Proper care and maintenance are vital to protect your timber flooring from wear and tear.
Read on for our top tips to keep your oiled or lacquered timber flooring strong and beautiful.
What products do I need to look after my timber floors?
Australian Woodcare sources Europe's very best cleaning and maintenance products to help Aussies preserve the beauty of their timber floors.
The first step is to understand which type of surface treatment your flooring has received:
● Lacquered: Lacquered floors have a layer of polyurethane over the surface. This protects the timber and gives it a matt, gloss, satin, or semi-gloss sheen.
● Oiled: Oiled floors are coated with protective penetrating oil. They are typically more natural-looking than lacquered floors.
If you're unsure what type of flooring you have, it's best to check with the manufacturer or contact the contractor who laid your floor.
To properly clean and protect your floor, it's essential to use products designed for your type of flooring and its surface treatment. Always check product descriptions and test products on an inconspicuous spot to ensure compatibility.
Our kits make floor maintenance easy, with everything you need to care for your lacquered and oiled flooring in one box.
How often should I clean my timber floors?
Dirt and grime, such as grit or sand, can easily scratch your floor. While most scratches can be repaired, prevention is always better than cure.
Our best advice is to clean your floors weekly with a mop, broom or vacuum cleaner as often as possible.
Maintaining a frequent cleaning routine will help you avoid scratches and make caring for your floor as fast and hassle-free as possible.
What should I avoid using on my timber floors?
Most microfiber cloths have a light abrasive effect which will gradually break down an oil surface treatment. Cotton twist mops or our spray mop, which uses a gentle yet effective cotton microfiber blend pad, are much better for your floors.
Alkaline cleaners have a high pH value that breaks down lacquer, destroying the flooring's protective surface.
Oiled floors can also be damaged, as alkaline can cause discolouration, especially when used on oak. WOCA cleaners for oiled and lacquered floors are PH neutral, effectively cleaning and disinfecting without damaging the timber's coating.
Supermarket floor cleaners are also not suitable for timber floors. They are designed to remove grease, so they may dissolve the protective oil or soap treatments on your floor, making the timber vulnerable to wear and tear.
Cleaners containing acetone, alcohol, solvents and vinegar leave behind an invisible film that stops the lustre of lacquered flooring.
Likewise, corrosive ingredients are too harsh to use on oiled timber floors. They remove oil, making the floors appear patchy and leaving them vulnerable to stains.
Conversely, WOCA Natural Soap nourishes and feeds oiled timber with a natural coconut and soya solution.
What should I use instead?
Spray mops or cotton twist mops are the ideal solutions to gently clean your floor while keeping the surface treatment intact.
WOCA Master Cleaner is specially designed for cleaning lacquered floors. A pH-neutral cleaner that effectively removes dirt and stains, Master Cleaner strengthens the lacquered surface and improves its resistance to spills.
Likewise, WOCA Natural Soap is a gentle yet effective solution, using natural ingredients to clean oiled or waxed floors without removing the oil layer, drying or discolouring the timber.
How can I protect my oil-treated floor from drying out?
Wood is a natural, living material that needs care and protection to prevent drying and cracking – just like our skin.
Made from natural substances such as soy and coconut oils, WOCA Natural Soap effectively removes dirt while penetrating the timber, leaving a microscopic, breathable soap film on the surface.
The film protects the wood from wear marks, dirt and stains. And when the floor is rewashed, the dirt is easier to remove, and a new protective soap film is formed.
We recommend using WOCA Oil Refreshing Soap on oil or waxed treated floors on a quarterly basis to rejuvenate your floors.
The soap effectively cleans while adding extra nourishing oil to the surface. This saturates the wood's pores, helping it retain its glow and natural hue while providing additional protection.