Cleaning is the least involved thing you can do for a tired-looking wood floor, which is why it helps to know what you’re comparing it with before you ask what it costs.
The Comparison That Matters
Before looking at any number, it’s worth knowing what the alternatives involve.
Professional cleaning removes buildup and grit from the existing finish. Brooke’s Chem-Dry cleans wood floors, then applies a polish or protective layer.
Recoating means a fresh layer of finish over the existing one.
Full refinishing means sanding to bare wood and building the finish back up. It’s the biggest job of the three, and it means moving furniture out and living with dust.
Those are three different problems with three different answers, and it’s worth establishing which one you have before you spend anything. Our article on cleaning versus refinishing has a simple water test that helps.
What Moves the Price
- Square footage. The main driver.
- How much buildup there is. Years of mop-and-shine product takes more work than a floor cleaned properly all along.
- Furniture. An empty room is faster than one we work around.
- The finish type. Polyurethane, wax and oil-finished floors need different handling. Wax in particular is not treated like the others.
- Engineered vs solid. Both are sensitive to standing water.
More Than One Room
List every room you’re thinking about when you call, so the estimate covers the whole job.
Why Low Moisture Isn’t Optional on Wood
Water is what damages wood floors. It gets into the seams between boards, into the subfloor, and wood swells when it absorbs moisture and shrinks when it dries. Do that repeatedly and boards cup, gap or lift, and that damage is a refinishing problem rather than a cleaning one.
This is why a wet mop is bad for hardwood even though it feels like cleaning.
What Cleaning Is Aimed At
Cleaning is aimed at the buildup and grit that collect in the grain and in the bevels between boards. After cleaning, a polish or protective layer is applied.
Measure the Rooms
Do the water test first, then call (785) 760-8000 for a free estimate. Or see wood floor cleaning in Lawrence, KS.
You may also want to read does my wood floor need cleaning or refinishing?, or how often should hardwood floors be cleaned?
