Prevention -- the biggest factor in floor life
Put a good quality mat both inside and outside every external door. Make them as big as possible -- they need to catch both grit and moisture. Grit tracked across the floor is what grinds through the finish.
Take your shoes off where possible. This cuts down on the dirt brought inside and removes the impact risk from stilettos. In heavily trafficked areas like entrance halls and kitchens, consider mats to reduce surface wear. Any rugs on the floor should be permeable -- the floor needs to breathe.
Bona finishes provide a sealed surface resistant to wear, scuffing and spillage, but no surface-applied finish system can prevent physical damage to the timber or make the floor harder. Dents and scratches from furniture, dropped items and dog claws are about the timber species, not the coating. Take steps to reduce the risk.
Felt protective feet on all furniture legs and bases. Keep pet claws trimmed. Both of these make a real difference.
Regular cleaning -- dry first, then Bona Cleaner
Clean the floor regularly with dry methods -- the Bona Spray Mop with a Bona Dusting Pad, a soft broom, or a vacuum with a soft brush attachment. Getting the surface grit off before it gets ground in is the single most useful thing you can do.
Do not wet mop a timber floor. Too much cleaner or water can swell the boards, lift edges, leave the surface uneven, and cause cleaning product residue that shows as a hazy film.
To remove water-soluble dirt, use Bona Wood Floor Cleaner. Dry clean the floor first to remove surface grit. Spray the surface sparingly with Wood Floor Cleaner and clean with the Bona Microfibre Cleaning Pad, working along the boards where possible.
Rinse the Cleaning Pads regularly in clean water during use and replace when dirty. Rinse or replace after every 10-15 m2 cleaned.
Bona Cleaning Pads can be washed at 60 degrees in a washing machine. They last about 500 washes. Do not use fabric conditioner -- it affects their performance.
Avoid household cleaners and polishes on the floor. They can damage the finish and make future overcoating harder because of contamination left on the surface.
Deep cleaning with hydrogen peroxide formula
Over time, regular cleaning will not remove everything. Some spills and built-up material need more power. When this happens, use Bona Wood Floor Deep Cleaner with the Bona Deep Clean Pad.
Bona Deep Cleaner is based on a hydrogen peroxide formula. The oxygenated formula creates micro cleaning bubbles that loosen the dirt, deep clean the surface, and lift away residues. According to the CDC in the USA, hydrogen peroxide is a stable and effective disinfectant against a wide variety of microorganisms including bacteria and viruses when used on hard, non-porous surfaces.
Remove dust from the floor first, then mop in the normal way. Spray an area with Bona Deep Cleaner, let it work for a minute, then wipe the surface with the Deep Clean Pad.
Bona Refresher -- evening out the sheen
If an area of the floor starts looking dull compared to the rest, consider Bona Refresher. It restores an even sheen to the surface while adding protection against future traffic. Floors maintained with Refresher can be refurbished later without having to sand back to bare timber.
Domestic staircases have a specific slip resistance requirement -- do not use Bona Refresher on stair treads.
Thoroughly clean the floor with Bona Wood Floor Cleaner first and let it dry. Any dirt left on the surface will be trapped under the Refresher and stay visible. Apply an even coat of Refresher with the Bona Applicator Pad on the Bona Mop, working along the boards.
After 2 hours the floor can take light traffic. Wait 24 hours before putting rugs and furniture back. Treat the whole floor, not just small areas.
The sheen level may increase with repeated use of Refresher on low-sheen floors. Refresher should not be used on Bona Traffic HD Anti Slip, Traffic HD Raw, or other matt/extra matt finishes.
Refurbishment -- recoat before you need a full sand
Regular maintenance extends the time before refurbishment is needed. Most refurbishment is driven by appearance issues -- scratches, dents, wear paths -- rather than the finish physically failing. These can be controlled with preventative measures but over time the surface will deteriorate.
The goal is to apply an additional coat of Bona finish before the floor is damaged to the point where a complete refinish is needed. Refurbishment usually involves thoroughly cleaning the surface, preparing it according to Bona's overcoating instructions, and applying a coat of the appropriate finish. A full sand back to bare timber is the last resort, not the first option.