Bona Freshen Up Review

Bona Freshen Up Review

You invested heavily in your wood floor, due its charm and durability. That natural elegance that the hardwood installations bring to the living and working space is unmatched, and there are numerous types of resultant effects that you can obtain. This is especially due to the different types of hardwood species available for flooring purposes, the wood stains that can alter hues, all through to the finish coats with their different gloss levels. At a structural level, the strength of the wood enables it to take a beating and keep on going, which is why it is a common choice for high traffic establishments. Attributes like the insulation properties where the wood minimises heat loss from the building add to its benefits. However, to continue enjoying the value that these installations bring to the premises, proper maintenance is needed. You don’t want to watch the loads of funds that you spent getting your preferred floor choice installed and treated going down the drain because of the floor getting dull and dilapidated. It has a direct impact on your quality of life, since the floor is one of the largest structures in the building, and its state has an effect on the rest of the surroundings. Proper maintenance involves everything from the routine vacuuming and cleaning, to the occasional revitalisation of the floor with units like the Bona Freshen Up, to the eventual sanding and refinishing when a new start is required. 

The Gradual Deterioration Of The Wood Floor

Why do wood floors lose their charm over time? Despite being one of the most durable flooring options, hardwood installations are still susceptible to the effects of life. Given that the floors handle traffic on a daily basis, there is bound to be a gradual loss of the appeal of the surface. Here is a look at some of the top causes of wear to the wood floors:

• Dirt and grit

Those dirt particles accumulating on the floor are more than just a health concern. From dust settling on the floor to substances like pet fur and dander – these slowly build up on the floor, especially when maintenance measures like vacuuming are not routinely carried out. As the particles accumulate, their abrasive potential increases, and when they are grinded against the floor under people’s shoes, they have a sandpaper-like effect on the surface. This wears down the existing coat, calling for treatments like the Bona Freshen Up to be used to revitalise it. 

• Foot traffic

As people walk up and about the premises, the friction between the soles of their shoes and the floor surface leads to gradual wear of the surface. You will notice that highly trafficked sections of the floor end up appearing more worn out compared to adjacent regions. Simply compare the corridors or sections in front of the chairs, to the floor surface under furniture. The traffic lanes on the frequently walked on areas are more pronounced, and they end up dragging down the decor of the premises. 

• Soiled shoes

The gunk and debris that is at the bottom of a shoe is an immediate threat to the existing finish coats. People walking into the household or business premises from the outdoors while bringing in soiling under their shoes leads to lots of tiny scratches being formed all over the floor. In fact, this is why it is insisted on one setting up mats at the entrance of the building, so as to reduce the amount of debris that gets transferred into the premises, and slow down the wear effects witnessed. In homes, one can go further to have a “No Shoe” policy, where household members are prevented from wearing shoes while indoors, instead switching to flip flops or sandals that are designated for wearing in the household. 

• Abrasive effects during cleaning

The wrong cleaning approach can be detrimental to your wood floor. Even the toughest installations will be affected when harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners are used for the task. For instance, agents like baking soda and tools like scrub pads that are used when scrubbing away the heavy dirt and stains that are on cooking utensils and BBQs will abrade the finish coats that have been applied onto the floor. The vinegar and water combination is another solution that is popular for cleaning stubborn spots on different surfaces around the household. However, when this same solution is used on the hardwood floors, it dulls the finish, eating away at that glossy surface and negatively affecting the ambience of the premises. Even simply using excess water is an issue, since the wood is hygroscopic, absorbing the excess water from the environment and increasing risks of wood rot. 

• Heavy appliances

That luxurious sofa out in the living room, the bookshelf that is a fountain of knowledge, to the stocked refrigerator in the kitchen – these apply consistent pressure onto the floor. For the heavy furniture in particular, there are minuscule movements that occur during their usage, and these add to the dents and scratches on the surface. Measures like using furniture glides, having area rugs, and lifting and carrying the items when moving them instead of dragging them across the floor help in protecting the hardwood from damage. 

• Young kids

With their train tracks set up on the floor, using the surface as a “road” for their toy car races, to the accidental spills as they eat and drink – there is a multitude of ways through which the activities of young children in the household pose a risk to the wood floors. Homes with toddlers are all too familiar with the high rate of messes that are formed. This, coupled with the scratches from the toys being used, contribute to the deterioration of the appeal of the wood floor, and in time there will be the need for maintenance measures to be carried out to revitalise the installation. 

Here is a look at the wax-free Bona Freshen Up, and how you can take advantage of it to maintain your wood floors. 

Benefits Of The Bona Freshen Up 

1. Developed for durability

The make-up of the Bona Freshen Up is tuned with durability being a priority. This polyurethane formulation has been developed to set a tough wear layer on the floor, one that is strong enough to handle the high traffic levels witnessed in busy homes and commercial establishments. 

