CARE & MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES

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Thank you for bringing Bentham Plank Fine Engineered Hardwood Flooring into your home. To maximize the quality and performance of our flooring product, please follow the care & maintenance instructions below, which can help you and your family enjoy the longevity and elegance of the floor. For installation instructions or more information, please refer to our Installation guides, articles, and FAQ. 

 

UV-OIL FINISH

Our UV-Oil finish is made from pure oil along with other environmentally friendly additives, making the cured hardwood top layer easy to maintain while looking and feeling natural. While this finish does require additional maintenance, the process is much simpler than you might think. 

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DAILY CLEANING 

For regular upkeep of your beautiful wood flooring, a simple dry sweeping or vacuuming should be the first step. If using a vacuum without a suction-only floor attachment, the beater bar/brush MUST be turned off to avoid scratching or damaging the floor. A Roomba/iRobot is acceptable to clean a wood floor, as long as it’s set up correctly. NEVER steam clean a wood floor. 

Immediately after installation and for regular cleaning, mop with WOCA Soap. The concentrate mixed with water not only cleans but also helps keep the floor nourished and protected from everyday wear and tear. 

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WEEKLY/BIWEEKLY CLEANING 

Using WOCA soap to clean oil-finished floors frequently(up to once per week) can make the oil protection last longer, and also can help prevent floor staining and water spotting. 

• It’s best to start the cleaning process with a cotton mop, and please avoid using a microfiber mop. 

• Prepare one bucket for soap solution and another bucket for clean, warm water. The water will remove dirt from the mop before re-soaking it in the cleaning solution, evening out the oil for a streak-free finish.

• To avoid floor stains, please NEVER let the soap solution dry on the floor surface by itself. 

• Please soak and rinse the mop in clean, cleared, warm water frequently before use, and please change the rinse bucket multiple times to make sure the solution is clean enough for use.

• To avoid excess moisture, NEVER use a wet mop to clean the floor, moisture can cause inevitable damage to the floor, and also NEVER let the diluted concentration spread on the floor directly on the surface.

• After cleaning, please allow the floor to dry for at least one hour before applying foot traffic, furniture, and other floor coverings. 

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MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR

• To fix a scratch, simply wipe on WOCA oil, wait 2-3 minutes, then wipe off. 

• For convenient spot cleaning, use WOCA Soap & Spray. These are pre-mixed with water for immediate, convenient use. 

• For more difficult stains, use WOCA Spot Remover. 

  • If a mop or rag with remover does not lift the spot, try scrubbing gently with a 3M 4100 Super Polish White Pad. 

• 2-4 times a year, depending on traffic, clean with WOCA Oil Refresher. This will introduce a small amount of oil to freshen the finish and extend the time before a re-oiling becomes necessary. 

  • If water is not beading on the floor or the floor seems to scuff easily, these are signs that a more frequent Oil Refresher is needed. If the finish is getting hazy, you may be using the Refresher too frequently. Reduce the frequency and use Soap instead. 

• Light scratches are best repaired by hand rubbing WOCA Master Floor Oil Natural, WOCA Master Floor Oil White, or a Woca Master Color Oil on the affected area using a cloth. If necessary, first clean the area to be repaired with WOCA Wood Cleaner. Be sure the area is dry before applying oil. Leave the oil to absorb for a short period before thoroughly buffing and removing the oil from the surrounding area. 

• Sweep or vacuum the floor frequently. Oil finishes usually soak into the wood, protecting it from within rather than forming a barrier on the top layer of the plank, thus the natural wood texture feels more significant at the surface. Debris and dirt pieces left on the floor can be pinched or carved into the grain by foot traffic and make it more difficult to remove over time. This is the main cause of the deterioration of oil-finished flooring. 

• If the floor begins to look worn or appears to be losing stain resistance, it may be time to re-oil the floor. Depending on foot traffic, it is recommended to re-oil every 6-12 months. Re-oiling requires a thorough cleaning with Woca Wood Cleaner followed by applying the appropriate colored Master Oil or Color Oil. 

  • Re-oiling is best done by an NWFA professional using a buffer. (nwfa.org)

• These Care & Maintenance Guidelines must be followed for the UV-Oil Finish Warranty section of the BENTHAM PLANK PRODUCT WARRANTY to be applied in the event of an issued claim. 

