More and more people are choosing engineered wood flooring worldwide. We recommend it as a fitting alternative to solid wood flooring as it seamlessly accommodates both commercial and residential use. Undoubtedly, it is currently one of the most sought-after flooring choices.

Their overall look rivals the gorgeous appearance of solid wood. However, they go one step ahead by providing hassle-free installation, easy maintenance, and incredible durability.

It’s necessary to mention that engineered flooring generally performs for decades under careful maintenance. It makes an excellent choice if you are looking to add value to your commercial or domestic real estate properties.

Engineered hardwood floors are a stable flooring option due to the presence of many layers underneath. However, they are not invincible to damage—they develop scratches and damage if poor cleaning practices are followed or left unattended for extended periods. Therefore, a common question begins to emerge among most homeowners who share this problem—how to clean engineered hardwood floors?

We recommend using appropriate cleaning engineered wood floor products and effective tactics to preserve the flooring for a long.

Today, we have gathered industry-verified knowledge to develop this comprehensive guide on maintaining and cleaning engineered hardwood floors. In this blog, we will walk you through the necessary cleaning materials and techniques to help your elegant-looking engineered hardwood floors last for years to come.

What Is Engineered Hardwood Floors?

The market is saturated with hard surface flooring options, ranging from genuine white oak hardwood to resilient luxury vinyl. They promise identical characteristics, even matching the grain patterns with genuine hardwood. Such an abundance of options could make the whole selection process a challenge.

Hardwood flooring has been at the top of aesthetic flooring choices for centuries now as it offers incredible durability and style. However, hardwood trees have a slow growth rate, which struggles to cater to the ever-present demand for good-looking and durable floors. This is the cue for engineered flooring.

Engineered hardwood planks feature a thin hardwood layer attached to an engineered platform, in direct contrast to traditional hardwood flooring, which features solid wood planks instead. “Engineered” is a technical term that defines wood planks built from wood pieces and adhesives.

Engineered flooring designs look identical to their traditional counterparts post-installation since they contain a hardwood top layer attached to a base layer. This base layer features either plywood or OSB (oriented strand board).

History of Engineered Hardwood Flooring

The restrained capabilities of solid hardwood flooring paved the way for engineered hardwood in the 60s and 70s. It took no time for the newly launched flooring option to garner high praise for moisture susceptibility and temperature changes.

It features multiple layers, with core layers of plywood or HDF and a top veneer of real hardwood. Ever since its introduction, it has continued to dominate the flooring debate as it provides enhanced stability and resistance. In simple terms, it’s well-suited to various environments.

The promise of easy installation, stability, and cost-effectiveness without surrendering visual appeal has helped engineered hardwood floors outperform their traditional counterparts. The rapid success rate of science and technology is directly helping engineered hardwood refine its characteristics, thereby establishing its place as a robust and adaptable flooring option in the 21st century.

Hardwood vs. Engineered Wood Flooring

Both surfaces are equally popular among homeowners as they promise almost identical benefits, making the final choice subjective.

  • Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring surfaces, also known as solid wood flooring, feature hardwood species. They come from a solid piece of milled wood, hence the name. The common species used to build this flooring surface include maple, oak, walnut, and cherry.

Hardwood flooring installation requires nailing down the wood planks on the subfloor. Moreover, since it is solid wood, it allows easy sanding and multiple rounds of refinishing to improve its look over time.

  • Engineered Wood Flooring

Although engineered hardwood surfaces share characteristics with their traditional counterparts, they only include a thin hardwood layer to accomplish their appearance. Moreover, they feature a plywood core. They also support DIY aspirations, allowing for gluing or interlocking planks for installation.

Since it has a thin top layer, it is hard to refinish within short intervals. However, it can remain functional for up to thirty years under adequate maintenance.

As mentioned, both flooring surfaces share more characteristics than differences, making the decision subjective in the end. To identify the exception, you must concentrate on the respective water damage in both options.

