Hazy floors can occur when too much cleaner is used. Moisture issues: Water and wood floors don't mix. While water can be used as part of the cleaning process, too much can damage a floor and alter its look.
Sweep or vacuum, then mop with a commercial wood floor cleaner or solution of a quarter-cup of dish soap and a gallon of warm water to lift any lingering grime. Give the floors a final pass with a clean, water-dampened mop to remove any cleaner residue. Dry completely with a soft, clean towel.
Mix a one-to-one ratio of water and vinegar, dampen a cloth, and rub off the hazy buildups. Rinse with another cloth dampened with clear water and dry the floor immediately with a third rag. Washing coupled with wear and tear can eventually make the hardwood floor look old and cloudy.
Why Are My Hardwood Floors Hazy? The most common causes of a hazy or cloudy film on hardwood floors after cleaning are a buildup of floor cleaner, wax buildup, trapped moisture, and bad floor cleaners. All these can make wood floors appear to have a milky, white substance on top of the surface even after cleaning.
Use an ammonia solution: An ammonia solution of about 2.5 dl (1 cup) of ammonia per 4 litres (1 gallon) of water can be used to dissolve the build-up that's causing the haziness of your floors.
Murphy oil soap will bring natural shine to your wooden floors. All you need to do is dilute it properly and follow cleaning tips mentioned above. It's unique blend of natural oils, mixed with a hint of pine scent will clean away your dirt and grime while leaving behind an anti-slip and shiny finish to your floors.
Most use linseed or tung oil, or a combination of the two, as a base, but soy, sunflower, china wood, safflower, hemp, and other oils are also used. Moreover, some formulas include resins or waxes (from carnauba, candelilla, or bees) to enhance durability.
Olive oil naturally hydrates and polishes wood floors without leaving behind the dirt-attracting film common with store-bought products. It can clean and polish your floor at the same time or allow you to quickly buff dull areas back to a stunning sheen.
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.
For heavier cleaning and to restore a durable shine, use a regular microfiber mop and gentle cleaner specifically designed for finished wood floors, such as Murphy® Oil Soap.
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.
Original Author. Ok, I came up with my own solution, so if anyone ever needs it: 2 cups white vinegar in a gallon of water, mop vigorously and let dry, repeat as needed.
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.
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.
Is it better to sweep or vacuum hardwood floors? While sweeping is a great way to clean up large debris, it's best to vacuum hardwood floors to get rid of fine dust and particles that sweeping may miss, especially in the wood floor crevices. Every one to two months, wet-clean surface-treated wood floors.
Don't Swiffer sweep without vacuuming first
The Swiffer Sweeper pads will do a better job picking up dirt on floors when the larger dust bunnies are out of the way, so a quick pick-up or vacuum job beforehand could help your duster pack a mightier punch.
Conversation. Let's start with a categorization: The Swiffer Sweeper is not a broom substitute. It is a dust mop with disposable refills. You shouldn't use it to sweep up Cheerios or broken glass, but to capture dust and other remnants left behind after you've swept with a broom.
Some handle vacuums better while for others, sweeping is more effective. No matter which type of floor you have, make sure you clean other parts of the room first (saving the floor for last) and clear the space of any furniture. Then, you can break out the broom and vacuum cleaner.
You should NOT use vinegar to clean your wood floors regularly. You won't notice any damage right away, but over time, the acidity in the vinegar will break down the floor's finish, allowing water to penetrate and degrade the wood.
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.
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.
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.