Your wood floor is protected from dirt and wetness by a high-quality impregnating finish. In order to preserve this finish and enjoy a good-looking floor for many years, we recommend that you follow these maintenance and cleaning recommendations. Your wood floor will repay you with a long-lasting beautiful, natural patina.
A list of available Oli-Lacke recommended maintenance products can be found here.
Maintenance Cleaning
Maintenance cleaning is understood to be a regular cleaning of the floor, which includes dry cleaning by broom and vacuum cleaner and damp wiping. Residential floors in living areas should be damp wiped with OLI-NATURA wood soap (50 ml per 10 litres of water) at least once a month or whenever necessary with a wrung-out mop or cloth according to the instructions on the container. In commercial areas, the intervals are shorter and the floors should be wiped at least once a week. Avoid stagnant wetness in order to prevent a swelling up at joints and gaps. Persistent stains can be treated with pure OLI-NATURA wood soap and can be removed with a wet cloth after a few minutes' absorption time.
Reconditioning and Restoration
Reconditioning becomes necessary at varying times and is dependent on the floors' use and wear. For those floors that have been oil/wax treated with OLI-NATURA hard wax oil, we recommend OLI-NATURA care wax. Apply the care wax evenly thin with a cotton cloth, wiping mop or sprayer on the clean, dry surface according to the instructions on the container. Polish the area immediately afterwards, either with a cotton cloth on smaller ones or by machine with a white pad on larger ones.
For reconditioning oiled floors, you may choose between a purely oil care treatment or additionally, a protecting wax care. In order to preserve the original character of an oiled floor, we recommend a reconditioning of damaged spots and areas subject to intensive wear with the original oil (diluted). For easier handling and to increase the oil's ability to be absorbed, the oil should be mixed with OLI-NATURA oil thinner at a ratio of 1:1. Alternatively, you may also use the ready-to-use OLI-NATURA project oil as the care oil. Apply the oil sparingly on the thoroughly cleaned and dry floor. Polish the area immediately afterwards. If you want to protect your floor with a supplementary wax coat, we recommend OLI-NATURA care wax. Please refer to the passage above for further information on the reconditioning of oil/wax treated floors.
General information
Depending on the use of the floor, the impregnating coat naturally wears out after a certain amount of time. Regular care is absolutely necessary. If the surface shows damage due to heavy wear, it must be sanded and impregnated again. Wood is a natural product. It continually changes its volume and adjusts to the room's humidity. During the time of heating, the relative humidity decreases significantly. The wood reacts to this situation by emitting its own moisture so that it starts to contract. This process is visually recognizable by gaps forming in the wood floor. The longer and the more intensely rooms are heated, the dryer the air becomes causing more gaps. Your wood floor will contract and expand throughout the year. To inhibit gaps from forming, you may introduce humidity through humidifiers or increased plant-life.
Precautions
- Allow the freshly impregnated floor to cure for at least 2-3 days
- Do not use steel wool or sharp cleaning pads. Dirt and sand can be like sandpaper on your floor and have to be removed immediately
- For cleaning and care, you should only use high-quality, compatible products
- In order to avoid scratches, you may put pieces of felt under the furniture. If you have furniture with rollers, the floor should be protected with mats
- If you use skid-reduction under-mats, take care that they do not contain softening agents.
