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.
The best way to clean hardwood floors is to adopt a regular routine. Use a broom or hardwood floor mop for cleaning wood floors daily. A microfiber dust mop pre-treated with a dusting agent will pick up dust and dirt and prevent scratches. Vacuum your hardwood floor once a week.
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.
Damage to hardwood flooring can be caused by a whole range of things including: not preparing the subfloor correctly before installation, incorrect installation, scratches and dents, and water damage.
Yes, hardwood floors are beautiful, but leaving them as-is can lead to scratches, injuries, and more. Covering up the hardwood in your home is not only a good idea, but a necessary step for maintaining the quality of your flooring and the safety of your family.
Yes, shoes can do a lot of damage to your floor (even more damage than pets). The biggest issue with shoes is that little pebbles and dirt can in them and these scratch your floors. And, of course when it's raining or snowing, the water (and sometimes salt) can do even more damage.
Whether you're cleaning one area or all of your flooring, Murphy® Oil Soap is safe to use on hardwood floors.
Since vinegar is an acid, it will actually break down the finish on the surface of your floor, and over time it will reduce the shine, and leave a dull appearance. Using vinegar and water to clean floors can also lead to an excessive amount of water on the floor, which can cause swelling and discoloration.
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.
Do not wet mop wood flooring.
Damp is good. Dripping wet is bad. If you can ring out the mop or pad, you're working with too much water. Excess water will lead to damage of the floor, and even the subfloor.
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.
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.
Hardwood Floor Protection with Area Rugs
In theory, area rugs protect your hardwood floors by taking the brunt of the daily traffic, furniture shuffling and the like. That's all true — area rugs prevent sunlight damage, furniture scratches, debris, dust and water from outdoors, etc.
Wait 3 weeks before putting area rugs on newly refinished/finished hardwood floors. Wait 48 to 72 hours after the hardwood has been refinished/ finished before "PLACING" furniture back in its place. Keep a steady temperature and humidity within your home.
Natural rubber rug pads
Natural rubber is the best overall option for hardwood floors in terms of both safety and performance. It's perfectly safe to use with all hardwood flooring and finishes. Natural rubber also has very strong gripping power but will never stick to your floors.
White vinegar is ideal for cleaning wood floors. You can also buy cleaning vinegar, which generally has a higher concentration of acid than regular vinegar.
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.
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.
Vinegar and vegetable oil both disinfect and protect wood floors. You can use vinegar and vegetable oil to clean hardwood floors and leave them with a shine.
Do NOT clean your floors with Murphy's Oil Soap, Mop and Glo, Orange Glo, Swiffer Wet Mop, furniture polish such as Pledge, vinegar, ammonia, or any pine cleaners! All of these cleaners, over time, will dull and damage the finish.
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.
Dirty or wet shoes can also cause the floors to warp and shift, so the best option is to simply walk barefoot or in socks when walking on the hardwood. Or, if you really want to keep your feet warm, wear comfy indoor slippers. Be comfortable, and protect your wood floors at the same time.
Bare feet will cause only minimal marks on wood flooring. Wood flooring can add warmth and value to a house, but it is susceptible to certain types of damage. For example, moisture and oil from your body can cause problems for a wood floor and its finish layer.
Properly finished hardwood is safe to walk on barefoot. When settlers began migrating to Northern America, wood flooring became common because timber was so much more available than in Europe. In the 21st century, wood is considered one of the most durable, long-lasting and most sought-after flooring options.