Timber floor cleaning and care: the NZ guide
A timber floor keeps its looks when the care matches its finish. Here’s the plain routine for cleaning and looking after oiled and lacquered floors in a New Zealand home.
For everyday cleaning on a timber floor, use a pH-neutral wood-floor cleaner and a well-wrung mop. Skip vinegar, steam mops and anything high-alkaline. For an oiled floor, top up with maintenance oil now and then; for a lacquered floor, use a refresher between recoats.
The cleaner we'd reach for: FirstFloor Wood Floor Cleaner Concentrate →
Your everyday cleaning routine
Day to day, a timber floor needs very little. Sweep or vacuum to lift grit, since grit is what scratches a finish. When it needs more than that, damp-mop with a pH-neutral wood-floor cleaner and a well-wrung mop, so the boards are barely damp and dry quickly. That routine suits both oiled and lacquered floors.
FirstFloor // Wood Floor Cleaner
Our own concentrate, suitable for lacquered and oiled finishes.
If your floor is oiled
An oiled floor is fed, not sealed. The oil soaks into the timber and gives that soft, matte, natural feel. Clean it with an oiled-floor cleaner, and every so often, when the busy areas start to look dry or patchy, top it up with maintenance oil rather than recoating the whole floor. Most homes re-oil high-traffic areas once or twice a year.
FirstFloor Maintenance Oil Matt for Wood Floors
Restores the natural matte look.
If your floor is lacquered
A lacquered floor has a clear sealed coat over the timber, so you clean it rather than oil it. Use a pH-neutral wood-floor cleaner and a barely-damp mop. When the walked-on areas start to look dull, a refresher brings back the sheen and buys time before a professional recoat.
GrainGuard Lacquered Floor Protection (Mat)
A protective maintenance coat for high-traffic areas.
What to avoid on a timber floor
A few things do more harm than good. Skip vinegar and other acidic cleaners, which can dull a finish over time. Skip steam mops, which force heat and moisture into the boards. Skip harsh, high-alkaline or abrasive cleaners, and don’t let water pool. Felt pads under furniture and a doormat at the door do more for a floor than any product.
Common questions
Is vinegar safe on wooden floors?
We'd avoid it. Vinegar is acidic and repeated use can dull an oiled or lacquered surface over time. A pH-neutral wood-floor cleaner is the safer everyday option.
Can I use a steam mop on a timber floor?
Not one we'd recommend on timber. Steam forces heat and moisture into the boards and can damage the finish and the wood. A barely-damp microfibre mop does the job without the risk.
Can I use the same cleaner on oiled and lacquered floors?
Yes. A neutral wood-floor cleaner suits both. The difference is the extra step: oiled floors get topped up with maintenance oil, lacquered floors get a refresher between recoats.
How often should I clean a wooden floor?
A quick sweep or vacuum a couple of times a week, and a damp mop with a neutral cleaner when it needs it. Oiled floors also want a maintenance-oil top-up in the busy areas once or twice a year.
Match the cleaner to your finish
Shop the range, or ask us which cleaner suits your floor.
