Wooden floors offer a great aesthetic value to almost any room. However, cleaning them has been a thing of debate for a while. This is why we bring you some of the best ways to clean wood floors.
There are many cleaning solutions for wooden floors and it is best practice to try any new one out on a small corner before going all out.
The safest way to clean wood floors is to mop it with mild soap and water. Make sure to use a damp, not wet, mop as water is the biggest bane of wooden floors.
Wooden floors require regular cleaning especially if it is highly trafficked. You should sweep or vacuum it daily and mop twice a week.
As you continue reading, you’ll discover different ways to keep your wood floors clean without risking damage to it.
Contents
What are the Best Things to Use to Clean Wood Floors
The following methods are some of the best ways to clean wood floors:
- Vacuuming
- Hardwood floor cleaning solution
- Mop with a Castile soap solution
- Mop with a dishwasher solution
- Use a steam vacuum
- Hardwood floor mop
- Use a robot mop
Now, let’s get into more details on how to get squeaky clean wood floors with the above methods.
1. Vacuuming Wood Floor
Vacuum cleaners are a popular way of cleaning floors. Most of them are designed to clean both carpets and hard floors which makes them an efficient way to keep your wood floors clean.
Products like Dyson and Shark vacuums have a fluffy head that will not only remove loose dirt but also wipe your floors.
This will remove dust and stuck on dirt leaving a polished effect in its wake.
Even though the type of cleaning you’ll get with this method is dry, you’ll still get a good clean.
However, if there are stuck on dirt, you might have to go manual on them.
2. Hardwood Floor Cleaning Solution
Whoever installed your wood floors will likely leave you with recommendations.
You should stick with those to stay safe. The last thing you want is to use any other solution and it damages your floor.
Before you apply any of the options you go for, try it out on an inconspicuous area first to see the effect.
There are many options to choose from. Here are a few wood floor cleaning solutions we recommend:
- Pledge Wood Floor Cleaner Liquid
- Black Diamond Wood and Laminate Floor Cleaner
- Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
- Rejuvenate High-Performance Hard Floor Cleaner
- Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner
- Swiffer WetJet Multipurpose Hardwood Cleaner
- Aunt Fannie’s Floor Cleaner
- Better Life Natural Floor Cleaner
3. Mop with a Castile Soap Solution
Castile soap is an oil-based soap made out of vegetables.
Since it does not contain chemicals, there’s no risk of it damaging your expensive hardwood floor.
Do This:
- Simply mix the liquid with water and mop your wood floor with it.
- Be sure to squeeze excess water out of the cloth or mop.
- That way, there won’t be clogs of water which might not be good for the wood.
Some castile soap solutions that are meant for cleaning floors.
If you go for those, follow the manufacturer’s directions for cleaning your floors.
4. Mop with a Dishwasher Solution
A lot of dishwasher soaps have a neutral pH level which makes them safe to use on almost any surface.
Just as it is safe for washing your dishes, your wood floors too will come out sparkling without any harm.
To be sure it’s safe for your wood floors, look out for those made with organic materials and those without fragrances.
If you’d like a lingering smell, add a few drops of essential oil into the mix.
5. Use a Steam Vacuum for Hardwood Floors
Steam vacuums are specifically designed for cleaning hard floors. Since they don’t exactly use water, it makes them safe to use on wood floors.
As the name implies, they use steam. They work by squirting a blast of steam on the floor ahead of them and the cleaning head of the vacuum wipes the surface.
This is an effective way to clean wood floors. The hot moisture will dissolve hardened stuck-on dirt making it easier to wipe.
That’s not all, the heat will also kill the bacteria on the floor. This makes it safe for kids and pets to play on.
They have a tank you need to fill with water.
As you turn it on, the water heats up and jets out at intervals.
Most of them use washable microfiber cloths on the cleaning head to wipe the floor.
That way, you can reuse them and save money on buying replacements.
The following are some of the best steam floor mops for wood floors:
There are steam mops that are multipurpose and will let you steam surfaces beyond floors.
Whichever one you go for should serve all the purposes you need it for. That’s how you get value for your money.
Read Also:
6. Use a Hardwood Floor Mop
If you don’t want to go electronic with cleaning your wood floors, manual floor mops too are up to the task.
But you’ll have to put in an extra effort.
These floor mops use a microfiber material as their cleaning surface.
They are best combined with washing solutions for a shiny finish.
They’re easy to use as they have swivel steering which makes it easy to turn and reach into corners.
7. Use a Robot Mop for Wood Floors
Robot vacuum cleaners are now a thing in the floor cleaning industry.
More and more homes have these autonomous cleaners as they save a lot of time and effort.
Some of them, such as the Roborock S6 or ILIFE V8s can both vacuum and mop.
This is like having 2 devices in one since you need to sweep your floor before mopping it.
A dedicated mopping robot is also a good idea. As you can guess, it does a better job than their 2 in 1 cousin.
These types can also sweep the floor before mopping. Just attack a dry pad and let it roam.
They have a water tank that seeps water onto the microfiber cloth which wipes the floor clean.
Some of these robot mops have a dedicated solution you can pour in them for an even better effect. But you might void your warranty if you use a different solution in them.
Conclusion
Wood floors need care and attention. The effort you put into cleaning and maintaining them has a lot to do with how long they last and how well they serve you.
The methods we provided above are some of the best ways to clean wood floors for a radiant effect.
Follow the links to get what you need and use the methods as it suits your needs.
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