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.
Combine two-parts white vinegar, one-part olive oil, and 10 to 15 drops of lemon essential oil (this is optional, but provides a nice scent and aids in the removal of grime). For floors, she suggests using a dry, microfiber mop that will trap dust, dirt, and allergens.
Vinegar, ammonia, or other alkaline products
These may be a great option for tile or vinyl flooring, but ammonia, vinegar or similar solutions – even when diluted – are too harsh to clean your wood floors with. Over time, these solutions can strip away the finish exposing the bare wood of your flooring.
Yes, but only in small amounts. When using water to clean wood, only use a lightly damp, not wet, cloth or sponge and dry the wood afterward. Water is best used to dilute other cleaners to make gentle cleaning solutions. Wood should never be cleaned with harsh chemicals.
Vinegar makes an excellent wood cleaner because it won't damage wood finish or warp wood like other products do. Cleaning with vinegar is a green alternative to the sometimes toxic and expensive cleaners offered at the store.
Isopropyl alcohol is not strong enough to remove finishes effectively from wooden surfaces, but it is useful in the refinishing process as it will clean residue from the bare wood. To use it, mix one part isopropyl alcohol with one part water. Rub the solution over stains on the wood until they are gone.
For many years the product of choice for cleaning bare wood surfaces was a solution of chlorine bleach and water, perhaps with some detergent or TSP (trisodium phosphate) added to help clean the wood. When correctly applied and well rinsed, bleach solutions can work fairly well most of the time.
Over an extended period, vinegar may accelerate the dulling of your hardwoods. 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.
Ideally you'll want to use a detergent designed for cleaning wood. A simple solution of half a cup of distilled white vinegar, half a cup of warm water and a teaspoon of mild dish detergent like Dawn will also do the trick.
You can use a commercial wood-cleaning product, like Bona or Murphy Oil Soap. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. You can also make your own cleaner by mixing one part vinegar to 10 parts warm water. Add a few drops of liquid Castile soap.
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.
According to the Go Clean Co pros, Tide is safe and effective to use on hardwood, engineered hardwood, tile, laminate, vinyl plans and linoleum floors.
Unless your wooden furniture has a plastic coating, don't ever use all-purpose cleaner on it. All-purpose cleaner is too wet and may also contain ingredients that will discolor or otherwise harm your wood over time.
High-pressure surface cleaners can easily remove dirt and debris from the surface layer of your deck. Power washing is one of the fastest ways to clean a wood deck, but it's important to be careful, as you can ruin your deck without taking the proper precautions.
You can clean polished wood or non-porous hardwood floors with Lysol® . If you're just looking to – you can use Lysol® All-Purpose Cleaner to clean and disinfect your floor surface without causing damage to the wood.
If you're dusting or cleaning your table, in additional to other wood furniture or knickknacks, a multipurpose solution like Murphy® Oil Soap Orange Oil Cleaner can do the trick. Real Simple recommends spraying or applying your product onto a dusting cloth instead of the surface itself.
Surfaces that Should Not Be Cleaned with Vinegar
hardwood floors, wood furniture, and other word surfaces – due to its acidic nature, vinegar can damage hardwood floor finishes, causing them to look dingy. Use either a cleaner specifically made for hardwood floors or a mix of soap and water.
Start by wiping down your wood furniture with a barely damp microfiber cloth to remove dust and grime. You never want water to sit on the wood, so quickly wipe it down with another dry microfiber cloth. For regular dusting, a quick wipe-down with a microfiber cloth will do the trick.
Avoid using water and vinegar, soap-based cleaners, wax or steam cleaners on hardwood floors. Vinegar and water can dull the floor's finish over time, while soap and wax leave a residue. Steam cleaners put heat and excessive water on your floor, which can lead to cupping and long-term damage.
Floor Mopping
All you need is 1 to 2 tablespoons of dish soap mixed in with a bucket of water. Floors will be clean and shiny in no time. Dish soap is very effective on resilient floorings, such as linoleum and vinyl, and also works well on ceramic tile.
Surface-Sealed Floors
First, sweep or vacuum to pick up any loose hair or dust. You don't need a special soap for mopping wood floors: Fill up a bucket with warm water and squeeze in about 1 TBSP of Natural Dish Soap. Pro Tip: Avoid using a soaking wet mop: Wring it out until it's mildly damp.
Pour a small pool of vinegar onto the wood, then spread it around with a cloth. On vertical surfaces, wipe with a cloth saturated with vinegar. Then wipe with a dry cloth and finish by rinsing with plain water.
Cleaners containing chlorine bleach are commonly used to clean decks but they are not recommended for cleaning treated wood. Excessive use of chlorine bleach containing cleaners (sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite) can damage treated wood leaving it with an unnatural whitewashed appearance.
Rubbing alcohol can help remove sticky gunk and also acts as a disinfectant—a big reason why we have it in our medicine cabinet. It is cheap, effective, and multi-purpose, making it very attractive to use. But whatever you do, never use it on your wood furniture.