Longevity Tips: Keeping Your New Parquet Flooring in Great Shape

Its no wonder that many of us dream of introducing chevron parquet wood flooring or herringbone wood flooring into our favourite interior spaces—parquetry offers an elegance that is impossible to match. Whether in Ash or Oak; antique, smoked or brushed; of traditional style, or design parquet wood flooring: such a surface will elevate any home or workplace, generating enjoyment for years to come. With all this in mind, mastering how to look after a parquet floor is certain to be top of the agenda for any new installation. As with all hardwood floors, maintenance is marvellously simple just so long as a few golden rules are adhered to. Read onto to discover the ins and outs of optimal parquetry care.

Starting Off on the Right Foot
A certain level of daily dirt accumulation is an unavoidable reality—from pet hair to debris carried in from outside—no matter the indoor space at hand. As with other forms of hardwood flooring, such particulates are best removed from parquetry with a vacuum, or failing that the light sweep of a soft bristled broom. When using your vacuum cleaner, be sure to choose the bare floor setting to disengage the rotating beater. Because sand and grit are the flooring foes most likely to lead to scuffed surfaces, installing doormats is an excellent way to further safeguard your herringbone or chevron parquet wood flooring. As an added bonus, an absorbent entry mat will also protect against wet footprints during damper months—a factor that is more important than many might realise.
How to Clean Parquet Flooring
The reason that soggy foot or paw prints are best avoided is that saturating your stylish design parquet wood flooring with water is the ultimate parquetry faux pas. Excessive moisture can cause damage, causing the wood to move and swell, causing staining, or simply leeching the wood of its beauty-enhancing oils. For those of us who take pride in regular cleaning, this can seem somewhat counter-intuitive, but in truth when it comes to wet-cleaning a parquet floor, less is certainly more. The ideal tactic is to opt for a lightly damp mop or cloth, being sure to wring it out well as you go—and never saturate the wood with water. It is also vital to choose a gentle and wood-friendly cleaning product, avoiding anything acidic or abrasive. Be sure to allow your floor to air dry fully before replacing furniture.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Speaking of furniture, investing in protective felt or cork furniture pads for the feet of heavy or often-moved items can ward off the risk of scratches to your beautiful chevron or herringbone parquet flooring. Rubber sliders are not a strong choice to accompany hardwood flooring, simply because rubber doesn't breathe—the same can be said of rubber doormats or anti-slip mats, to avoid these with caution and explore other options. A little thought should also be given to rolling office chairs, or any other item on wheels or coasters, to ensure that they are equipped with soft, standard running surfaces.

In terms of spills, the best way to avoid staining is to act quickly, removing any substance that takes a tumble. Blotting up liquids with a cloth before removing any residue is the speediest way to ensure that the integrity of the wood is protected. Of course, ensuring that your parquetry is regularly re-oiled will provide a far more repellant surface—do check out our recent blog on how often to oil wood flooring. A well cared for parquet floor is incredibly undemanding, but taking a stance of pre-empting and eliminating potential risks is the best strategy for ensuring that initial beauty remains for the long haul!

What to Do if Your Parquet Floor Is Damaged
Of course, nobody wants an accident to occur, but unfortunately these things can sometimes happen. Perhaps a tiny stone caught under the foot of a sliding chair may cause a tiny scratch. Happily, if the offending scratch in question is a small one, usually a light re-oiling and buff with a cotton cloth will make such a mark disappears. If, however, the damage is more significant then turning to your trusted hardwood floor installer is likely the best option. It may be possible to replace the damaged plank, or sanding and re-finishing the floor's surface might be the best solution.

Whether in need of assistance with pre-existing chevron parquet wood flooring or herringbone parquet wood flooring, or hoping to aquire advice on maintenance of your freshly installed Unique Bespoke Wood parquetry, our team are always ready to assist. ​