Although it may be tempting to deep clean your hardwood floors with a steam mop, don't. “Drastic temperature changes and moisture may warp the wood,” says Steve Stocki, manager of marketing and merchandising at Lumber Liquidators.
Is It Safe to Steam Clean a Hardwood Floor? Short answer: Yes, if it's sealed and you're using dry steam vapor.
In most homes, the best wood floor cleaner is plain old soap and water, and the only tools you need are a broom, vacuum, and mop. The best mop for wood floors is a microfiber flat-head or string mop you can easily wring out.
Don't use straight ammonia, alkaline products or abrasive cleaners. They'll dull or scratch the finish. Don't rely on lemon juice or a vinegar-and-water solution to clean hardwood floors. "I don't recommend using vinegar or lemon juice, at least not in large quantities, as these can damage the floor's seal," said Wise.
Use a damp-mop with a flat-head mop and microfiber pad or a microfiber string mop that has been thoroughly wrung out when it looks dingy. Move with the grain, and control the amount of cleaning solution by using a spray bottle, aiming for a heavy mist or gentle squirt of about a half teaspoon per 2 square feet.
Unlike traditional mops, the mop head absorbs the dirt, and the heat of the steam is able to kill most of the bacteria and dust mites on the floor. It is not only a faster means of cleaning but also a more sanitary one.
When steam cleaning, the dirt does not "go anywhere". Instead, the dirt is broken down by the heat from the water vapor, but remains in the area. To remove the loosened dirt from the area, you need to manually wipe it with a steam mop, cloth, or vacuum it.
You can also use a spray-and-mop product or disposable wet pads that are safe for hardwood floors. Unless you use a steam mop designed for cleaning wood floors, steam cleaning is not advised for hardwood floors. Steam can dull the finish and damage the wood.
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.
Whether you're cleaning one area or all of your flooring, Murphy® Oil Soap is safe to use on hardwood floors.
Once a week, wood floors should be cleaned in high traffic areas with a damp mop. Low traffic areas can be done less frequently, like once a month or once a quarter. Unsealed wood floors are more susceptible to water, so make sure that the mop is just slightly damp.
You only need to fill the tank with water, glide it across your floor, and it's spotless in a matter of minutes. And more so, steam cleaners will finish the job much faster. Additionally, you'll be able to get rid of invisible bacteria on surfaces easily, which traditional mops cannot do.
The vapor loosens dirt and kills dust mites, mold, staph, and other allergens and harmful bacteria. No suction is required, since the high-heat moisture dries quickly. For heavily soiled surfaces, some manufacturers suggest steam-cleaning first, then wiping away dirt with a cloth before the moisture dries.
Steam mops work by producing steam under pressure and 'forcing' it into cracks and crevices that might get missed with other cleaning methods. Flooring that has gaps or cracks (however small) is vulnerable to damage, and materials like vinyl might warp with the heat.
You can use shark Steam mop on Wood floors but only if they are sealed! If your floors are not, water from the steamer will be absorbed by the wood and damage your flooring from the inside out. Beside sealed hardwood, Shark steam mop can be used on Bamboo, Marble and Vinyl plank floors as well.
The main difference between Steam Cleaner and Steam Mop is that Steam Cleaner uses vapors to clean and the machine comes in different shapes. On the other hand, a Steam Mop is in the shape of a mop but it works better than the traditional mop as it uses steam.
You should NOT put any floor cleaning solution in your steam mop. Manufacturers of steam cleaning machines recommend using demineralized water only. … Putting chemicals in your steam mop can cause corrosion and void its warranty. That means that cleaning using steam is as good as using common floor cleaning solutions.
Floor steam cleaning mops use steam to clean hardwood, tile and linoleum flooring. Usually, you mix a small amount of soap with water and pour it into the mop. This provides adequate cleaning. However, you can add vinegar to the mixture and enhance the cleaning power of the mop.
Vacuum First
Floors should be vacuumed or swept before they are steam-mopped. If you skip this step, any surface dirt, sand, dust, crumbs, and hair will be picked up by the steam mop, hindering its ability to do a good job. It's similar to washing a window with a dirty cloth.
Start by removing the metal grates and clean away any food debris you can with a damp sponge or rag. Next, use the steam cleaner with a nozzle attachment (you may also need to use a brush attachment) to get off any gunk left behind. The, wipe down any moisture with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Clean the shower and bathtub.
The steam cleaner works amazing for getting rid of all of that soap scum on shower doors and around the sides of the tub and will clean tile and grout with virtually no scrubbing!
The short answer: Technically, yes. Steam can kill pathogens, including the coronavirus. “Because heat and steam will kill viruses, such mops will certainly be able to kill viruses,” says Paula Cannon, Ph. D., professor of microbiology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC in Los Angeles.
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.
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.