on these rocks, especially if it is not possible to control the air humidity and the temperature regime in the room.
As for the peculiarities of caring for parquet in the winter period, keep in mind that heating devices begin to work in houses. They dry the air. As a result, parquet strips are reduced in size. There is no need to panic about this. With the onset of spring, the heating season ends, the air humidity rises, and the dies expand. The cracks will disappear on their own.
If the presence of cracks is critical for you, you can humidify the room during the heating season. There are special devices on the market that are designed to saturate the air with moisture. Better to opt for a mobile device. If the humidity level in the room exceeds 45%, then no gaps will form. You can control the indicator using a hygrometer.
It is worth making a reservation about the peculiarities of caring for parquet in the summer. If the summer is rainy, then the humidity level can exceed 90%. With this parameter, wooden dies will increase in size. As a result, the board can bend into a boat shape. Even if your parquet has changed its shape, there is no need to worry. As soon as the humidity drops to 40-60%, the dies will even out.
However, too frequent deformations significantly reduce the operating period of the parquet. Therefore, in rooms with high humidity, the flooring must be laid in a special way. Before installation, the dies are sanded and coated with a special oil. Then a substrate is placed on which the parquet is laid. In this case, it is not recommended to lay the coating with an adhesive method. Parquet must be pressed against the walls.
Important! To extend the life of the parquet flooring, it should be operated at temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees. The humidity of the air should be a maximum of 60%.
Features of parquet care
There are several types of parquet boards on the market today. Let's figure out how to properly care for this or that coating.
Lacquered parquet maintenance
Caring for varnished parquet is reduced to following a number of simple rules:
- The first 14 days after laying the parquet board, it must not be washed. Cleaning must be dry. After this time, you can connect a wet one.
- If there is furniture on casters, then they should be made of soft rubber. Otherwise, the appearance of scratches on the parquet, which will spoil the appearance of the floor covering, is inevitable.
- When wet cleaning, use a soft cloth. Dry should be carried out with a soft-bristled brush or vacuum cleaner.
- The use of abrasive materials during cleaning is strictly prohibited. They damage the parquet surface.
- In order to get rid of dirt, sand and dust, it is recommended to use cleaning agents for parquet - cleaners during cleaning. These are special substances designed for the care of parquet floors. The composition of the cleaners does not include components that violate the varnish coating.
- It is advisable that the cleaning agents and the varnish used to cover the parquet are produced by the same company.
- Under no circumstances should you use dishwashing detergent, solvents, gasoline, etc. to clean the parquet board.
- It is advisable to perform machine cleaning of a parquet floor only if there is heavy dirt on it, which cannot be removed during normal wet cleaning.
The lacquer layer wears off over time. Therefore, it needs to be updated once every 5 years. The surface must be sanded before recoating.
Maintenance of oiled parquet floors
The rules for caring for an oiled parquet board are practically the same as for caring for lacquered parquet. But it must be borne in mind that the oil layer is not as wear-resistant as the varnished one. Therefore, it must be updated at least once every 8 months. During wet cleaning, it is advisable to use special chemicals instead of water.
When caring for the laminated flooring, dry cleaning should be preferred. In this case, powder and alkali must not be used. It is strictly forbidden to clean the floor with a steam vacuum cleaner. Stains on laminated parquet flooring can be removed with ordinary laundry soap.
Natural parquet maintenance
Caring for natural parquet is not much different from caring for other types of parquet boards. It is advisable to use dry cleaning only. You can occasionally do wet cleaning in winter. At the same time, water should not get into the joints between the dies.
If dirt appears on the natural parquet, which cannot be removed, then you need to carry out a general cleaning. But it will be better if specialists are engaged in this. They have special equipment that will not damage the parquet. After general cleaning, the protective layer of the coating must be renewed.
What products to use for parquet care
In addition to the cleaners mentioned above, protective and decorative polish is used to care for the parquet. If with the help of cleaners you can clean a parquet board from any type of dirt, then polish can hide some defects of the product. When choosing a care product, you need to focus on the nature of the topcoat.
All products that are on sale, as a rule, have a certain effect. Not very many universal substances are sold. Some fight stubborn dirt, others are designed to improve the water repellency of parquet flooring. Therefore, before heading to the store, it is worth deciding what kind of problem is to be solved.
To keep your floors as natural as possible, you can use a parquet maintenance oil. Penetrating into the surface layer, it protects the tree from the adverse effects of moisture.
And before that mastic was considered the best remedy. Caring for parquet with mastic is still relevant today. With the help of the tool, the board can be given its original shine. In addition, it increases the wear resistance of the coating. In addition, mastic floors are much easier to care for. The surface of the parquet board becomes smooth, and it is enough to wipe it with a soft cloth several times a week.
There are 2 types of mastic on the market, one of which is used when laying flooring. Such a mastic is an adhesive composition on which the dies are laid. Therefore, when buying, you need to pay attention to the area of application of the product and make sure that you have exactly the substance in your hands that is intended for caring for the parquet board during operation.
Another method that has been used for more than the first century is wax. It has almost the same effect as mastic. The parquet maintenance wax fills the pores of the material and increases the water-repellent properties of the board. Waxing hardwood floors too often does not make sense. The frequency of this procedure depends on the traffic in the room. With an average indicator, it is enough to do this once every 6 months.
For the manufacture of wax, paraffin or natural wax is used. Accordingly, the final product is organic. After processing, a thin film forms on the surface, which prevents moisture and small debris from penetrating into the structure of the top layer of the parquet board. At the same time, this film does not create a barrier to air ingress.
Wax, in comparison with mastic and oil, is durable. It is sometimes applied over the top of the oil. Such a measure is justified if the room has a lot of traffic.
To extend the operating period of the parquet, it is necessary to use it carefully. It is necessary to prevent sand from getting on the surface of the boards, which leaves scratches, and to remove dirt in a timely manner. How to care for parquet - watch the video:
Parquet board requires some maintenance. If possible, avoid the ingress of water on the surface of the parquet, and during wet cleaning, use a semi-dry cloth. As for chemistry, only special products designed to care for parquet can be used. It is better to choose detergents and substances for creating a protective layer from one manufacturer.