2. High gloss

Are you frustrated by dull wood floors, which drag down the decor of the premises? With this formulation, you will be in a position to restore the lustre to the surface. A high gloss product, the Bona Freshen Up gives the dull surface a new shine, which spruces up the interior space. 

The Bona Freshen Up also makes subsequent maintenance tasks a breeze. You can apply professional finishes on it in future, without having to sand down the coats of the Bona Freshen Up that had been previously applied. 

3. Slip-resistance

While you want shiny and elegant floors, you don’t want people slipping and falling all over. Safety is also paramount when it comes to the Bona Freshen Up formulation. It sets the floor protection while also ensuring that those walking around have a sturdy grip. In fact, it has been thoroughly tested on this, meeting DIN 18032:2 standard on slip resistance.

4. High coverage rate

This is particularly beneficial in cutting down the amount of funds that goes into the floor maintenance process. With the 30-50 m²/litre coverage rate of the Bona Freshen Up, each bottle you purchase gets to be used on a wide surface area. Add this to the durability that comes with the polyurethane product, where the floor is able to withstand wear effects of day-to-day life, and you get prolonged usage that adds to the savings accrued over time. 

The Brand Renowned For Floor Care

Bona has been taking care of floors since 1919. The brand itself has a rich history, starting from its founder Wilhelm Edner. He initially sold coffee from his small grocery shop in Malmö, Sweden. One of the other products in his shop was bonvax, which was applied to wood floors to provide a protective coating, and deliver a polished effect. Edner saw the potential this had in the larger scale, and went ahead to incorporate the Bona AB company in 1919. 

In five years after incorporating the company, there were already floor polishes, waxing equipment, dry floor cleaners, mop oil and other kinds of floor care products being sold by the firm. Through the course of its life right into the 21st century, formulations from the brand have been used to cater to a wide range of installations, from homes and office spaces, indoor sports arenas and basketball courts, museums and airports, all through to public spaces that witness high levels of foot traffic. Professional floor care personnel to individual consumers all use the different tools and systems from the brand, and by 2016 it had already reached an annual revenue of EUR 234 million from its operations. The processes it uses in the company’s 5 factories have strict quality control standards, which also applies in the production of the Bona Freshen Up under review here. 

With the Bona Freshen Up, you’re also dealing with a company that is committed to environmental care. In fact, they are behind many innovative products that have been adopted to protect floors and enhance their beauty, while still being safe for the surrounding biodiversity. For instance, as far back as the 1970’s Bona was one of the companies to start the shift from removing hazardous chemical elements from hardwood floor finishes, shifting instead to water-based finishes that provided the required reliability and durability. Moreover, Bona was the first company to have a full system of water-based hardwood floor finishing products in its offering that was certified to be safe for indoor air quality. Contributions by the brand have also been seen in the adoption of dust containment systems that proved vital in removing carcinogenic dust generated during the floor sanding process. 

Over a century since its founding, Bona products are used around the world, and you can find different solutions and tools from suppliers and distributors in more than 90 countries. From its Swedish roots to its global appeal, the brand has become one of the most trusted in the floor care industry, and you get to leverage this when you turn to the Bona Freshen Up to maintain your installation.

Working With The Bona Freshen Up

The formulation has been developed to be ready-to-use. You don’t have to dilute it before application, which cuts down set-up time. Here is how to carry out the application:

1. Start by cleaning the floor. You don’t want dirt and grit getting trapped under the Bona Freshen Up, as this could affect the quality of the final result, as well as ruin the beauty of the floor. It is recommended that you use Bona Cleaner for this, and make sure that the cleaning is thorough. Allow the floor to dry before proceeding.
2. Shake the container a couple of times before opening it. This is to ensure any settled content has been well distributed within it. 
3. Apply the Bona Freshen Up onto the target area, using tools like the Microfibre applicator Pad from the same brand. (Note that the applicator pad should first be dampened with water to prepare it)

Spread out the product on the floor. You can work with wavy lines of 3-4cm. Dividing the room being treated into small sections that you can focus on at a time – such as 3m² – will enable you to work more and ensure that you’ve got the desired results. 

Proceed to work on the whole area, applying a thin and consistent coat. 

4. Smoothen out the Bona Freshen Up. This should be done following the direction of the wood grain. 

Carry this out until the whole floor is covered, then seal off the area for at least 2 hours to allow the coated floor to dry. 

• If needed, a second coat of the Bona Freshen Up can be applied – but only after the 2 hours waiting time has passed. 
• Heavy traffic into the room, as well as replacing furniture and rugs that had been taken out, should be done 24 hours after the application. 
• Tools used to apply the Bona Freshen Up can be easily cleaned with water. 

