Wood floors can be extremely durable and forgiving, but without proper maintenance you will face problems sooner or later. While the best way to clean hardwood floors depends on the type of finish it has, there are general rules that apply to all kinds of wood flooring. Following these can help you avoid more serious issues that require special treatment.
General Protection and Maintenance
Furniture Floor Pads
Before you know how to clean a floor well you should know how to prevent damage and dirt get to it in the first place. Place felt pads under furniture legs to avoid dents and gouges. Don't drag heavy objects across the room. Use a humidity control of some sort in the room, if possible. All boots and especially high heels, should have their protective caps intact.
Use area rugs on door entries and doorways leading to the room. These help trap grit and moisture from being dragged onto the floor. It's preferable to use rugs with skid pads made of natural fibers which leave less of an imprint than those made of synthetic materials. Shake off the area rugs often and keep them dry.
Regular vacuuming, sweeping or dust-mopping is a must. When vacuuming, use an appropriate hard surface attachment. Follow the manufacturer's guide on whether you should use a lightly damp mop or a dry one. Never ever use household dust treatments and sprays.
Cleaning and Repairs
For all stains and scratches, always work on them from the perimeter and go toward the center. To remove chewing gum and similar sticky substances, put a plastic bag filled with ice on top. Wait until the material becomes brittle enough then crumble it to dust and sweep off. Follow up with a recommended hardwood cleaner for either wax or surface finish, depending on what type your floor has.
To remove cigarette and other burns on wax floors, rub the area with a fine sandpaper or steel wool, preferably dipped in wax. You may have to scratch off the burn mark if it goes too deep. Follow up with a sandpaper, rewax and rebuff. For surface finishes use a suitable touch up kit. Follow up with a fine sandpaper and a finish recoat. Deeper burns may require board replacement.
For pet and food stains, as well as dark spots, use a #000 steel wool for a wax finished floor, then wax and buff. For surface finished floor, use a recommended hardwood cleaner. If the stains go deeper you may have to sand off the wax floor or screen/pad the surface finish.
Oil and grease on a floor with urethane finish can be removed easily with the cleaner, but on a waxed floor the procedure is a bit more involved. Start by rubbing the spot with a high amount of lye containing soup or place a cotton dripped in hydrogen peroxide over the stain. Take another layer of cotton saturated with ammonia and put it over the first. Keep repeating this until the oil or grease is gone, then buff the spot by hand.
Another specific issue that wax floor owners may face is the old wax building up. Use mineral spirits or a product made for stripping off wax, then remove any residue using clean rags and fine steel wool. Once the surface is dry rewax and rebuff.