Question:
I have a solid hardwood Kennedale Strip w/Dura-Luster Plus Urethane. Maple, I think. I am wondering what I need to use in order to clean it and preserve it. It is in the kitchen.
Thank You!
Answer:
Dear Cherie
First you should read my article on wood floor maintenance, which can be found in the search box at the top of this web page. It suggests how and what to clean these floors with. And suffice to say now the best way for this particular floor is to spray the suggested cleaner on the floor and wipe it off with a wet rag then a dry rag. And about once a week you can damp mop the floor with the same cleaner. The article describes this also.
Now as to how to preserve the wood, read on.
And now that that is all said, the real trick is to recoat this floor about every 2-4 years, with a fresh coat of finish. And seeing how it is a prefinished floor, you will need to use one of the professional prep agents to chemically abrade the floor, and apply 2 coats of water-based finish. I suggest using only two possible products in the article from two well-known manufacturers of industrial water based finish. The idea is to get the floor sealed up in the open seams that now exist. And that way even a daily moping of the floor won’t ever harm the wood. If the floor is now 4 years old and it still looks fine, it’s time to re-coat anyway.
This only applies to kitchen wood floors. Any other area of the house can wait 5-10 years. The cleaning article also mentions a urethane dressing you can use on the floor. It’s made by one of these well know manufacturers, so it won’t interfere with a recoating later.