Here are some issues that you should take note of when working with the Bona Freshen Up:

• It is recommended that you carry out a test application on an inconspicuous area of the floor before using the product on the rest of the surface. Check the appearance that results from the application, and the adhesion with the surface that has been worked on. 
• Do not use the Bona Freshen Up on floors that have been oiled or waxed. This is because the wax and oil residue that will be on the floor will prevent the formulation from adhering well with the underlying surface.
• Ensure that the floor being worked on has completely dried before applying the Bona Freshen Up 
• While the floor is wet, ensure that airborne dust and airflow into the room are kept at a minimum. 
• Always ensure that the entire floor in the room being worked on has been covered, to give it a uniform appearance. 

Maintaining Floors Treated With The Bona Freshen Up

• As with every other treatment that is applied onto wood floors, routine cleaning will keep it in top condition. However, note that after treating the floor with the Bona Freshen Up under review, you should wait for at least a week before resuming the wet cleaning. 
• For the routine cleaning tasks, it is recommended that you work with the Bona Cleaner. 
• Note that strongly alkaline agents should not be used to work on the wood floor, as they may damage the installation. Ammonia-based solutions, vinegar and similar agents that are handy when working on other surfaces around the facility will be detrimental to your wood floor as well. Sticking to solutions that have been particularly formulated for working on the wood floors will be essential to get rid of the dirt and grime, without posing a risk to the underlying installation.

Using The Bona Cleaner To Maintain Your Revitalised Floor

Let’s take a deeper look at the Bona Cleaner that is used to keep floors treated with the Bona Freshen Up in top shape. This is a concentrated detergent that enables simple and safe cleaning. You can use it for manual cleaning with the conventional mop, or machine cleaning such as in establishments with lots of floor space that needs to be covered. It brings several benefits on board:

• Thorough cleaning action

In its core mandate of getting rid of the dirt and grime that builds up on the floor on a daily basis, the Bona Cleaner is up to the task. It can be used for the day-to-day maintenance, or for deep cleaning tasks. The low-foaming formulation will break down the grime that is on the surface, allowing it to be easily removed. 

• Safe for wood

Like the Bona Freshen Up, you want to work with cleaning products that will not pose a risk to the structural integrity of the installation, and that’s right up the alley of the Bona Cleaner. It is slightly alkaline, and has been particularly formulated for working on finished wood and cork floors. It is gentle on the wood, getting rid of the grime without negatively affecting the surface. 

• No dulling residue

Given that the Bona Freshen Up has been particularly applied to restore the lustre of the wood surface, you don’t want to turn around and use a detergent that will leave behind dulling residue. Fortunately, that will not be a concern with the Bona Cleaner. It maintains that lustrous result that you had obtained after applying the Bona Freshen Up on the floor. 

• No slippery residue

The Bona Freshen Up itself comes with no-slip attributes. So it makes sense to deal with a cleaning agent that will not leave behind slippery residue on the surface as well, so as to not compromise on the functionality that you have obtained from the treatment. The Bona Cleaner gets rid of the grime without the slippery residue that is typical of conventional cleaning agents, further aiding in preserving traction and preventing accidents in the premises. 

• Budget-Friendly

The Bona Cleaner is an economic formulation to add to your floor maintenance toolkit. In addition to the affordable retail pricing of the unit, it comes concentrated, meaning each package gets to serve for way longer. For normal cleaning, one decilitre of product is mixed with 10 litres of water, while for the heavily soiled floors you can use two decilitres in the 10 litres of water. Bona Cleaner is available in 1L and 5L variations. 

Here is how you go about the task:

1. Sweep or vacuum the floor, or use dry cleaning methods such as working with a scissor mop. Here the goal is to first remove the loose dirt and grit that is on the floor. 
2. Dilute the Bona Cleaner, with the ratio used depending on the state of the floor. 
3. Proceed to clean the floor with the mop or autoscrubber. Remember that excess water is a threat to the wood floor, so don’t go soaking in solution. Properly wring out the mops being used, working with them while they are slightly damp. When using the mop and bucket technique, ensure that the water in the bucket is replaced periodically, to avoid a case where dirt is being redistributed onto the area being worked on. 

In case you’re using an autoscrubbers, ensure that the tank has been filled with the solution before use, and it is recommended that you run the machine along the boards, instead of across. As you manoeuvre it ensure that you have not left puddles of water behind. In fact, if the machine keeps on leaving behind puddles or too much water on the floor, then you should check the condition of the rubber band of the rubber unit, since this is usually a sign that it needs to be replaced. When using the autoscrubber on wood floors, ensure that the pads are not aggressive, as these may scratch the floor. 

