Spray a small amount of hardwood cleaner onto the floor, and then wipe the floor down with a dry terry cloth mop or dust mop. If your floor is riddled with spots, stains, scuff marks, or debris, remove them with mineral spirits and then mop the area thoroughly.
The most important stuff is the "dry" cleaning (such as sweeping/dry dusting and/or vacuuming). The vast majority of "damp" cleaning will be WATER-ONLY!!! And then 12 - 24 times per YEAR (1-2 per month) you will use the hardwood floor "cleaner". That's it.
Stay away from vinegar, ammonia, and harsh chemicals. Spray a small amount of hardwood cleaner directly onto the floor, then wipe the floor down with a dry terry cloth mop. Remember to go with mineral spirits if your finish is unsound. Avoid using water-based hardwood cleaners on an unsound finish.
Begin by dusting or sweeping your floors well. Then make a cleaning mixture using 4 cups warm water and a few drops of castile soap or dish soap. Do not shake, but gently mix this, then mop or scrub small sections at a time, drying them with a clean cloth or dry mop after."
Whether you're cleaning one area or all of your flooring, Murphy® Oil Soap is safe to use on hardwood floors.
An alternative natural cleaning solution is warm water and dish soap (1/4 cup of dish washing liquid for a bucket of warm water). For spot cleaning needs, sprinkle baking soda on the affected area and scrub with a sponge. To ensure the area is thoroughly clean, rinse with warm water and dry.
Ammonia. Ammonia is a pungent chemical that has many cleaning uses in your home, but it should never be used on hardwood floors. “The ingredient damages the surface and dissolves the lignin in the wood,” explains Leanne Stapf, chief operating officer at The Cleaning Authority.
Pine-Sol is safe on hardwood floors and can be used to clean and disinfect them. What is essential is to use the right concentration and correctly follow the instructions: Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove loose dirt and debris. Take ¼ cup of Pine-Sol and mix with a gallon of water in a bucket.
To clean ingrained dirt from wood, first determine the type of seal it has. If the wood is varnished use a damp cloth and dish soap. For untreated wood begin with a damp cloth and if the dirt is more stubborn wipe over gently with a mixture of equal parts oil, turpentine and white vinegar. Allow to dry and then buff.
Vinegar is an acid and hardwood floors need a pH neutral or close to it cleaner. When mixed with water, the solution's acidity is drastically lowered and it becomes an effective method to wash hardwood floors. The vinegar and water mixture cuts through dirt and grime, leaving a streak-free and naturally clean floor.
Soft microfiber mops work best on hardwood floors. You can spray a sanitizing cleaning solution or hardwood-friendly cleaner on before dusting for a deeper clean, but a mop with a gentle microfiber pad is the best option for engineered wood or hardwood floors.
Water You Using to Clean Your Floors? You can safely use Swiffer products on hardwood floors. For a quick clean, try Swiffer WetJet Wood Starter Kit. With just the right amount of solution, it breaks up tough, sticky messes, brings out the natural beauty of your floors and won't damage them.
Do not wet mop wood flooring.
Excess water will lead to damage of the floor, and even the subfloor.
Why Laundry Detergent isn't appropriate for floors
pH: The alkalis in laundry detergent are too strong for your floors. If you have hardwood floors, luxury vinyl plank, or tile, your floors will prefer a neutral pH cleaner.
For removing scuff marks from hardwood floors, the best tool is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Durable.
Monthly schedule – polish
Polish wood floors every 2-4 months, depending on the traffic in your home, to add extra shine and protection. Hardwood floor polish renews and refreshes the finish that protects your floor.
Vegetable Oil & White Vinegar: Mix equal parts vegetable oil and white vinegar together to make a simple, yet effective, cleaner for your hardwood floor. Vinegar is a natural polish that is perfect for cleaning. It's acidity will help break down dirt and grime.
For day-to-day cleaning of your solid wood floors, a regular dusting with a dry microfibre cloth or a dry microfibre mop will do the job. For more thorough cleaning sessions, a good vacuum will help pick up even the hard-to-see dust and debris that may be lurking.
Just mix a cup of warm water with a cup of white vinegar to get rid of the dark spots. Scrub the stained area using a rug until the dark spot is gone, then pat the place dry. Hydrogen Peroxide – Like white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide can also eliminate both stain and odor from hardwood.
Soap only lifts dirt and oil into water, making them suspend in water. Therefore, the more soap you use, the more your mop gets saturated with dirt. So, if you do not remove all the soapy water from the floor, the dirt remains, forming streaks on the floor.