Oiled timber floor maintenance
An oiled floor is fed, not sealed, so looking after it is two easy jobs on different rhythms: clean it gently day to day, and top up the oil now and then. Here is how to keep an oiled timber floor looking matte and even.
Clean an oiled floor with a pH-neutral wood-floor cleaner and a well-wrung mop, and every so often top up the busy areas with maintenance oil rather than recoating the whole floor. Skip steam mops, vinegar and harsh cleaners.
The top-up oil for an oiled floor: FirstFloor Maintenance Oil Matt →
Everyday cleaning
Sweep or vacuum to lift grit, then damp-mop with a pH-neutral wood-floor cleaner and a well-wrung mop so the boards are barely damp. Our own FirstFloor Wood Floor Cleaner Concentrate suits oiled floors, and one 1L bottle makes up to 40 litres of cleaning solution, so it lasts a long time. Keep the water to a minimum and let the floor dry.
FirstFloor // Wood Floor Cleaner
Our own concentrate, suitable for oiled floors. One 1L bottle makes up to 40 litres.
Top up the oil
Over time the busy areas of an oiled floor start to look dry or patchy. That is the cue to top up with maintenance oil rather than recoating the whole floor. Clean the floor first, let it dry, then apply the oil thinly and evenly and let it cure. It refreshes the surface and evens out the matte look.
FirstFloor Maintenance Oil Matt for Wood Floors
Feeds the surface and evens out the matt look on an oiled floor.
The yearly refresh
Most homes top up the high-traffic areas once or twice a year, and give the whole floor a professional re-oil far less often, depending on wear and traffic. Little and often in the busy spots beats leaving it until the whole floor looks tired.
What to avoid on an oiled floor
Skip steam mops, which force heat and moisture into the timber. Skip vinegar and harsh, high-alkaline or abrasive cleaners, which can strip the oil and dull the surface. And do not let water pool, wring the mop out and wipe up spills as they happen.
Common questions
How often does an oiled floor need re-oiling?
Top up the busy areas once or twice a year, and re-oil the whole floor much less often, depending on wear. Watch the traffic lanes, they will tell you when it is due.
Can I re-oil the floor myself?
Yes. Maintenance oil is made as a top-up you can do at home. Clean the floor, let it dry, apply the oil thinly and evenly, and let it cure. It is a refresh, not a full sand-and-recoat.
What cleaner is safe for an oiled floor?
A pH-neutral wood-floor cleaner, used with a well-wrung mop. Avoid vinegar, steam and harsh cleaners, which can lift the oil.
My oiled floor looks dry in the hallway. What do I do?
That is the classic sign it is time to top up the oil in that area. Clean it, let it dry, and apply maintenance oil to the worn strip rather than the whole floor.
Keep your oiled floor matt and even
Shop the range for an oiled floor, or ask us what it needs.