Avoid These When Cleaning Your Freshened Up Floor

• Vacuuming with beater brushes

The beater brushes that are in vacuums are intended for dislodging the dirt that is in the fibres of items like carpets, for it to be suctioned off. These beater brushes turn really fast, and when the same is applied to hardwood floors, they can ruin the finish and even damage the wood tissue itself. As such, you need to be keen with the type of vacuum that is used with the wood floor in your establishment. 

• Excess water

Sure, keeping the floor clean is a necessity. However, for wood floors, damp mopping is recommended. This is to avoid situations where the floor soaks up copious amounts of water into the wood tissue, exposing it to issues like cupping, warping and wood rot. After dipping the mop into the cleaning solution, wring it out until it is just damp. Alternatively, you can work with a spray mop, where the tool allows you to mist out small quantities of cleaning solution onto the floor at a time. 

• Steam cleaners

While excessive water is harmful to wood floors, what about when it is hot? Steam cleaners that are effective in working on carpets and mats will ruin your hardwood floor. The hot steam that is ejected from the machine and pumped into the wood tissue will increase the susceptibility of the structure to cracking and rotting, and this will permanently damage the installation. You end up being forced to replace the floorboards much sooner than had been anticipated.

Overcoating The Bona Freshen Up

One of the benefits of using this formulation compared to alternatives like wax or polish, is that you can still overcoat it with the preferred finish coats. Simply treat the surface with the Prep System. Here is how you go about the process:

Bona Prep is a formulation that has been developed to prepare the surface for optimised adhesion with the different kinds of polyurethane-based and factory-applied finishes from the brand. It cleans and conditions the surface, that way the finishes that are to be applied will bond strongly with it. Moreover, for the scuffs and scratches that are on the floor, these are removed instead of simply covering them. This enhances the quality of the results that will be obtained. This means that even after treating the floor with the Bona Freshen Up, you can have finishes like Bona Traffic HD™, Bona Traffic®, Bona Naturale®, or Bona Mega Clear HD™ applied onto the surface, depending on the desired functionality and aesthetic attributes. 

This formulation is pre-mixed, coming ready to use. The overcoating takes three stages:

1. Cleaning

The Bona Prep is applied onto the floor surface in a thin coat, after which it is given three to five minutes to break down the dirt. This wet cleaning action is done with suction a standard speed buffing machine onto which a green pad has been attached – and this can be set to 150-200 rpm. After this, the dissolved dirt is mopped away. Alternatively, an autoscrubber can be used for the cleaning, especially if you’re dealing with an expansive floor such as in a large building. For the autoscrubber, note that you should simply use the green pad for the scrubbing, and not the brushes. Top up half the tank of the autoscrubber with the Bona Prep, and replace it once it gets heavily soiled. 

2. Abrasion

Here the goal is leaving the floor with a matte surface. This is light sanding, so as not to affect the existing treatments that are on the floor. As such, high grit levels are used, such as abrading with screen grit 150 or finer. You can work with Bona’s Diamond Abrasive System or the Scrad system – without the sanding wings for the latter. 

3. Finishing

One or two layers of the preferred finish coats can then be applied, but this should be strictly within 2 hours after the abrasion was done. If this time schedule cannot be achieved, then pause the overcoating process before the abrasion, and continue the following day – provided that it’s all done in 24 hours. 

Some pointers to take note of when using the Bona Prep system include:

• The floor being overcoated should not be waxed or oiled. While with installations where the Bona Freshen Up has been used you can go straight ahead with the overcoating, those that are oiled and waxed will first need to be sanded back to the bare wood.
• It is recommended that you carry out a spot test for adhesion before using the Bona Prep on the whole floor. Here’s is how you go about this:

1. Gently sand an inconspicuous area of the floor, then clean it with the Bona Prep. You can do this for different sections of the floor installation, especially if you’re dealing with a large area. 
2. Apply the desired finish coat to this section.
3. Give it 24 hours to dry, then scrape the spot using a coin. 

If the finish will still be adhered firmly to the surface, then you can take this as a green light to provide to overcoat the rest of the floor. 

Note that the adhesion properties improve as the finish continues curing, so you can check the results within 24 to 48 hours. 

If the adhesion is still not satisfactory after the 48 hours are over, then this is an indication that the floor cannot be successfully overcoated. Instead, it will need to be sanded down to the bare wood. 

• For the abrasion stage of the overcoating process, if you’re using the Bona Scrad system you should be particularly careful with the motions you make on the floor. You should work quickly and light movements, in order to avoid creating swirl marks on the floor. 
• The equipment used for the application can be cleaned with water.

Bona Freshen Up Review