Do you have a nice old parquet floor but it’s dirty and you don’t know how to clean it? Would you like to know our different tips for maintaining it properly? Look no further, we give you, in this article, the answer to all your questions! Let’s see, now, how to maintain and clean an old parquet floor?
Identify the finish of your parquet to maintain it properly

Before even cleaning your parquet, it is important to identify its finish. Indeed, this protection depends on the right actions to be taken. What do we mean by finishing? The finish is the protective layer applied to the raw wood. It can be of three different types: wax, oil or vitrification.

How do you identify the finish of a parquet floor? To do this, you should put a few drops of water on the floor, rub with a cloth and see what happens. If the finish comes off easily, it is because it is a waxed floor. If the liquid pearls, it is certainly an oiled or vitrified parquet (unless it has been waxed recently, in which case the wax can also produce this effect).
Simple actions to apply on a daily basis

We often think, wrongly, that the maintenance of a solid wood floor is very restrictive and tedious. It is not so, as long as we know the right gestures and are constant. It may seem obvious, but the maintenance of a parquet floor involves vacuuming and dusting. You can also wash it with a mop (unless it is waxed parquet). Repeat these steps regularly to preserve its beauty.

How to maintain an old oiled or vitrified parquet on a daily basis? Pour a few drops of dish soap into a bucket of warm water. Dip your mop, wring it well and then run it over your floor. The dishwashing liquid will degrease the parquet and make it shine.

The tips we give you here are of the order of daily cleaning. We are now going to see how to go a little further in the maintenance of a parquet floor to preserve its beauty for many years.
How to maintain an old waxed floor?

If it has long been the most common finish for parquet floors, wax is now becoming increasingly rare. Considered more difficult and demanding to maintain, it still has something to seduce. The wax respects the natural look of the wood. It highlights its veins while nourishing it deeply. Thanks to the wax, the parquet acquires, over time, a patina that will only become more beautiful with time.

For the maintenance of this floor in particular, water is to be avoided. Indeed, water stains waxed parquet, causing it to turn gray. We recommend that you apply wax every six months. If there is a stain, then the floor should be sanded to remove the finish and a new coat of wax applied.
How to clean varnished or vitrified parquet?

Varnish or vitrification provide a protective film on the floor. Unlike oil, which we will see just after, the wood is not impregnated with it.

Vitrified or varnished parquet is certainly the one that requires the least maintenance. As always, it is advisable, beforehand, to dust the floor well. Our advice? For your vacuum cleaner, prefer the use of a brush nozzle: this precaution will avoid scratching the parquet. Twice a year, apply a neutral cleanser to revive its shine.

You will find on our site everything you need to clean your vitrified parquet. Thus, for varnished floors, we recommend the use of a microfiber pad and a MOP broom; Combined with suitable products, your parquet will be even more beautiful and cleaner for years to come.
Successful maintenance of your oiled parquet

As we revealed to you a little earlier in this article, the secret to the longevity of a parquet floor is its regular maintenance. This is why Parquets Protat recommends that you vacuum the dust and dirt that comes to rest on it. You can also mop the floor slightly damp. Again, do not use an aggressive product; if you want to clean your floor more effectively, we recommend using a natural parquet soap.

How to maintain an old wooden floor?

In summary, the maintenance of a parquet floor requires careful and gentle but regular cleaning. Each finish must be washed with the utmost care using suitable treatments and cleaners. You will find the right products on our website and in one of our two showrooms.

How to clean a very dirty wooden floor?

The older a parquet is, the more difficult it is to maintain and requires more attention. Indeed, the solid wood floors that we design have received a waterproof treatment while the old ones are simply varnished (they are more subject to stains). Also to facilitate their maintenance, we recommend that you renovate them thanks to the range of products that we offer for this purpose.

How to clean a very dirty wooden floor? If there are several tips for effectively cleaning localized stains (stains of ink, blood, wine, grease, paint, etc.), things can seem more complex when the parquet is very dirty on a surface more extensive.

To clean a very dirty floor, you can try washing the damaged and soiled areas with turpentine. After the stains are gone, the area will need to be waxed. If this solution is not sufficient, it is advisable to remove the finish present (wax or varnish) and to wash the stains. In some cases, it even becomes necessary to sand the entire piece to return to raw wood. If you find yourself in this situation, the help of a professional can be invaluable.