What Cleaner To Use On Hardwood Floors

While a steam cleaner can be a useful tool for cleaning a carpet floor it should never be used on engineered hardwood.

What cleaner to use on hardwood floors.

This is especially true for prefinished hardwood floors. One way how to clean hardwood floors is to use a mop and hardwood floor cleaner according to the manufacturer s instructions. Sweep the floor and hit it with a wet mop and then move on to the floor cleaner. Don t use straight ammonia alkaline products or abrasive cleaners.

Clean wood floors with vinegar by adding 1 2 cup white vinegar to a gallon of lukewarm water. The steam can damage the wood surface by forcing water into the veneer and the top layer of hardwood. What to use to clean hardwood floors. You can keep them looking lovely by following these tips on how to clean hardwood floors.

Avoid leaving any standing water on the floor for this can damage the wood. They ll dull or scratch the finish. Try to use a floor cleaner every month or so to ensure that your floors stay clean and in top condition. Make sure to wring most of the water out of the mop so it s damp.

They re durable and with proper care last for decades. Vinegar and water can dull the floor s finish over time while soap and wax leave a residue. Avoid using water and vinegar soap based cleaners wax or steam cleaners on hardwood floors. Hardwood floors bring an earthy warm beauty to your home.

For a neutral solution you want a ph level of about 7 or matched to cured poly. For more than 100 years people have been using murphy oil soap to clean wood floors for one simple reason. Don t rely on lemon juice or a vinegar and water solution to clean hardwood floors. One example is bona s free simple hardwood floor cleaner 18.

Higher is too alkaline and lower is okay for an all purpose cleaner but not here. Use a dust mop or vacuum to remove dirt dust pet hair and other debris. Never use a steam cleaner on your engineered hardwood floor. Move your cleaning tool from one side of the floor to the other giving extra.

Steam cleaners put heat and excessive water on your floor which can lead to cupping and long term damage. When vacuuming use a floor brush attachment and avoid the beater bar its rotating brush can dent wood floors. Remove all furniture from the floor before cleaning with a hardwood floor cleaner.