Daily Floor Care

This post originally appeared on the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA) website.

Six Steps for Proper Daily Maintenance:

• SWEEP THE FLOOR DAILY with a properly treated dust mop. If the floor is used heavily, sweep it up to three times per day.

• WIPE UP SPILLS and any moisture on the floor surface.

• MAKE SURE THE HEATING/VENTILATING/AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY and set to maintain indoor relative humidities between 35 percent and 50 percent year round. In areas of consistently high or low outside humidity, a 15 percent fluctuation will not adversely affect the maple.

• REMOVE HEEL MARKS using an approved floor cleaner applied with a soft cloth or a dust mop. Contact your floor finish manufacturer for approved cleaning products.

• INSPECT FLOOR FOR TIGHTENING OR SHRINKAGE. During wet weather, check for water leakage around doors and windows. Remove debris from expansion voids.

• ALWAYS PROTECT THE FLOOR when moving heavy portable equipment or lifts. Ensure portable equipment does NOT have crowned wheels or wheels that include center ridges remaining from the molding process. These types of wheels can create very significant point loads.

Never Do the Following:

• NEVER shut down the ventilation system in your facility for a prolonged period of time.

• NEVER clean your MFMA floor using scrubbing machinery or power scrubbers that use water. Water is your floor’s worst enemy!

• NEVER attempt to modify or repair your MFMA sports floor without first consulting your MFMA contractor.

• NEVER use household cleaning products or procedures. They can be harmful to the floor finish and to the wood and may leave floors sticky or slippery, and potentially harmful for athletes. Your MFMA finish manufacturer will recommend the proper cleaning and maintenance materials for your MFMA sports floor.

Wood is naturally porous and can absorb and release moisture. If the humidity in your facility rises, your wood floor will absorb that moisture, causing it to expand. If the humidity falls, your wood floor will release moisture, causing it to shrink. Many installations include expansion voids around the perimeter and around columns or floor inserts, plus expansion joints built into the floor surface. These features permit natural, normal expansion and contraction without damage to the floor. Too much moisture causes abnormal expansion, which can lead to cupping or buckling of your floor. In abnormally dry conditions the wood will contract, leaving separations between flooring strips.