Have you got hardwood floors?
Despite being easy to maintain, wooden floors do require regular maintenance. A well-maintained wood floor requires regular cleaning.
Want to know methods for cleaning old hardwood floors without refinishing? Luckily, I’ve included a list of methods below that can be used on both new and old old hardwood floors.
Cleaning Hardwood Floors Naturally
There are several natural and easy ways to clean your wood floors without floor refinishing, keep reading!
Water with Vinegar
Hardwood floor cleaning using gallon of warm water and vinegar has been controversial. However, after speaking with a lot of homeowners and hardwood guys, I realized that the most important factor is the proportion of water and vinegar.
Rub the floor gently with a damp cloth made of vinegar and warm water. The ratio should be 1:10 (vinegar:water). When vinegar is overused, it causes problems. Be careful not to overwet the cloth.
Regular vinegars causes weird smell whereas cleaning vinegars are not smelly.
Make sure you remember to change the solution when it gets dirty.
While this method may be very easy and effective, do remember that acid and water are harmful to your hardwood floors so make sure you do not mix vinegar beyond suggested amount above.
Water with Lemon Juice
That’s right, you read it correctly. You can clean wooden floors with lemon juice.
Because it contains the same acid as vinegar, it is just as effective. Perhaps, this is a low cost vinegar method alternative. In order to proceed with this method, make sure the dust and dirt that have accumulated over time have been cleaned.
Lemon juice diluted in water can be used to mop with care. Make sure you wring out the damp mop thoroughly after using lemon juice, otherwise it could damage the floor.
Additionally, lemon juice will freshen up your place. To make your floors look better, drizzle some olive oil on them!
Hardwood joints/seals should not be treated with this solution. Lemon acid can severely damage joints.
Baking Soda
Rather than cleaning your floor, baking soda removes scuff marks from the edges. Baking soda can be used to remove dirt from your floor.
Take a sponge, dampen it with water, and sprinkle some baking soda on it. Gently rub the floor with it.
Tip: Use water, vinegar and olive oil together to make your floor shine!
Having gone over the natural solutions, let’s take a look at the ready-made cleaner ways you can use to clean your wooden floors.
Store-Bought Solutions to Clean Hardwood Floors
There are many companies out there that offers solutions for your wooden floors. Many of them are renowned worldwide, such as Windex.
Windex
People often assume by the name that it is only good for cleaning windows, but, Windex is a universal cleaner.
It can be used to clean hardwood floors as well! It’s ammonia-free version is better for the wooden floors than any other cleaner as too much ammonia may rot the wood on the outside.
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
Another most used wood floor cleaners for wooden floors is the brand Bona. Spray it on and mop it; there are no special instructions for using it. Bona is a very well-known brand when it comes to hardwood cleaning products. You shouldn’t dilute it with water.
There may be some complaints like cloudiness on the floors, but they are rare. Bona also offered a method for getting rid of them.
The product received the GREENGUARD Gold seal, which means it contains low levels of VOCs. Furthermore, it is pH neutral, so the finish on the floor won’t be damaged.
Remember, Murphy’s oil soap is not an alternative to BONA. Murphy’s oil soap leaves suds on new wood floors. Hence, it’s not recommended.
Steam Mop
A steam mop is a mop that uses steam to clean the hardwood floor. You can use this to clean your floor, but it may be a bit pricey.
It’s probably the safest method to clean your floor. With a steam mop, the floors dry much faster than with a conventional mop.
Remember that Hardwood companies may tell you that steam moping voids your warranty. However, from my 7 years of experience, it works. You decide whether or not to take the risk.
Steam mops have gotten really good reviews out there. While not all models are made specifically for hardwood floors, there are many that are.
Tips for using a steam mop,
- While mopping the floor, keep the steam mop moving. By doing so, steam will not collect on the floor, causing damage.
- Never store the mop directly on the surface after mopping. Residual water from the mop can damage the floor. Store the mop in a basin.
After cleaning the floors, the work of owning a hardwood floor does not end there. To keep those floors clean and shiny, we need to maintain them.
How to Maintain your Clean and Shiny Wooden Floor
First off, it would be better for your place to have a doormat, since that would keep the incoming dust away from the grounds.
You will not have to worry about the guests dirtying the ground with their footwears.
How to Polish
Polishing can definitely make a difference if cleaning is not enough. Polishing solutions can do wonders for scratches and holes that need to be filled on a bare wood.
There is a polishing version of Bona’s cleaner that you can pour on the floor and mop it with. Let it dry for a while and all your scratches and holes should be filled. The floor must be mopped well to prevent a buildup.
If you polish, be sure to do it every 2-3 months since it is a continuous process that should be repeated from time to time. Furthermore, polishing hardwood floors can enhance their looks and ambience, as well.
For a sparkling, clean floor, here are a few more tips:
- Sweeping your floors daily is the best way to keep them strong and clean.
- At least once a month, mop the hardwood floor with hardwood floor cleaners or one of the solutions listed above, this will help maintain its shine and keep it clean.
- Immediately wipe up spills to avoid scuff marks
- Make sure you use home remedies such as those listed in this post!
We have you covered from the top to the bottom when it comes to hardwood floors, the only thing left is;
Cover pic Credits : flooringeffects.co.nz
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