  • Therefore we DO NOT recommend and will not warranty for: 

    • The use of ammonia, vinegar, petroleum-based cleaners, wax, polish, household dust treatment chemicals, abrasive cleaners, scrubbing pads, furniture cleaners, steam mops, or any other non-WOCA brand product to clean your oil-finished floor. 

    • Mopping the floor with only water. Always use WOCA Soap or Oil Refresher. 

    • Overuse of WOCA Wood Cleaner or similar cleaning products. It is an aggressive cleaner that strips some of the oil from the floor and is not intended for use in regular cleaning. Do not use WOCA Wood Cleaner unless you are preparing the floor for a new coat of oil. 

 

UV-LACQUER FINISH

Our UV-Lacquer finish is a durable film that sits on top of the hardwood layer and is then cured by high-energy UV rays. In contrast to UV-Oil, it does not penetrate the wood itself and instead bonds to the surface. While being more wear-resistant, scratches can be more noticeable than on an oiled surface. 

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DAILY CLEANING 

For regular upkeep of your beautiful floor, a simple dry sweeping or vacuuming is the first step. If using a vacuum without a suction-only floor attachment, the beater bar/brush MUST be turned off to avoid scratching or damaging the floor. A Roomba/iRobot is acceptable to clean a wood floor, as long as it’s set up correctly. To avoid excess moisture, NEVER use a wet mop to clean the floor, moisture can cause inevitable damage to the floor. NEVER steam clean a wood floor. 

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WEEKLY/BIWEEKLY CLEANING 

We recommend using a Bona Hardwood Floor cleaning product or a similar, no-rinse hardwood cleaner for UV-lacquer finished flooring. Please make sure the cleaning product you choose is specifically formulated for unwaxed, polyurethane, or UV-lacquer finished floors. 

For UV-Lacquer finished flooring planks, avoid using cleaning products such as oil soaps, liquid/paste wax products, or any cleaner containing lemon oil, tung oil, silicone, or ammonia, because these cleaning products will damage the flooring and void this warranty.

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MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR 

To minimize flooring damages caused by inevitable daily-life activities, we highly recommend using Minwax Repair and Maintenance products, or Tibet Almond Stick products. Follow the directions and guides on your selected repairing product.

• A quality untreated dust mop is one of the most important items for regular maintenance since built-up grit can scratch and damage the surface of the wood.   Dry dust frequently to capture and remove dust. Never use a wet mop to clean the floor, and never apply water directly on the floor. 

• An alternate method is to use a Vacuum with suction only - Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar head unless you can turn the beater bar off.

• NEVER use steel wool, abrasive pads, cleaners, or detergents on a lacquer finish. Wipe up spills as quickly as possible. 

• NEVER Steam clean a wood floor.

• Grease, tar, lipstick, and crayon can normally be removed with a damp cloth with mineral spirits. Test on a leftover piece of flooring or in an inconspicuous corner first.

• To minimize scratches and dents by placing protective felt or other pads beneath all furniture, chairs, or anything that may make contact with the floor, please use 1” wide or greater soft rubber or urethane casters/rollers when moving furniture across the floor, and always avoid using hard plastic or ball-type casters.

• Please use transition rugs or mats at all exterior doorways. When rugs or door mats get wet or moisture, please shake off the dirt and debris, clean them thoroughly, then dry them completely.

• Be certain when using non-skid or other cushions they are appropriate for wood flooring. We do not recommend rubber-backed mats. 

• Please use a dolly and protective sheets of plywood when moving objects, furniture, or other appliances across the floor. 

• Always keep pets’ nails trimmed to minimize scratches and indentations.

• Sunlight and UV rays exposures will accelerate the aging of wood, paint, and fabrics. You can move and rearrange your rugs, mats, and furniture more frequently to minimize this natural characteristic appearing on your wood floor. On newly installed flooring, we recommend not to place any floor covering for the first 2 months to minimize initial and ongoing color change.

• Expect some seasonal changes with a hardwood floor. To minimize this natural characteristic, please maintain the recommended range of humidity and temperature as suggested by the National Wood Flooring Association nwfa.org

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