Hill Country Innovations Maintenance and Care

Maintenance Guide for Engineered Hardwood

The use of “steam cleaners” to maintain these hardwood floors is not recommended by Hill Country Innovations and will void your Warranty

The *National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) recommends following the guidelines below to maintain All wood flooring regardless of protective finish type:

•  Floor protector pads should be installed on the bottom of all furniture legs before furniture is placed onto the wood floor 
• Place rugs at all entrances. Rugs will help trap grit and absorb moisture before either has a chance to damage the finish 
• Rugs should be shaken out and cleaned thoroughly/dried when they get wet 
• Take special precautions with non-skid pads that are frequently placed under area rugs. These pads may imprint their pattern onto the finish and/or wood flooring. (Natural fibers may not transfer as much as synthetic pads) 
• Be aware that area rugs can often cause the color of flooring to change due to exposure to UV light
•  Expect floors to shrink and expand with changes in humidity, sometimes leaving small gaps between boards. To minimize changes, humidity control in the home at all times is recommended 
• Routine basic maintenance includes sweeping, vacuuming, and/or dust-mopping to remove dirt and grit. (Use only vacuums that have a hard surface setting. Beater bar vacuums are not recommended for use on wood flooring) 
• The more that dirt and grit are allowed to accumulate on the floor, the more it is tracked across the floor, leaving scratches. Floors should be cleaned immediately after a major event. 
• Household dust treatments and furniture polish should not be used. A microfiber cloth attached to a mop head should be used (dry) to clean the floors on a regular basis 
• Specific cleaners for urethane finished floors can be used occasionally to clean spills such as jelly, candy or any other sticky residue. 
• All shoes, especially high-heel shoes, should be kept in good repair – if they lose their protective cap, they will dent the surface 
• Pet nails should be kept trimmed regularly 
• Small splits and splinters in the floor can be touched up using a color matched felt touch-up pen and a color matched putty stick 
• Be especially attentive to potential spill areas, such as dishwashers, sinks, icemakers and stovetops. Other potential spots include household plants and pet water bowls 
• Use a dolly and protective panels of plywood to move heavy objects across the floor

For factory finished wood floors, consumers should follow the directions of the flooring manufacturer as to which cleaning products to use. This is extremely important because not following those directions may void the manufacturer’s warranty of the finish and wood flooring. Using a non-recommended product to maintain your floor may ruin the appearance of the finish, and it also may cause problems down the road when it is time to have the floor recoat

Urethane Finishes 

• As with any wood floor finish, follow a program of sweeping and vacuuming to eliminate as much dirt and grit as possible 
• Place mats or areas rugs at entrance/exit doors to catch dirt and grit from being tracked onto the hardwood floor 
• Minimal maintenance is required to maintain the urethane finish 
• Use a dry microfiber mop head to clean dust and debris from the surface of the floor 
• Use products specifically designed to clean urethane finished floors – Ultra-clean, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner, etc. 
• Do not use any products that are “polishes” or “waxes” as this will add shine to the finish and prevent recoating at a later date 
• If a manufacturer of the wood floor or finish is not known, use a generic hardwood floor cleaner available from a local wood flooring professional 
• Oil soap products are not recommended by HCI for urethane finished floors 
• Do not apply acrylic top coat wax type products to the floor. This will impede future recoating of the floor with urethane finish. 
• Wipe up spills immediately with a lightly dampened cloth, then use a recommended cleaning product 
• Dust mop treatments and furniture oils/waxes should not be used on urethane finished floors 
• Never use a paste wax on top of a urethane finished floor 
• Occasional buffing of the urethane finish will remove small scuffs and scratches in the finish

Oil Finishes 

• As with any wood floor, follow a program of sweeping and vacuuming 
• Place high quality floor mats and area rugs near outside entrances and exits to prevent dirt and grit and other unwanted substances from being tracked onto the floor 
• Attached felt protective discs on all furniture legs 
• Keep pet nails trimmed and paws clean off all grit and dirt 
• Tough dirt may require the use of Woca Wood Cleaner or Spot Remover. For complete instructions on usage, see the Woca website for more details 
• Wipe up spills immediately with a dry cloth 
• Use specific oil maintenance products to maintain the oil finish (Woca Natural Soap, Woca Maintenance Oil) 
• Do not use ammonia or oil-based wax, polish, household dust treatment chemicals, abrasive cleaners, furniture cleaners or waxes or any other non-Woca brand products to clean your floor 
• Do not wet mop your floor with any cleaners or water base products other than Woca products 
• Periodic light buffing of the floor with a soft cloth will help restore the soft luster of the finish 
• Mop with Woca Oil Refresher one to four times a year, This will introduce a small amount of oil into the floor to freshen the finish and extend the time before a re-oiling becomes necessary 
• The oil finish will need to be periodically re-applied by a professional