Your home contains more woodwork than you might imagine. It’s used in the big structural elements such as roof trusses, joists and partition walls as well as in staircases and floorboards. Wood is also used in the smaller elements such as worktops, architraves, skirting boards and window ledges.
As wood looks good and lasts a long time, it’s not really surprising that your home contains so much of it. But to keep it in good condition there are a few things you need to do. So, let’s take a close look at how to clean and maintain the woodwork around your home’s interior.
Keep it clean
Cleaning wood in the right way will help to keep it in good condition. This is especially true with wooden flooring, as dirt can cause scratches and become ingrained, dulling the wood. Once a floor gets into this condition, it’s hard to bring back to life without sanding it.
It’s essential to regularly sweep wood floors with a soft brush. It’s should also be fine to mop a wooden floor, but ideally you should use a microfibre mop, minimal water and no harsh chemicals. Going over it with a dry mop or cloth afterwards will bring back its shine and prevent water damage.
Wooden worktops also need careful cleaning. Wiping the surface over after cooking using a cloth dampened with warm water and mild detergent should do away with the need for scrubbing.
Stairs, architraves and skirting boards are usually painted or varnished. This not only protects them, but also makes them easier to clean. Glossed woodwork can be cleaned quite happily with cream cleaner or sugar soap to remove heavy dirt and grease, but satin and wipeable paints will need a bit more care. You can dust these surfaces over with a dry or lightly-dampened cloth or run your vacuum’s crevice tools along them.
Make sure it’s maintained
Cleaning alone won’t stop your wood from getting dirty, stained or damaged. You also need to carry out regular maintenance to keep your woodwork in tip-top condition.
When woodwork needs to stand up to heavy use, it typically has a protective coat of wax, oil or varnish. This helps it to repel both water and dirt. However, this needs isn’t permanent and needs reapplying from time to time.
Worktops commonly need oiling between two and four times a year, depending on the wood and product you’re using. Meanwhile a wooden floor may only need reoiling every three to four years. Although varnish tends to be a lot more durable, you’ll still find this needs redoing every five to ten years and does need sanding before the varnish can be reapplied. The same is true of chipped and scratched paintwork. You’ll need to sand lightly over the damaged area before you can repaint it.
Although maintaining your woodwork may seem like a lot of effort, it will keep it in good condition, so it lasts for many years.
Stop damp and rot
To keep any woodwork in good condition, you need to stop water from penetrating it. Sealing wood with oil, varnish and paint does protect the surface but it can’t stop all moisture from reaching it. High moisture levels, ongoing leaks and water ingress can all damage your woodwork, causing it to swell, warp and eventually rot.
So, it’s important to keep on top of your wider home maintenance tasks. If you spot a damp patch and don’t know what’s causing it, then get in touch with a builder or damp expert to get the problem fixed before it leads to permanent damage.
Watch out for pests
Alongside dirt and moisture, pests are a common cause of woodwork damage. Woodworm is one of the most common pests. Woodworm is the larvae of wood-boring beetles and these little critters can munch their way through the inside of your woodwork until they’re ready to emerge as adults. It’s the holes they leave behind that are the telltale sign of a problem.
So, you should keep an eye out for this type of pest, to safeguard your woodwork. One of the best ways to prevent them taking up residence is to tackle high moisture levels in your home, as they do prefer damp and decaying timber.
Quick tips for replacing woodwork
Despite your best efforts, sometimes woodwork does need replacing. So, let’s finish with a few nifty tips that can take the pain out of the process.
When decorative elements need replacing, going for MDF instead of wood reduces your overall skirting and architrave cost. But this does limit you to a painted finish. If you’re going for a DIY replacement, you may find a simple bullnose or chamfered style is easier to cut and fit.
Wood flooring often needs a bit of time to acclimatise. So, it’s wise to store your planks in the room they’re going to be installed in for a few days before you fit them.
If you’re joining two sections of wooden worktop together, seal the ends before you fit them together. This will ensure they’re properly protected.
Luciana joined our team as a mum blogger in 2020. A dedicated mum to a lively daughter and a dog, Luna, Luciana brings authenticity and passion to every post. Her expertise in parenting and lifestyle topics offers practical, relatable advice for real-life situations.