Hardwood Floor Maintenance and Care for Kährs Wood
Proper hardwood floor maintenance is the best way to retain the original durability and beautiful appearance of Kährs wood floors. By following a simple wood floor maintenance regime, you can protect the surface finish and ensure long-term performance.
Kährs floors feature a strong finish designed to reduce the risk of microscratches—the tiny scratches caused by furniture or debris. The Kährs Acrylic Finish makes the surface easy to care for because stains have difficulty adhering. Additionally, Kährs Woodloc® and Woodloc® 5S joints produce tight, barely visible seams, providing a significant advantage for routine cleaning and maintenance.
The elasticity of the surface treatment follows the wood’s natural seasonal movements, ensuring a Kährs floor is easy to maintain whether the boards are factory finished or oiled. Please note that stained products may lose some color during renovation; therefore, maintenance materials used are typically uncolored.
Recommended Hardwood Maintenance Schedule
Daily: Dust mop or vacuum to remove abrasive grit.
Weekly: Damp mop with a dedicated hardwood cleaner.
Monthly/Quarterly: Use a lacquer or oil refresher (depending on your floor type) to restore luster.
3-5 Years: Consider a professional "recoat" to add a fresh layer of protection without sanding to bare wood.
Hardwood Floor Care Routine
DAILY CLEANING FOR WOOD FLOORS
For daily cleaning, use dry methods, e.g. vacuuming or micro mop
REGULAR HARDWOOD MAINTENANCE
Make sure that the surface is free from any dirt or debris that may scratch the surface, by vacuum cleaning, dust mopping or dry mopping. Dissolve the Cleaner in lukewarm water according to dosage information on the bottle. – or use the ready-touse Kährs Spray Cleaner. Damp-clean the floor as necessary using a well wrung mop or floor cloth. Only dampen the floor slightly. The film of water left by the floor cloth must dry within a minute. Do not allow spilled water to remain, especially on Beech and Hard Maple (Canadian Maple) floors because they are particularly sensitive to moisture. The frequency of damp cleaning depends on the usage and soiling.
Note: Never pour water onto hardwood floors. Use a cloth dampened with water and squeezed dry.
HARDWOOD STAIN REMOVAL
Remove stains as soon as possible following the advice given below. Use strong stain-removers with care, because using too much or rubbing too hard can affect the finish. Do not allow spilled water to remain on the floor, especially on Beech and Hard Maple (Canadian Maple) floors.
What to Avoid: Common Hardwood Cleaning Mistakes
Using the wrong products can permanently dull or damage your finish. Avoid the following:
Steam Mops: Excessive heat and moisture can force water into the joints.
Vinegar or Ammonia: These acidic substances break down the floor's protective finish over time.
Oil Soaps or Wax: These leave a sticky residue that attracts dirt and makes future recoating difficult.
Generic All-Purpose Cleaners: These often contain harsh chemicals not suited for wood.
Advanced Maintenance for Lacquered Hardwood Floors
Kährs Lacquer Refresher and Matt Lacquer Refresher are easy -to-use refreshers for finished parquet and wooden floors. The product gives the wood a protective top surface which simplifies the cleaning and maintenance process. It is not a substitute for re-lacquering. It is used between each re-lacquering. Kährs Lacquer Refresher is suitable for Kährs lacquered floors and High Gloss lacquered floors. For Kährs Matt lacquered and Ultra Matt lacquered floors, the Kährs Matt Lacquer Refresher should be used. Note, the more coats that are applied, the higher the gloss value. The floor to be treated must be clean and free from polish, wax and other contaminants. Vacuum thoroughly and remove all traces of grease by damp cleaning using Kährs Cleaner. Dissolve the Kährs Cleaner in lukewarm water according to dosage information. Then wipe off the surface with a well wrung-out mop or cloth. For very dirty floors or if the surface has been treated with polish or other treatments, first clean the floor with Kährs Remover.
Heavy duty cleaning: 2-4 oz. / 2.5 gallons water, Polish Removal: 16 oz. / 2.5 gallons water.
1. Spread out the mixture with a sponge or cloth. Use as little mixture as possible.
2. Allow to react for a few minutes and then work in with a scrubbing brush.
3. Wash the floor with clean water with a slightly damp cloth. Use as little water as possible. Be careful with Beech wood species, because too much moisture might damage the short ends of boards or strips.
Applying Kährs Lacquer Refresher
1. Apply the Kährs Lacquer Refresher or Kährs Matt Lacquer Refresher with a damp mop or cloth.
2. Let the Refresher dry for a minimum of 45 minutes before replacing furniture. Heavier items as well as rugs need curing at least for 24 hours. Good ventilation and normal room temperature (68° F) minimize the drying time.
3. Allow floor to dry for a few hours without wear. It is important to maintain stained products in good time. Do not allow the stained finish to become worn.
Maintenance and Renovation for Oiled Hardwood Floors
After extended use, it may be necessary to renovate the surface treatment and replace it with a new Tinted Satin Oil treatment.
1. Apply Kährs Cleaner evenly over the surface.
2. Clean the surface using Kährs micro mop. Scrub until the dirt has been dissolved. For very dirty floors replace the micro mop using a rough brush.
3. Remove cleaner and dirt using a wrung out cloth.
4. Dry the surface using a dry cloth and leave the floor to dry for 30 minutes. For very dirty floors or on floors with heavy textures, it might be necessary to repeat step 1, step 2, and step 3.
5. Apply Kährs Stained Satin Oil on the surface. Use Kährs Micro Mop and spread the oil
Total Renovation for Worn Hardwood Floors
If the hardwood floor is very worn, or needs renovation for some other reason, it can be machine-sanded to bare wood and have a new surface treatment applied. For a new oiled surface, please contact your local dealer. evenly. This is done by scrubbing along and across the floor board until a very thin and even oil layer is reached.
Let the surface rest for 10–15 minutes. If a stronger recoloring is needed, repeat step 5 and step 6. This can be done maximum 3 times, since too thick layers will result in a sticky surface.
Polish the surface using a new dry Micro Mop. This is done to secure that the oil has been evenly spread. Please observe that two layers of thin oil gives a better result than 1 thick layer of oil. Applying a high amount of oil will result in a sticky surface. Recommended dosage 4 ounces of Kährs Satin Oil per 300 ft².
Note. A total renovation will radically change the surface appearance on stained products, floors with bevelled edges and/or brushed surface finishes.
Note! Using Kährs Satin oil, a danger of self-ignition exists in contact with organic materials (e.g. cotton cloths, saw dust, absorbing insulation materials etc.) due to self-drying oil content. Rags and other organic materials soaked in oil have to be put into water immediately after use, in order to avoid self-ignition.
All Information Updated September 2026
