Panels & Furniture Asia September/October 2020

50 | FLOORING
September / October 2020, Issue 5 | Panels & Furniture Asia
COVID-19 cleaning and
disinfecting: What’s safe
for wood floors? by Brett Miller
Photograph: Nabila Fauzia / Unsplash
With the spread of COVID-19,
dust, pollen, particles, animal dander,
killing germs on surfaces
or allergens. A regular cleaning routine
around the house is top
should be all you need with wood floors.
of mind. The American Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommends washing your hands with
soap and water or using a hand sanitiser
that contains at least 60% alcohol to
protect yourself.
Try to sweep daily, vacuum on the bare
floor setting about once per week, and
use a damp mop with the right cleaning
product on a monthly basis. The type
of finish on the floor can dictate which
cleaner is appropriate to use. Consult
the flooring or finish manufacturer to
Additionally, the CDC suggests cleaning
determine how to care for your floor.
and disinfecting frequently touched
surfaces such as doorknobs, light
switches, faucet handles and phones
daily.
What about your floors, though? The
Photograph: Mitchell Luo / Unsplash
The mop should be slightly moistened and
well-wrung, ensuring that the amount of
moisture left on the floor surface is
minimal. When using spray mops, use
only high-quality spray mops that provide
germs that could possibly have been tracked into the house
may be crossing your mind right about now. If you have real
wood floors, read on before you get carried away with using
greater control over the amount of solution that is applied and
come with super-absorbent, disposable or washable pads that
remove the cleaning solution and soil from the floor’s surface.
bleach, disinfectant sprays or other “sterilising” non-wood floor
cleaning products.
Many wood floor cleaning products contain ingredients, such as
isopropyl alcohol, with disinfecting properties. It is important to
Wood floors are already a healthy choice for indoor air quality
and interior environments because they have no fibres, grout
lines, or embossing that can trap microorganisms, bacteria,
use the appropriate cleaning products, as recommended by the
floor and/or finish manufacturer, to avoid damaging the wood
finishes and ensure the longevity of your floors.