BDU Bamboo Flooring College™

Renewing the Renewable: Cleaning Your Bamboo Floors

What you will learn: A review of the benefits of bamboo floors; an approach to mopping and vacuuming bamboo floors; best use of mats for your bamboo flooring; how to minimize tracking abrasive material from outdoors; ways to approach choosing cleaning products for bamboo floors

Bamboo floors, a tough yet attractive flooring option for your residential or commercial project, has the durability and strength you want when it comes to flooring that is meant to last. One of the simplest ways of being a partner in the long lasting nature of bamboo floors is regular cleaning. But, what are the best methods to cleaning bamboo floors, and what are some of the methods you may wish to avoid?

Bamboo floors have a lot to offer you. It has been established that the level of hardness natural bamboo represents is the equivalent of maple hardwood. Bamboo floors are a highly renewable resource from a harvesting standpoint, and they are extremely attractive, whether you choose the natural blonde color of bamboo floors or the darker, carbonized alternative. Even though you have spent less on a bamboo floor’s installation, when compared to the installation of some solid hardwood flooring, you will still wish to make sure that everything that your bamboo floor offers will endure for years. Luckily, another virtue of bamboo floors is how easy they are to keep clean. Here are some ideas to consider when approaching the care of bamboo floors each week.

Soft touch

Cleaning bamboo floors requires little more than a damp mop, or a padded cleaning head on your vacuum cleaner. With this soft-touch approach, you can easily pick up everyday dust and dirt, which can scratch the finish of the bamboo floor’s surface over time. Even though bamboo, due to its tropical origins, is used to a certain amount of moisture, it is still a good idea not to over-wet the floor. The mop you use should only be wet enough to be called "damp." Spills should be wiped up as soon as they happen, and special attention should be given to any oily substances, such as asphalt residue from a driveway or road. These substances can cause stubborn stains. Items like steel wool or scouring powder should be avoided in order to preserve the bamboo floor’s finish which can be damaged by these methods. When it comes to keeping bamboo floors clean, the "soft touch" approach is a good rule of thumb.

Shoes and mats

Another strategy to employ is the use of mats at the doors which lead outside in order to minimize the presence of abrasive materials on your bamboo floor’s finish. Things like pebbles, grains of sand, minute glass fragments and other forms of outdoor debris can cause unsightly scratching on the surface of the bamboo floor over a period of time. Remember also to keep your mats clean as well, to reduce the amount of dirt and grit which can be transferred from a mat. Making sure that shoes are clean, or even leaving them at the door, will help to keep abrasive items from being tracked in from outdoors. If children have been playing in sand, if an adult has been working in a construction site where there are nails and wires, it is probably a good idea to have them remove their shoes or work boots to protect your bamboo floors, or indeed any floors, from unwanted materials that can damage the flooring surface. Even though your bamboo floor may have a hard, abrasion-resistant finish, common sense will tell you that damage can still occur from unreasonably hard treatment. As well, leaving shoes and boots at the door will also make housecleaning, or office cleaning, that much easier.

Cleaning products for bamboo floors

Apart from a small amount water (enough to dampen your mop, not douse it), bamboo floors can often be maintained using many products you might consider for hardwood flooring, as long as it is of the non-alkaline variety and is not a wax. Floor wax will affect the finish of bamboo floors. Make sure that you use any cleaning agent according to the instructions as outlined by the manufacturer. Should you be uncertain as to which products are most appropriate for bamboo floors, it is always a good idea to seek advice from local flooring professionals or DIY retailers. When you do choose the right product, be sure that you spread it evenly over the bamboo floor’s surface, being careful not to let it pool and possibility cause damage in the long run.

Bamboo floors offer the homeowner or building manager a range of excellent features, from the durability of bamboo flooring to its uniquely attractive colors and patterns. With these few simple tips on cleaning bamboo floors, you’re able to take steps in ensuring that all of the features last for a long time.

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