Knowing which wood floor cleaners to use on your wood floors will make a big difference on preserving the life of your wood. There are two specific types of wood floor cleaners, with or without urethane coating.

A wood floor cleaner without urethane coating requires a low speed buffing with the cleaning product. You should use proper dust mop treatments. White wood products will require special handling instructions and you should remember to never use water or petroleum based cleaners on the wood. This can give the wood dark stains that you will never be able to remove. Light sanding might be required in addition to the application of wood floor cleaners without urethane.

Wood floor finish with urethane includes conversion varnish, oil- modified products, moisture-cured urethane, and water based urethane products. If you are unaware of the manufacturer of your wood, then you should use a generic wood floor cleaner. If you do know, then follow the complete cleaning instructions provided by the manufacturer. It is important to remember never to use a wax based product over a surface finish wood floor.

In addition to wood floor cleaners, there are preventative maintenance steps you should take to preserving the life of your wood floors. When applying wood floor cleaners, you should never use wet mops. Never use wood floor cleaners with ammonia. Do not use dust cleaners and always clean track dirt immediately. Never wax a urethane finish type of wood.

Steps you can take are placing protective pads under furniture legs so they don't scratch the floor. Use mats and area rugs in high traffic places. Be sure the area stays dry and the rugs are cleaned underneath often. Sweep and vacuum with a soft brush attachment or a dust mop to remove dirt and grit often. Try not to walk on your wood floors with high heeled shoes and if you must, make sure that the heel is not scratching the floor. Also, make sure your pet's nails are trimmed.

It is important to know the two types of wood floor cleaners and other things you should do to keep your wood floors looking their best.