Whether you have hardwood floors cut straight from trees or laminate and engineered floors, learning how to clean wood floors is critical. Even if the floor is impervious to staining, dirt and dust can ruin the finish over time. The best way to maintain your floor is to regularly sweep and vacuum it. Alternatively, you can use a flat mop or hardwood floor mop.
How to Clean Wood Floors?
Learn the key steps that you may follow to clean a wooden floor easily and keep it clean always.
- Sweep Wooden Floors: use a broom, flat mop or special hardwood floor microfiber mop;
- Vacuum Wooden Floors: use a floor vacuum cleaner;
- Revitalize the Floors: use liquid scratch concealers or caulk, sand if necessary, apply floor wax or polish;
- Maintain the Floors: sweep daily, vacuum weekly, use damp mop once or twice a week with commercial floor cleaner, apply fresh coat every 3 to 5 years, sand and refinish once in every ten years.
Using Natural Cleaning Agent
Cleaning with vinegar is another great way to maintain your floor. You can use any variety, but white vinegar is preferred for wood floors, as it is higher in acidity than apple cider vinegar. Red wine and balsamic vinegars are best used for cooking. It is also advantageous and preferable to use a microfiber mop to minimize the risk of scratching your wood floor. Using a dry mop before applying the vinegar-wet damp mop will remove dirt and dust from the surface, so you won’t have to do as much work.
You can also use lemon juice to get rid of dust and dirt. Lemon juice has an acidic nature that helps dislodge dirt from wood floors. Mix a cup of lemon juice with a gallon of water and mop the floor. You can additionally add olive oil to the solution.
Some Tips
When cleaning wood floors, always use mild cleaners that are gentle enough to avoid leaving residue. Avoid using too much water or baking soda solutions, as these can degrade polyurethane finishes. The microfiber mops or cleaning pads can successfully remove dirt and allergens from the floor without scratching it. These methods reduce the risk of scratching the surface. Using microfiber mops is also a good idea for preventing puddles on the floor. Replace the mop pad regularly to prevent streaks.
Can you actually mop wooden floors?
Wooden floors are not easy to clean, but it is still possible to keep them looking good with the proper technique. There are several steps that you can take to keep them clean. Use a microfiber mop head to sweep up dirt and dust, and a water-based cleaner. If you want to mop hardwood floors without leaving a streaky finish, make sure you dry mop them thoroughly after mopping. So, the takeaway is – yes, you can and you should use mop to clean wooden floors.
How do you shine hardwood floors?
The first step in achieving beautiful wood floors is to regularly sweep your home. Sweeping will remove dust and grit that might damage the finish. If you use a scouring broom, be careful as the bristles may cause scratches on the floor. Instead, use a soft bristle brush or microfiber mop pads to clean the floor. Another essential step in cleaning and shining wood floors is to clean the wood mop often. After you have wiped the floor, you can apply the shining solution one last time.
How often should wood floors be mopped?
Wood floors require regular cleaning. In addition to sweeping and vacuuming them, they need to be mopped to remove dust and particles. A heavy traffic area such as an office building will require more frequent mopping, which will be more difficult than in a light traffic area. Ideally, you should mop your wood floors once a week, although twice a week can produce better results. In some cases, you may have to do more frequently depending on the type of floor.
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