How to Clean a Hardwood Floor
If you follow our posts, you may have noticed that we recommend white vinegar as an all natural and cost effective cleanser for many of your household needs. There are a few exceptions to the rule, however, and vinegar is not the solution to every cleaning problem! A great example of this is hardwood flooring. Vinegar should never be used on hardwood floors as the acidic vinegar will slowly eat away at the sealant used on the floor, effectively ruining the finish over time. Does this leave you wondering how to clean a hardwood floor in your home? There are many safe and all natural solutions to clean your flooring. First thing’s first: if you have new wood floors that are under warranty, it is best to follow the manufacturer instructions on your floor so you don’t run the risk of voiding the warranty. Otherwise, here are some of the best ways we have learned to clean a hardwood floor.
How to Clean a Hardwood Floor
- Use a soft microfiber cloth, preferably with a fringe, to run along the floors and pick up loose dust or dirt. When you do this, simply push the dust mop around the room, without picking it up. You want the duster to push the dirt into a pile, but picking up the duster can allow larger debris to get caught in the pad and can scratch the floor. With a fringed micro-fiber pad, the fringe will catch the large debris while the dust will get trapped in the pad itself.
- Run the hose attachment along the baseboards to pick up and trapped dust or debris.
- In a spray bottle, combine warm water with a cleanser specifically formulated for wood floors. We recommend some all natural options, like Method or Dr. Bonner’s. It is important use a mild detergent with a neutral PH, to avoid any residue on the hardwood floors. Too much cleanser, even the right cleanser, will have the same effect so in this case less is more.
- Lightly mist a small area and use another microfiber pad to wipe up the liquid. There is no need to saturate the area, since too much water can damage the floor. Mop in the direction of the grain of the wood.
- Working in small sections, spray as you go; wiping with the microfiber pad. When the pad gets saturated rinse well and ring out before starting again.
For light cleaning, a microfiber mop dampened with water is a simple and safe way to quickly clean your floors. Just remember that water and wood don’t mix, so always clean a little bit at a time to avoid allowing water to sit on the floor. Also, it is important to test a small area in an inconspicuous area to ensure the product you are using will not harm the floor.
For a deeper cleaning of any floors in your home, call us today to schedule an appointment.
