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."
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.
It can be caused by the cleaning chemicals you are using, nature and bad ventilation in the air. Having a daily cleaning routine can be helpful to make your floors look cleaner, and it's important to use the right cleaning products that aren't going to leave residues or films on the floor.
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.
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.
Vacuum, dust or wipe with a lightly dampened mop – never use soap-based detergents, as they can leave a dull film on the floor, and avoid over-wetting. Don't use wax polish either, as this will make the floor slippery. To remove marks and stains, use a dilute solution of water and vinegar.
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. This is particularly effective on scuffmarks and small stains.
Use baking soda to create a powerful cleaner for tile and other types of flooring. Mix a half cup of baking soda in a bucket of warm water, mop the floors, and rinse. Note: this method should not be used to clean floors that have been treated with wax, such as hardwood flooring, as it can damage the finish.
The most common reason for a hardwood floor to turn black is because it's growing mold caused by excess moisture. You can confirm this if the black spots on your floor are in areas where there have been flooding, spills, or urine messes.
Iron oxide stains in wood are usually dark spots caused by prolonged exposure to water and / or metal. The iron oxide reacts with the tannins in the wood and stains it black. Wood can intentionally be stained black in the same way, and that's called Ebonizing.
Mold grows where moisture is present; a black discoloration in your oak flooring can indicate both moisture and mold. The moisture usually comes from above, seeping through the finish and soaking into the wood, but it can also come from below, if the subfloor is wet.
Vinegar is the best natural mold killing treatment for the surface and sublayers of porous materials such as wood. Most mold remediation experts recommend diluting distilled white vinegar in a 5% to 6% cleaning vinegar solution in water or spraying onto moldy wood at full strength.
Hydrogen peroxide is an effective cleaning solution that is safe for humans and pets and won't damage hardwood floors when used properly. With its antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties, it goes beyond eliminating dirt and debris to sanitize your home.
Make a homemade paste with equal parts water and baking soda. Rub the stain in circular motions until it disappears. Wipe up the baking soda when you're done.
Hardwood floors turn gray after their protective polyurethane coating wears off and they're exposed to moisture. To get the gray out of hardwood floors, you'll need to sand and reseal them. If you want to completely change the color of your hardwood floor, this is a great time to do so.
Like all organic materials, wood changes color when exposed to the elements, including light. This is due to the process of oxidation, which simply cannot be prevented. Exposure to light is usually the biggest culprit causing discoloration in hardwood floors.
Both oxalic acid and two-part peroxide bleach will lighten darkened wood, and since oxalic acid is the easier one to use, it's best to start with that. You mix the crystals with water to make a saturated solution and then spread it over the dark wood or the whole floor.
Is it Safe to Use Vinegar to Clean Hardwood Floors? Don't use vinegar or baking soda solutions. Old-fashioned remedies involving vinegar or dish detergent can't do the same job as today's multi-functioning solutions and can actually damage or dull polyurethane.
Combine ¼ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda, 1 tablespoon dish detergent, and 2 gallons hot water. Apply it either with a damp cloth or a wrung-out mop. After, go over it with fresh water, then allow to dry.
Use a ratio of 1 cup of vinegar to one gallon of hot water to mop linoleum floors. As above, be sure to wring out your mop thoroughly so that it is damp rather than dripping wet.