| TrueWood: Maintenance Instructions |
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MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS LEVEL 1: MAINTENANCE ADVICE FOR AN OILED TrueWood Your TrueWood needs to be looked after and protected properly. With suitable and regular treatment it is possible to extend the life of the finish. Keep the floor dust- and sand-free using a vacuum cleaner, a soft broom or a sweeper. Use a good quality doormat. Dirt is the main reason for the wear and tear of wooden floors, and by putting a mat outside you will prevent dirt and sand scratching the finish. Fit all your furniture with felt pads to prevent unnecessary scratching. Do not slide heavy furniture to move it, lift it instead. In the event of water or other liquid spills, dry the floor immediately. Coffee, red wine and ketchup must be wiped off straightaway, because they will stain. For stubborn stains, please ask your retailer for advice. It is only necessary to thoroughly clean the floor by hand when it is very dirty. Never use too much water, since this may cause the wood to expand/swell and get damaged. LEVEL 1: MAINTENANCE ADVICE FOR AN OILED TrueWood Your TrueWood was finished with Master Oil during manufacturing. This oil emphasizes the natural character of the wood and improves its resistance against wear, dirt, and moisture. It is essential to treat your floor with an extra layer of treatment oil immediately after delivery. For this, your floor must be clean and dust-free, although it is important that you do not clean the floor with an intensive cleansing agent. OILING METHOD WARNING! The temperature must be between 16°C and 20°C. Put some treatment oil on the floor and evenly distribute it across the floor with a polishing disc, a squeegee or a lint-free cotton cloth*. Leave to penetrate for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat the treatment if the entire floor area has not been saturated. Remove any surplus oil from the surface with a floor cloth or a lint-free cotton cloth. * To avoid applying too much oil in one go, we recommend using a plant spray to apply the oil. Wait for about an hour, and polish the floor by hand, or, for better results, with a polishing machine (150 rotations per minute) with a white or red disc. Corners and other difficult to reach areas can be finished by hand. Polish until the surface is dry. Ensure that during the last treatment polishing is done in the direction of the wood grain. WARNING! Risk of self-ignition. An oil-drenched cloth should be rinsed in water immediately and dried outside. Leave the floor to dry for 4-6 hours before you walk on it. The oil needs to harden for a further week, during which it is essential to be careful with sliding and heavy objects. After 1 week, the treated surface must be treated with TrueWood soap, which makes the floor dirt-repellent and protects the wood. If your floor is oiled in a natural colour, use a natural colour soap, if it has been oiled in white, use white soap (the method of application follows below). After this soap treatment, your TrueWood is ready for use. METHOD FOR APPLYING SOAP (See also back of bottle for more information) Vacuum or dry dust floor first. Mix TrueWood soap with hot water. Mixture ratio is 125 ml soap to 5 litres hot water. This is sufficient for a 25 to 30m2 surface. Always work with 2 buckets, 1 for the soap mixture, 1 with clean water for rinsing your floor cloth. Apply the soap solution using a floor cloth or mop. Only mop with a damp, not wet, mop or cloth. Never mop the floor afterwards with clean water, because this will remove the protecting soy and coconut oils. Leave to penetrate for a few minutes, then mop dry in the direction of the wood grain. MAINTENANCE To protect your TrueWood against dirt, you should regularly treat it with TrueWood soap. At the beginning, use the soap every week or every fortnight. Treat the floor in accordance to your own judgement or requirements, but never less than once a month. After each soap treatment, TrueWood will become less prone to dirt sticking to it and staining. PERIODIC MAINTENANCE If your floor is getting somewhat bare, you can perk it up by applying TrueWood treatment oil. For an oiled floor with a natural colour, use natural maintenance oil, for a white oiled floor use white treatment oil. If the floor is not used intensively (e.g. a bedroom), this should be done at least once every 2 years, and if a floor is used fairly intensively (e.g. living rooms, kitchens) this should be done about once a year. Before applying the oil, ensure the floor is completely clean and dust-free. To remove the remnants of the soap solution, you should clean the floor with TrueWood intensive cleanser. Then oil the floor as described in the Oiling Method. Do not wait with the treatment until the oil layer has been walked off or worn off. |
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