In simple terms, engineered wood flooring makes more sense over solid hardwood surfaces in high-moisture surroundings. Hence, it often becomes a natural fit for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements.

Why Use Engineered Hardwood Flooring?

Engineered hardwood flooring is a fantastic choice for instilling value and elegance in your existing property or building a new one. It is based on three layers of wood that are attached to ensure superior stability and durability.

In addition to their outstanding aesthetic appeal, engineered wood flooring promises easier cleaning and maintenance than solid wood and popular alternatives. We’ve compiled the key benefits of engineered wood flooring to help you better understand the subject.

  • Easy To Clean

Engineered wood flooring is the go-to flooring solution for most homeowners since it promises easy cleaning. Its low tolerance to dust and dirt is a significant gain for people who prefer aesthetically rich house interiors. We recommend adhering to a simple mopping and dusting routine. You don’t need to explore other alternatives, as engineered wood floors retain their best attributes for a long time without repolishing.

  • Aesthetic Appeal

Each kind of engineered wood flooring has a distinctive appeal and characteristic that elevates the sophistication quotient of your property. This, of course, depends largely upon the kind of wood used to develop the flooring. The market is saturated with an extensive roster of wood flooring, from light to dark.

  • Highly Durable

Premium-grade engineered wood flooring becomes available for purchase once matching specific quality standards. These standards ensure that the flooring can handle heavy foot traffic (a common phenomenon in commercial, institutional, and other public spaces). Engineered wood flooring has earned an envious reputation in the market for its exceptional long-term durability.

  • Variety of Options

The massive range of engineered wood flooring surfaces means you will always get a suitable match that fits your requirements. You can even categorize it into various textures, designs, colors, and styles to complement diverse decor themes. Additionally, you can explore engineered wood flooring with customized thickness, width, and species.

  • Increased Property Value

Engineered wood flooring is synonymous with sophistication and elegance. It can boost the overall appeal of your residential and commercial properties immediately after installation. It makes absolute sense if you are exploring flooring surfaces that can increase your space’s long-term value and aesthetic quotient.

Why Cleaning Engineered Hardwood Is Important?

The guide has discussed the significance of engineered hardwood so far. It can benefit your flooring project with remarkable durability, unmatched versatility, and timeless beauty. Due to its lower pricing over solid hardwood, it also makes a frugal investment choice, allowing homeowners with restrained budgets to purchase it.
Despite the high praise, it’s worth mentioning that engineered hardwood flooring needs appropriate cleaning for engineered hardwood products to last long.

  • Avoiding Damage

You must make it a point to clean the engineered hardwood flooring at every interval to safeguard it against damage. These floors contain multiple layers (based on diverse materials) with a hardwood veneer on top. You must ensure extensive cleaning to elude any unwanted impact.

Moreover, monitor the products used during the cleaning process. Applying the wrong product could strip the finish, scratch the surface, or cause discoloration. Needless to say, it can severely reduce the floor’s overall lifespan.

  • Qualifying For Warranty

To qualify for a warranty, you must clean and maintain the engineered hardwood floor. Reputable manufacturers and retailers make it a point to brief their customers about the best cleaners for engineered hardwood floors to maintain the warranty. You could avoid the warranty if you subscribe to inappropriately engineered hardwood cleaners. Cleaning the floor will save you from any repair work or replacement costs.

Furthermore, using the best cleaning products for your flooring will help you maintain slip resistance. It is a vital safety feature that is handy in areas like the bathroom and kitchen. We recommend you only use the best floor cleaner for engineered hardwood, which will help you maintain slip resistance, thereby avoiding the probability of slips and falls.

  • Type of Finish

When implementing your hardwood floor cleaning routine, make sure to check the cleaning product’s finish type compatibility. A specific set of finishes doesn’t react well to cleaning products. Therefore, it only makes sense to identify the best cleaner for engineered wood floors that suits the finish.

