In order to care for your Istoria floor and to keep it looking its best, we recommend using the correct cleaning and maintenance products.FurnitureTo avoid scratching your floor, put felt pads under chair and table legs and avoid dragging furniture across the surface. Ensure any desk chairs are fitted with rubber wheels rather than plastic ones which can mark the floor.CoveringIf you need to cover your floor to protect it from scrapes and knocks during construction work, it is important to use the correct products in order to allow your floor to breathe whilst it is covered. Correx boards are lightweight corrugate plastic sheets widely used as temporary floor protection. Building paper such as Buffalo paper must be placed between the wood and the Correx. If Correx is placed directly onto the floor it will cause the wood to sweat, which will wear away the floor seal and cause the wood to become porous and mark easily. The Correx itself may also leave marks on the timber. If this happens in most cases the floor will need to be sanded and refinished.CleaningMix the specified natural soap solution with warm water as instructed by the manufacturers. Ensure you are using the correct colour soap to match your floor. Apply the cleaning solution onto the wood floor using a cloth or mop, then rinse the dirty cloth or mop in clean water and repeat. Make sure the cloth or mop is wrung out well so that you are not soaking your floor with water, as this may cause the wood to lose its protective coating. A floor normally requires cleaning approximately once a month, but this can be done more or less regularly depending on your individual needs.Maintenance OilIstoria oiled floors should be given a coat of maintenance oil once a year in order to keep the wood nourished and moisturised and to enhance the protective coating. This will also help remove any minor scratches and marks on the floor. Applying the maintenance oil is a simple process which you can do yourself. There are different colours available for different coloured floors so please ask for advice when purchasing maintenance oil.Before applying the oil you should vacuum and mop your floor to avoid trapping any dirt under the new oil, then let it dry. Apply a very thin layer of maintenance oil using a cloth, brush, roller or a specialised buffing machine and wipe off any excess oil with a clean lint free cloth to ensure an even finish. The standard drying time is ±4 hours depending on moisture levels and ambient temperature. Do not wash the floor with water during this period. Used cloths need to be put into water after use as they can potentially self-ignite.