GENERAL
The instructions below are general; always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the flooring you use.
Your flooring requires proper care and maintenance. Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft nozzle, soft broom or a cleaning cloth/mob. Place high-quality doormats at the entrance, which will prevent the floor covering from damage that may be caused by the sand and the dirt from the outside. Apply protective felt or cork washers on furniture legs to prevent scratching and flooring abrasions.
When you move the furniture, lift it from the ground and move it to a desired location, instead of pushing and dragging it. If water or other liquids spill, wipe them dry immediately. Coffee, red wine, ketchup and other chemical spills must be immediately removed, as they can otherwise leave permanent stains. In order to remove stubborn stains, consult the salesman from whom you bought the flooring. If the floor is very dirty, it must be cleaned manually using a damp cloth.
Do not use a wet cloth that is dripping water, as this might cause floor damage (swelling).
Favourable climate with the temperature of about 20°C and a relative humidity from 50 to 65% is an important requirement for a long lifespan of your flooring product.
The requirement mentioned above can be monitored with a moisture meter or a weather station (particularly important in the time of a heating season). Optimum relative air humidity can be maintained with electric air humidifiers.
VARNISHED SURFACES
After the installation, the varnished surfaces can be cleaned with a detergent intended for varnished or lacquered surfaces. It can be used in a form of a concentrated product, diluted with water (read the instructions). The floor must be thoroughly vacuumed in order to remove hard dirt. Use a soft damp cloth and clean the floor in the direction of wood flax. The flooring can be additionally protected by using a suitable protective preparation. In addition to the first impregnation, this preparation can be subsequently used (once or twice a year), as it also refreshes the varnish and covers tiny scratches. After applying the preparation, the floor must be left alone to rest and should not be used for a few hours. Please follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get more precise descriptions of use. Consult an expert when it comes to tougher and more aggressive stains, as they will give you proper advice about which cleaning agents may be the most effective or appropriate for a particular stain.
Do not clean with water, always add a suitable cleaning agent. When the varnish starts showing the first signs of wear and tear, opt for renovation and varnishing. If the varnish has completely disappeared from the surface, it may be difficult to entirely renovate the flooring and recover its initial shine. An expert should be the one to re-sand and varnish the flooring. Find a hidden spot of flooring to test the adequacy and suitability of the cleaning agents.
OILED SURFACES
When you oil the floor covering, it is best to use the oils that enhance the natural colour of timber and increase its resistance to wear and tear, dirt and moisture. After the flooring is installed and oiled, we recommend that you clean it by using a suitable cleaning agent for oiled surfaces and fresh it up by applying some maintenance oil. It provides extra protection for the surface.
Follow the instructions in order to apply the correct amount of the cleaning agent you are using. It is generally advised, that the floor should first be vacuumed or well cleaned. Add a proper amount of cleaning agent to water (read the instructions to learn how much cleaning agent should be used in relation to the amount of water). Use a soft cloth and dip it into the solution. Make sure you wring the cloth well, as it must not drip. Use two buckets whenever you clean larger areas. One bucket should contain water, mixed with a cleaning agent and the other should only contain water, in which you wring the cloth more effectively. The cloth is always washed in clean water first and then dipped into the solution made of water and a cleaning agent. After cleaning the floor by applying the solution, do not use the cloth to additionally wash the floor with clean water, as this would wash off the protective layer. Leave the cleaning agent on for a few minutes and then wipe the floor dry with a dry cloth; wipe in the direction of wood flax. Make sure you regularly maintain the flooring by using a cleaning agent for oiled surfaces. In the beginning, the floor should be maintained every week. Later on, try to determine how much the floor is being used and how much maintenance and care it needs, but make sure it is not less than once a month. Every time you clean the floor with a cleaning agent for oiled surfaces, the floor will be less susceptible to dirt and stains. After a regular »damp« cleaning you can remove tougher stains by applying a couple of drops of a mild concentrated cleaning product directly onto the stain.
Leave it on for 5 minutes and clean the floor again by using a regular cleaning mixture (water and a cleaning agent). Find a hidden spot of flooring to test the adequacy and suitability of the cleaning agents. The oiled surfaces must be periodically refreshed by applying maintenance oil. The surfaces that lost the protective oil layer because of the regular wear and tear, will regain their shine and beauty after you apply the oil. Use the oil that matches the colour of the flooring surface. Before applying the oil, the floor must be completely cleaned and well dried. Only then, you can begin oiling it. Do not wait too long to start oiling. If the floor remains without its protective layer and appears to be used, it is difficult to completely renew it. When you oil the flooring, the temperature in the room should be between 16°C in 20°C.
Put some oil on the floor and distribute it evenly by using a polishing machine with a suitable felt or distribute it manually with a cotton cloth. Leave it on for a few minutes. If the entire surface is not oiled sufficiently, repeat the procedure. Surplus amount of oil should be removed with a cloth. To prevent using excessive amount of oil at once we recommend you use an oil dispenser that will help you distribute the oil more evenly. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and polish the floor with a suitable felt pad. Corners and other parts of the room that are not easily accessible, should be polished manually. Polish until the surface is dry. Run the last polishing moves in the direction of wood flax.
Follow the instructions of the flooring manufacturer and the instructions of the cleaning agent and oil manufacturer. Warning: Risk of spontaneous combustion.
The cloths dipped in oil must be washed with water immediately after the work is done and then dried out in the open.
After the process is finished, the floor should be left to dry for at least 24 hours (until dry to the touch) before it is used again. The oil takes another two weeks to solidify. During this time it is not allowed to wet or moisten the parquet or to use it heavily. Do not use the cloths that contain microfibers or else your floor might become rough and highly susceptible to dirt. Only use the cloths made of natural fibers, such as a cloth or felt.