The best cleaning products prolong the lifespan of engineered hardwood flooring and dial up its elegance. The trick is maintaining proximity with the right cleaning products and the manufacturer’s instructions.

  • Ph. Level of the Cleaning Product

Lastly, you must also consider the pH level when using any cleaning product on engineered hardwood flooring. In simple words, the pH level tells the product’s acid or alkaline level. It can directly impact the engineered hardwood flooring.

You must refrain from using cleaning products with high pH levels. These products harm the finish, causing discoloration or haziness. Alternatively, any cleaning product with a minimal to zero pH level will strip the finish, making the floor lifeless.

What Are The Tools And Material Needed For Cleaning?

You must implement effective maintenance tropes to allow your engineered hardwood floors to function for years. Therefore, you must invest in gathering the most appropriate tools and materials to achieve optimal cleaning results.

As a first-timer, it is normal for you to ask, “How to clean engineered hardwood floors?” We have compiled a list of necessary items that will best suit your engineered hardwood floor maintenance:

  • Soft-bristled broom
  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Microfiber mop
  • pH-neutral hardwood floor cleaner
  • Bucket
  • Microfiber cloth or sponge
  • Soft towels
  • Protective gloves
  • Floor polish or protective coating

Despite being less prone to growth and shrinking than solid wood, engineered hardwood flooring must be explored for precautionary measures. This generally happens when the flooring is compromised by moisture. We have compiled a list of insightful tips for engineered wood floor care.

  • Sweeping

We recommend cleaning manufactured hardwood floors regularly with a soft broom or microfiber clothing. Soft sweeper pads draw dirt, dust, and pet hair without damaging the wood surface, and soft brush attachments are a failsafe for minimizing scratches on hardwood flooring.

  • Mopping

When it comes to mopping, there’s no better alternative than using a damp cloth instead of a soaking wet mop. You must prevent excess water from penetrating the wood, as it could cause swelling. Certain cleaning-engineered hardwood products are available in the market, which tells you if they are suited for wooden floor cleaning. Additionally, there are several hardwood-safe cleaners available.

  • Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning is a crucial maintenance trope for wooden floors. However, does the same apply to steam cleaning? The floor cleaning method injects steam into the cracks, raising the temperature to a level suitable for complete sanitation.

However, steam cleaning has a mixed reputation. Much like using wet mops, steam cleaning can also negatively affect the wood. We prescribe a daily sweep followed by deep sweeping once a month. Ensure that you use a wood-safe disinfecting floor cleaner when implementing the deep cleaning.

  • Polish and Oil

There’s no denying that oiling woods generally work well to bring out their natural beauty. It’s a tried-and-tested method for laying an attractive sheen on the floor. However, apply a lacquered finish when oil is used on engineered wood floors.

If you already have a finish, consider sanding the veneer before applying it. In simple words, polishing the wooden floors will give them new life. Use some polish and wipe the floors after cleaning.

How To Make A DIY Engineered Hardwood Cleaner?

Most people use water and grease to mop up spills on engineered hardwood. However, a more robust approach to floor care could benefit you. You must develop the habit of only picking floor cleaning products that complement engineered hardwood.

We recommend you adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions to prevent damage or health hazards. They will help you find all the necessary answers to your long-standing question- how to clean engineered hardwood floors?

We have broken down the list of items that you would require to develop your cleaner:

  • A cup of purified water
  • A cup of white vinegar
  • A few drops of dish soap
  • 10-15 drops of an essential oil

Put the ingredients into one spray bottle and mix them well. Before using your DIY floor cleaner, spray some drizzle of water on the floor and wipe it away with a microfiber cloth.

It’s perfectly appropriate to clean hardwood floors with vinegar or use this spray when mopping your floor. Additionally, be cautious when developing your cleaners. Otherwise, you could use household ingredients that can be toxic to the ground after mixing.

