Maintenance Guidelines

hardwax-Oil Finished Floors

CARE & MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES

UV cured Hardwax-Oil protects your beautiful new hardwood floor with a strong finish for long lasting use and durability.

PReventative maintenance 

You may protect your floor by taking the following precautions:

  • Always protect floors from direct exposure of sunlight that can cause the wood or stain to change colors. Warranties do not cover damage from UV exposure.

  • Recommended humidity levels are between 35% R.H.- 55% R.H.

  • Protect floors during construction and when moving heavy objects to prevent permanent scratches and tears. The use of Ram board or equivalent and heavy cardboard are examples of protective barriers.

  • Use appropriate wide floor protectors under tables, chairs, and any other heavy home furnishing to avoid permanent damage. As a rule, the heavier the object, the wider the floor protector.

  • Walk-off mats should be used at all entrances to absorb soil and moisture. The use of appropriate mats will help avoid scratches and damages to the floor. If mats are placed directly on top of the hardwood floors, use proper indoor mats. Mats that can trap moisture underneath have potential to cause possible discoloration. Latex and rubber backings should not be used.

  • Area rugs are recommended in high traffic and pivot areas. Avoid shoes with spiked or damaged heels. Also keep pets’ paws and nails cleaned and trimmed.

  • Steam Mops/Cleaners should not be used. 

  • Do not use household cleaning products as these may damage your finish. 

  • DO NOT use any tape (including Blue Tape) on the flooring surface or attach covering material to the floor.

post construction / iNSTALLATION  

  • After the floor installation is completed, vacuum the floor thoroughly, and then damp mop the floor using a cleaner compatible with UV cured Hardwax-Oil finish (i.e. WOCA Wash and Care). 

  • Allow the floor to dry thoroughly before covering. 

  • To protect the floor after installation or during construction, use only heavy paper or cardboard.  NEVER use plastic, which does not allow the floor to breathe.

  • DO NOT use any tape (including Blue Tape) on the flooring surface or attach covering material to the floor. 

routine maintenance

VACUUM AND/OR MOP

  • Remove dust and lint with a soft brush vacuum cleaner and/or a standard Terry Cloth mop.

REGULAR, ROUTINE CLEANING & MAINTENANCE WITH WOCA SOAP:

WOCA Natural Soap is designed to clean and protect oil finished surfaces from dirt, stains and wear and tear. WOCA Natural Soap cleans and leaves behind an invisible layer of soy and coconut fats, which greatly help to ward off most anything. In fact, when used on a regular basis, WOCA Natural Soap increasingly makes your oil finished wood floor more dirt and wear resistant and easier to keep clean.
 
Follow these simple steps: 

  1. Daily cleaning is done with vacuum cleaner or by sweeping. The frequency of floor cleaning depends on the wear on the floor.

  2. Natural Soap is shaken carefully before use.

  3. Mix 3 ounces of Soap into each gallon of lukewarm water.  It is recommended always to work with 2 buckets; one with the Soap solution and the other one with rinse water.  Clean the floor with minimum quantity of water – leave soap water on floor briefly in order to dissolve dirt. Remove dirty soap water with hard-wrung cotton mop or cotton cloth and rinse out in rinse water bucket. Change rinse water often!

  4. Always wipe floor with soap water on hard-wrung mop or cloth in order to re-establish the protective Natural Soap film.

  5. Using the 2-bucket cleaning method is effective and yields an extremely clean surface. It is, however, also possible to use a flat mop system in combination with WOCA Soap Spray, provided that any micro fiber pad is replaced with a cotton pad. 

NOTE: DO NOT use microfiber as this will gradually wear down most wood floor finishes.
 
TIP: If a haze is visible after the soap treatment, put a cotton cloth under a dust mop and quickly polish away the haze.

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE WITH WOCA OIL REFRESHER (generally 1-4 times a year)

WOCA Oil Refresher, available in Natural and White, is used for periodic cleaning and maintenance of oiled wood floors. Oil Refresher combines efficient cleaning with oil rejuvenation, as additional oil penetrates the wood and forms a protective layer in the surface.
 
Work Instructions:

  1. Shake the bottle well before and during use.

  2. The floor must be free of dust before treatment.

  3. Mix Oil Refresher with lukewarm water in a ratio of 1:40 (3 oz. Refresher per gallon of water).

        Mixing ratios can vary depending on wear and requirement.
        We recommend using two buckets, one with Oil Refresher solution, and the other with clean rinse water.

  4. Mop a small section of floor with a lightly wrung cotton mop along the wood grain. Immediately afterwards, dip mop into Oil Refresher solution, wring it hard and mop the area, again along the grain. Change rinse water often!

  5. Leave the floor to dry for approx. 2 hours before use.

  6. For slightly higher sheen, polish the dry floor with a white pad.

  7. It is possible to use WOCA Oil Refresher Spray with a flat mop system, provided that any micro fiber pad is replaced with a cotton pad.

NOTE: DO NOT use microfiber as this will gradually wear down most wood floor finishes.
 
TIP: If a haze is visible  after the Oil Refresher  treatment, put a damp  cotton cloth  underneath floater  pad using  a 175 rpm floor machine and polish  it off, or mop  the floor with  water  only.

REJUVENATION WITH WOCA MAINTENANCE OIL (as needed) 

WOCA Maintenance Oil may be used for the maintenance of all oiled wood surfaces and is especially suitable for regular maintenance of oiled wood floors. Maintenance Oil is available in several colors. Product, room and floor temperature should be at least 59 degrees. Ensure good ventilation during application and drying time.
 
Work Instructions:

  1. Wash floor with WOCA Wood Cleaner using 3 ounces per gallon of lukewarm water.  Let the floor dry completely.

  2. Shake oil container well before and during use. 

  3. Apply approx. 1-2 ounces per 40-50 sq. ft. onto the floor and polish oil by hand or with floor machine. 

  4. It is important that the Maintenance Oil is carefully polished into the wood. Continue polishing until the wood appears saturated and the surface looks uniform.

  5. Polish off all excess oil from floor using cotton cloths under the pad before proceeding with the next section of floor to be finished. Hand wipes all edges and corners. The floor should not appear wet and no excess oil should be left on the surface.

  6. When using a floor machine the oil will be pre-hardened after approx. 4 hours and may be cautiously taken into use. Manually polish floors after 24 hours. 

  7. Do not expose floor or woodwork to water during hardening time of 24 hours.

  8. After 3-5 days the floor may be treated with WOCA Soap to provide additional protection against wear and tear.

TIP: For fastest drying time, leave windows slightly open to ensure a steady flow of fresh oxygen.
 
WARNING: Rags, pads or waste soaked with WOCA oil may self-ignite if improperly discarded. Immediately after use, place all rags and waste in a sealed, water filled bucket for proper disposal.

For additional questions not covered by these instructions, contact Shaw Technical Support at 800-471-7429.

Revision: 08152025