How Often Should You Vacuum Wood Floors?
Cleaning the house might seem like a chore to some people, but it can be a great pastime or even form of exercise. But if you have a lot on your plate like a busy work schedule, taking care of kids, and getting through the daily tasks of life, vacuuming can become very difficult to find time for. That’s why it’s important to know how often you should vacuum wood floors in your office or home.
Most wood floors have a polyurethane finish which makes them very durable. You should try to clean these floors well and often. However, wood floors are prone to wear and tear, especially around the high traffic areas in your house. There are different factors you should consider to help you answer the question of how often should you vacuum wood floors.
Household Situation
Unless you live in a dusty area, have pets, or you have many people living in your house who can bring in a lot of sand or dirt, you can vacuum your wood floors once a week. Dander, dust, and other allergens can find their way into the tiny cracks in your floorboards, so it’s important to vacuum on a consistent basis.
If You Have Pets
If you love pets, then vacuum cleaners are your friend. Not only do pets tend to shed a lot and leave fur on your furniture and floor, but they also drop dander and other gross things like potentially flees – which can cause diseases and cause allergies. This doesn’t include whatever surprises your furry friends carry with their paws into your house after being out all day. So, no matter the type of floor you have, if you have dogs, cats, or other furry friends in your home, you should vacuum your house often – every day or at least a few times a week if possible.
Obviously, that isn’t going to fit into everyone’s schedule simply because many of us don’t have the energy or time to put into vacuuming the house each and every day. But, if you don’t have time to vacuum every day, vacuum the rooms and furniture your pets spend most of their time in. If by mistake your cat or dog happens to have an accident on the floor, be prompt in cleaning it so that you reduce the chances of the smell lingering on the floor or other potential damages that can occur as a result.
Room Usage
The rooms that are used often should be vacuumed often. Makes sense, right? If you own a business, areas such as reception or office entrance areas that receive heavy traffic all day are rooms that should be cleaned most often. You can come up with a cleaning schedule to vacuum the rooms that get average traffic like your bedroom and home office. These areas can be cleaned once a week. Other rooms like the guest bedrooms can be vacuumed monthly if they don’t have many occupants.
Other Household Items
The kind of furniture and other household items in your house can also determine how often you should clean your wood floors. For example, you can’t lift or move heavy furniture like beds and cupboards daily when vacuuming. Since you will need some assistance in moving these items, you can do this at least once or twice a year.
How to Clean Wooden Floors
The same way you wouldn’t use a bucket of soapy water and a damp mop on wooden floors is the same way you can’t use your normal vacuum for cleaning duties. You need to get the best vacuum that is suitable for your floor type so that it doesn’t leave scratches or damages the luster on your floor. There are some things you should know when you’re cleaning your wood floor. These include the following:
1. Suction Power
A vacuum cleaner with strong suction is usually recommended for hard surface floors because you want the suction to pick up all the dirt in your room. A wood floor vacuum should have at least 1000 watts of power because anything lower than that can’t pick up all the dirt and you’ll have to keep cleaning certain areas over and over. Nobody enjoys running a vacuum repeatedly over the same area because it can’t seem to pick up that single piece of debris. You should always make sure the vacuum has a good amount of suction to be effective at removing dirt. It will not only save you frustration, but time and energy as well. Most vacuums designed to be used on wood floors have excellent suction and you can also use them on your bare floors and carpets, but remember that great suction isn’t very effective on carpets if dirt is not loosened up prior to/during vacuuming.
2. Crevice Tools
A crevice tool isn’t really necessary, but it can make your life much easier when it comes to reaching the difficult and far away parts of your floors. You can use it to reach difficult edges, small gaps between the furniture or walls, and small spaces you can’t reach with your hands. This is a tool that will come in very handy when cleaning your wood floors.
3. Don’t Use a Brush Roll
Brush roll heads are mostly used to remove stubborn dirt and debris from your carpet. They do a great job on carpets, but it’s not necessary to use it on wood floors since the dirt doesn’t have anywhere to hide. If you try to use the brushroll on your wood floors, the rough plastic pieces will beat against the floor, resulting in damage to the surface. You’ll also remove the shine from the floors. What you should do when vacuuming hardwood floors is always turn the brush roll off or use a stick vacuum that is specifically designed to be used on bare floors.
You can also use a canister vacuum as it doesn’t have a beater brush. A stick vacuum is very common and does a better job of cleaning hardwood floors than a broom or a mop. You can wipe the floor with a microfiber dust mop or a damp cloth to leave the surface free of any trapped dust.
Benefits of Vacuuming Often
- If you suffer from allergies, get asthma attacks, or experience other breathing problems, vacuuming often can help reduce the dirt, dander, and dust in the air.
- When you vacuum the house often, you remove unwanted odors that can settle in the room from smoke or your pets.
- Vacuuming helps keep your house inviting
- Benefit from cleaner air and a better smelling house – fresh for your family and friends.
- It not only eliminates odor, but also bacteria, allergens, and particles that may have a negative effect on your health.
So, How Often Should You Vacuum Wood Floors?
This all depends on the traffic in your house, how much you use the rooms, the kind of household items you have, and if you have pets in your home. Vacuuming helps remove dirt and debris which leaves your house clean and smelling fresh – all of which are beneficial for your health and well-being – as well as for your family and friends.
Laura
Laura Smith is an author and philanthropist; runs several trust funds and teaches people in different forums the importance of developing actionable solutions, to help in the conservation of energy while limiting environmental degradation. She is passionate about everything tech and has written different reviews on a myriad of electrical gadgets. Technology and environmental degradation are a major challenge around the globe today, and many companies produce gadgets without a guideline on how to dispose of, after they have served their purpose. Laura has thus dedicated her life to finding eco-friendly solutions in the disposition of electrical gadgets in the middle of technological advancements.