Protecting Your Engineered Hardwood Floors

It is safe to admit that engineered hardwood flooring doesn’t involve long and arduous maintenance chores. Therefore, if you stick to regular care, you don’t need to invest in long-term maintenance methods like waxing and refurbishing.

  • Daily Care

sweeping of your engineered hardwood floors is enough to clean your high-traffic areas. On the other hand, sweeping once a week will do just fine for the low-traffic areas to keep dust and grime away. It is pivotal to use a soft-bristled broom for wooden floor cleaning to prevent scratching and ensure you don’t grind debris into the wood.

  • Weekly Care

Engineered hardwood floors gather less dust than carpeted floors. However, your broom may miss some fine particles that can spoil indoor air quality. Hence, you must vacuum your hardwood flooring once a week. We recommend using a soft-bristled vacuum or attachment for the job.

  • Monthly Care

Your floor cleaning schedule largely depends upon your preferences apart from the flooring requirements. With engineered hardwood flooring, consider making the maintenance routine a monthly affair. You must use a microfiber mop on the floor for the task. Also, don’t drench the mop when wetting it before wiping the floor. It’s necessary to dry the floor once you have completed the mopping.

  • Long-Term Care

Much like traditional hardwood flooring, engineered wooden flooring also appreciates occasional waxing. Consider the option after every six to eighteen months- mainly depending on the wear and tear of the floor. Waxing and polishing are effective methods for restoring the gorgeous shine on the floor.

What To Avoid When Cleaning Engineered Wood?

Now that we have discussed how to care for your engineered hardwood floors, it’s about time you learned what not to do. We have a detailed breakdown of things you must refrain from using in your floor care plan.

  • Abrasive Scrubbers

We’re the high-priests of non-abrasive floor cleaning products such as microfiber cloths and soft-bristled vacuum attachments for hardwood floor maintenance. Admittedly, they necessitate extra elbow grease.

However, you must follow them. Choosing abrasive scrubbers such as a stiff plastic scrub brush or steel wool can damage the finish and scratch the hardwood below.

  • Steam Cleaners

There’s no denying that steam cleaners are in vogue right now, as they suit all sorts of uses. However, they don’t do well with engineered hardwood floors. They bring concentrated moisture and high temperatures, which can harm porous exteriors, thereby causing deformation.

  • Harsh Chemicals

It’s a common phenomenon among homeowners to pick heavy hitters like ammonia or bleach for complete floor cleaning. However, according to facts, they cause discoloration on the surface of your engineered hardwood flooring. Therefore, we recommend spot-testing any new cleaner before using it on your floor. Also, refrain from using bleaching agents altogether.

Additional Tips and Precautions

In this section, we cover much more than engineered hardwood flooring maintenance. You can consider using furniture pads to guard your floor surface from scratches and dents. Moreover, you can deploy rugs in high-traffic areas to reduce wear.

Make sure that your home interiors have consistent humidity levels. It will assist the wood in the flooring from unexpected expansion or contraction, of course. Evaluating all these measures will solidify your engineered wood flooring maintenance routine.

Keeping Your Engineered Hardwood Floors Clean With European Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring demands consistent maintenance to preserve its beauty and durability. To keep your floors in prime condition, you must adhere to the cleaning tips outlined above.

Having a total understanding of wood flooring maintenance doesn’t sideline the need for any professional help. For instance, you will need outside consultation if your floor has had a significant impact. Additionally, you should contact experienced professionals if you seek niche maintenance advice.

At European Flooring, we offer an extensive range of premium-grade engineered hardwood flooring that is bound to meet your distinctive needs. We have built a solid reputation for manufacturing and supplying industry-best products. Our products undergo the highest quality-testing standards to ensure flawless appearance and uninterrupted durability.

We completely understand the market and realize why most of our customers identify with engineered wood flooring. We have always practiced the best ways to clean engineered wood floors for cleaning engineered wood flooring.

We have a wealth of industry experience and a thorough commitment to customer satisfaction. European Flooring is your trusted ally for all your hardwood flooring requirements.

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