Bamboo flooring is an alternative type of hardwood flooring that possesses a number of distinctive characteristics, including a high degree of water and rot resistance when compared to other types of hardwood. However, just like all types of flooring, bamboo needs to be cleaned properly in order for it to maintain its natural aesthetic without becoming marred over time.

Regular Cleaning

The best way to maintain a bamboo floor's appearance is to clean it regularly, before dirt and other debris can actually get ground into the surface of your floor where they can cause staining and discoloration. This can take the form of regular sweeping and vacuuming, but make sure that you are using soft bristled attachments so as to not scratch the finished surface of the bamboo. Additionally, for old, stuck on dirt, you can make use of a damp mop to help remove it from your bamboo floor, but take care to not apply too much water: while bamboo is more water resistant than other types of wood, it is not waterproof, and can still be damaged due to excessive water exposure.

Avoid Chemical Cleaners

You should stay away from most commercial chemical cleaners, especially if they are designed to be all-purpose. The highly acidic or abrasive nature of these cleaners can cause the finish of your bamboo floors to be completely scarred, ruining the entire aesthetic of your bamboo floors. Be selective about your floor cleaning solution so you don't damage the floors.

Reduce Sunlight Exposure

One of the most important things that you can do to ensure that your bamboo floor stays looking just like it did when it was initially installed is to limit the overall amount of sunlight that it receives. This is because, like all other types of hardwood, UV exposure can cause the color to bleach out of your floor. In order to prevent this from happening, you may want to install window films, blinds or curtains on your windows so that you can control the overall amount of UV exposure that your bamboo floors receive.

Keep Furniture and Pets in Check

In order to prevent scratching and cutting up your bamboo floor's surface, you should install felt tips onto furniture legs and replace the wheels on rolling chairs and tables with rubber wheels or casters. These do not exert as much surface onto your bamboo floor, and won't mar it over time. In a similar vein, you should ensure that you constantly keep your pet's nails trimmed to a short length, as constant running over bamboo floors can slowly sand them down over time.