How to Clean and Look After a Wood Floor (Without Ruining It)

Updated October 2026

So, you’ve just had a new wood floor fitted. One of the next questions people always ask is, “How do I clean it, and how do I look after it?” Here’s how, for oiled and lacquered floors.

What never to use on a wood floor

Here’s what not to do, and it’s probably the most important bit. Don’t use detergents. They’re really bad for your floor, and can leave marks. That includes washing-up liquid, bleach and all-purpose sprays. And keep the steam mop for the tiles: steam pushes heat and moisture into the wood.

Is your floor oiled or lacquered?

Make sure you know, as there are different strategies for each. An oiled finish soaks into the wood and can be refreshed. A lacquer sits on top, like a thin coat of paint: it’s harder to mark, but it can’t be topped up with oil. If you’re not sure, ask whoever supplied the floor. If it’s one of ours, just ask us. Our Newington Plus range, for example, is lacquered; most of our other floors are oiled.

Everyday cleaning, for any wood floor

• Sweep or vacuum regularly, using a soft brush head. Grit and sand act like sandpaper underfoot.
• Mop with a damp mop, not a wet one. Wood and standing water don’t mix.
• Use the right cleaner for your finish (below), and never detergents.

How to clean an oiled wood floor

Cleaning

Oiled floors should be cleaned regularly (say every two weeks). This should be with a natural wood flooring soap, so no detergent, applied with a little water and then lightly mopped (don’t use too much water). It’s possible to buy wood flooring soaps in supermarkets, but our recommended product is from Ciranova, as this is from the same company who makes our oils. Regular cleaning like this is one of the most important things you can do to keep your floor looking healthy.

Maintenance oil

One of the benefits of an oiled floor is that it can be refreshed with oil. If you want to keep your floor its existing colour, rub in a maintenance oil every 18 to 24 months. Again, our recommended oil is from Ciranova, and for almost all of our floors the matt version applies, but always test it before you start rubbing too much in. We use Ciranova oils on our sample boards, as it keeps them looking fresh when they get bashed around on site visits.

Of course, there are also many people who don’t worry about oiling their floor. If that’s you, your floor will simply change colour over time… and for many people, that’s part of the charm of a wood floor!

How to clean a lacquered wood floor

Lacquered floors require less maintenance. As they can’t be oiled, it’s just a question of regular mopping with a wood floor cleaner that is suitable for lacquered (sometimes called “varnished”) floors. Do not use maintenance oil on these floors, as the oil just stays on the surface of the wood (it isn’t absorbed).

We recommend the Bona products, and they have a very helpful spray mop that regulates the amount of product applied to the floor. Of course you can also try other lacquered floor cleaners (we always recommend testing the cleaner on a small area first). Here’s a product we would recommend: Bona wood floor cleaning kit.

Scratches, dents and marks

On an oiled floor, maintenance oil is great for light scratches. Deeper scratches may need a different strategy, such as a filler, or if very deep, the plank will need to be sanded. A lacquer is harder to mark in the first place, but if you do scrape it, it’s harder to repair.

Whilst an oiled finish is stain resistant, it doesn’t mean you can leave everything on the floor. Drinks, food and kids’ toys can all mark a floor, so clean up the mess when it happens. Our floors should resist most liquids for a few hours… but if you leave oil or wine on a floor for a weekend, it will mark (and this is the case for any wood floor!).

Stop the damage before it happens

• Felt pads under chair and table legs.
• Doormats at every outside door, to catch the grit before it reaches the floor.
• Rugs in the busiest spots, like under a dining table.
• Sunlight changes the colour of any wood floor over time, so move rugs and furniture around now and then, so it changes evenly.

Got a dog? You don’t need a special “pet-friendly” floor. We explain why in the truth about pet-friendly floors.

Will my floor need sanding?

Far less often than you might think. With regular cleaning and the occasional maintenance oil, most floors only need a full sand a couple of times in their life, if at all. The German parquet industry expects twice in 50 years. Here’s why that matters when you’re choosing a floor.

Cleaning wood floors: FAQs