How to Clean Wood Floors

There is so much contradictory information about how to clean wood floors. Wood floors are beautiful to look at and warm to walk on but when it comes to looking after them it is easy to get confused. Should you use a special product to clean them with? Do they need more cleaning than other floors? Is the finish going to be spoiled if you use the wrong thing?

Luckily for the green-inclined home owner, it is actually very easy to maintain hardwood floors without using any chemical cleaning products at all. This is great news when you have kids playing on those floors everyday, meaning that they won’t be coming into contact with the toxic chemical residue left by many household cleaning products. In fact most hardwood floor professionals recommend not using any chemical products on wood floors, so the green alternative is better for the floor, as well as better for your family.

The two main enemies of wood floors are grit particles and liquid. Grit and dust will eventually scratch the surface so that the glossy sheen becomes a dull matt finish. Water and other liquids, if they are allowed to soak into the wood, can warp the boards. So when you are looking at how to clean wood floors, the following four methods will keep your floors looking great the green way.

Sweep your wood floors regularly with a soft broom or a dry swiffer mop to keep them free of dust and grit. How often will depend on the amount of people and animals living in your home. If you and your family take shoes off inside the home less dirt will be brought in from outside and you’ll need to sweep less often.

Vacuum your floors with a soft brush attachment every couple of weeks to get up all those elusive bits of grit that manage to escape the broom.

Use a damp mop dipped in a vinegar solution any time you need to give the floor a really good clean. Use one cup of white vinegar to one gallon of warm water. Vacuum or sweep the floor first to get rid of dirt particles. Dip the mop into the vinegar solution and then wring it out well so that it is damp not dripping. Mop the floor in the direction of the floorboards. Rinse the mop regularly and change the water if it gets too dirty.

This solution will lift light grease, paw-marks and general smears, leaving a clean wood floor looking terrific. Make sure that no pools of water or drips are left on the surface. It’s a good idea to put an old towel underneath your mop bucket to catch the spills. The surface should dry quickly and the vinegar smell will disappear as soon as the surface is dry, but if you want you can use a soft cloth to dry the floor after you’ve mopped.

For spills, the important thing is to soak up the spillage as quickly as possible. Soak it up with a cloth or newspaper, and then give it a spot clean with a damp mop or cloth dipped in a vinegar solution. Keep a spray bottle of vinegar solution on hand for quick clean ups of food spills and muddy paw-prints if you share your home with toddlers and pets!

Once you’ve learned how to clean your wood floors the chemical-free way your home will look great and your family will breathe more easily without the toxic after effects of chemical cleaning products.