Cleaning Cork Floors

Cork floors are becoming a more and more popular flooring choice for today's homeowners. Often the reason for this, initially at least, is that this type of flooring is exceptionally environmentally friendly and looks beautiful when finally installed. What most people don't realize though is that it is also extremely easy to clean up. Since it is so easy to clean cork flooring, there are no real hard and fast rules. Rather there are guidelines that you should follow. Keeping to the guidelines listed here will enable you to make cleaning cork floors as easy as possible, and keep your floors looking brand new.

• When possible, clean immediately. While cork flooring is easier to clean than most other kinds of wood flooring, that doesn't mean that you should put off cleaning. Generally speaking, when it is possible you should clean any mess that you find as you find it. This will not only help in the general appearance of your floors, but also help prevent scratches and other types of damage from forming on the flooring.
• Water will work. To clean general type of stains or messes on cork floors, all you really need to do is use some clean warm water. Place a washcloth into the warm water and then remove it and wring it out. Wipe away at the mess until it is gone, and you will have a clean floor again. Remember that while cork flooring is generally more water resistant than other types of wood flooring, you should still use the least amount of water as possible.
• For tougher stains, use a neutral chemical cleaner. For the more difficult stains, you will need to use something that is a little stronger than water. Rather, you should use a cleaner that is considered neutral, which means that it is neither acidic nor basic, which will ensure that no damage is done to the sealant used on the cork flooring. Simply mop your floor as you normally would while using this cleaner, and you will quickly have a cleaned cork floor.
• General maintenance. There are a few things that you should do to help keep your flooring looking its best between cleanings as well. While strictly speaking this is not cleaning, it will help maintain your floors and make cleaning them a whole lot easier. For example, do not drag any furniture across the floors, rather lift up the furniture and put a felt pad under the furniture to help protect the floors. If you have any sinks in the room with the cork flooring, be sure that you put a breathable floor mat in front of the sink, as well as in front of any exterior doors. Lastly, if you have any potted plants in the room, be sure that there is a drip pan under the pots to catch any seepage or water overflow.