Whether you're cleaning one area or all of your flooring, Murphy® Oil Soap is safe to use on hardwood floors. This article was brought to you by Colgate-Palmolive Company, the makers of Murphy® Oil Soap. The views and opinions expressed by the author do not reflect the position of the Colgate-Palmolive Company.
If you have a bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap under your kitchen sink or in your laundry room that you use to clean your hardwood floors, go get it and throw it in the garbage. Seriously, stop using it today. You can use it for other projects like furniture or cabinets but NEVER for wood floors.
In short, the answer is NO.
Murphy's Oil Soap is not entirely safe on wood floors, despite many people saying so. Long term, this product will do more harm than good to your wood floors.
Store Bought Cleaners:
One of the biggest culprits is Murphy's Oil Soap. Even though it says it is safe of wood, it actually leaves an oily film on the top of the hardwood. With the oil on there, it eliminates the ability to buff or coat the floor again.
CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR WOOD FURNITURE
A gentle, water-based solution such as Murphy® Oil Soap Original works well when cleaning and protecting the finish on your wood floors, furniture and cabinets.
Start with a mixture of a safe, Natural Product Like Murphy® Oil Soap and hot water. Use a soft cloth and work your way over the surfaces of your shelves, chairs and desks, and notice if the wood is becoming cleaner. Even though oak is fairly strong, don't let it get too wet during this cleaning process.
Use the oil soap like a leather conditioner on leather furniture or your vehicle's dashboard area or upholstery (not cloth). Use the product at full strength and apply it to a dry cloth. Work it over the area, then use a second cloth to buff it.
When diluted properly, Murphy® Oil Soap Original Formula does not leave a residue. Despite the fact that it is called "oil soap," there is no "free oil" left behind. If you see a residue after applying Murphy® Oil Soap for the first time, it's likely that another cleaner was previously used.
Ok, I came up with my own solution, so if anyone ever needs it: 2 cups white vinegar in a gallon of water, mop vigorously and let dry, repeat as needed. I had to do the whole place twice over and two areas a third time.
1. Murphy Original Formula Oil Soap. This classic wood cleaner takes care of your wooden furniture, floors, cabinets, tile, and linoleum. In fact, we've also included it on our list of best wood floor cleaners.
Murphy Oil Soap is one of the most popular products on the market today for use on wood surfaces. It is best known as the wood cleaner used by churches to wipe down the pews and wood paneling inherent in many churches.
It does a great job removing dirt and leaving a nice shine on my floors. I use the original scent and usually just pick up a bottle at my local grocery store as needed. I have tried other products but prefer Murphy's because it gets the job done with less elbow grease required.
The best mop for wood floors is a microfiber flat-head or string mop you can easily wring out. You can control the amount of moisture in the mop, and the microfibers pick up dirt and grime better than some traditional mops. Mix one tablespoon dish soap and one quart of water in a spray bottle.
Lightly dampen a microfiber mop and always clean following the grain of the wood and allow the wood to dry completely before walking to prevent spotting. If you live in an area with hard water, damp mop with distilled water. The excessive minerals in hard water can leave the floor finishes looking dull.
A sticky surface typically comes from an accumulation of dirt, cooking grease and grime. Another possibility is from the buildup of furniture polish, especially waxes or oils. Fortunately, it's usually enough to give it a good clean without having to strip and refinish the surface of your table.
Using a two sided bucket method (one side soap, one side rinse) or two buckets, mop with 1/2 cup vinegar with a drop of deter- gent or Murphy's Oil Soap mixed with warm water. The clean vinegar odor will go away shortly after the floor dries.
An oil-based finish will give your floors an amber hue. If you go this route, you'll need to wait about eight hours until the finish is dry, and expect a moderate scent.
Murphy® Original oil soap is the one Mom and Grandma used to clean wood to a natural shine. Pull out the bucket and get nostalgic while cleaning wooden floors and furniture, cabinets, tile and linoleum.
Using the incorrect chemicals on your unfinished flooring has a high risk of causing permanent discoloration. It is inadvisable to use chemical-based cleaners on your unfinished hardwood floors. Floor cleaners will harm your flooring irreversibly. Murphy's Oil Soap is a good option for one cleaner you may use.
Waste from residues : The product should not be allowed to enter drains, water courses or the soil.
Use a microfiber cloth, feather duster, or electrostatic duster like Swiffer to remove dust. If you are sensitive to dust, wear a dust mask and consider using a damp cloth for dusting instead of a duster. After dusting, use a soft cotton cloth to buff the surfaces, remove smudges, and create shine.