How to Properly Clean Hardwood Floors

Nothing says durability, strength, and beauty more than hardwood floors. Your floors are the first thing visitors see when they enter the home, and they should look amazing always. They require cleaning and maintenance to keep them looking beautiful and to keep down on the germs and viruses we come in contact with every day. These tips also work well for move-in and move-out cleaning.

Cleaning your hardwood floors isn’t that hard as long as you have the right tools and equipment for the job. You will need a good mop with a washable head you can throw in the washing machine to clean, and a disinfectant cleaning solution to remove the dirt and germs leaving your floors clean and shiny.

What to Clean Floors With?

You can use a product specifically made for wood-cleaning, like Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner or Murphy's Oil Soap. If you don’t have either of these, you can add ¼ cup Pine-Sol to a bucket with a gallon of warm water. Or if you prefer, you can make your own cleaner by mixing one part vinegar to 10 parts water. Add a few drops of liquid Castile soap and mix well before using.

Before using any commercial cleaner on hardwood floors, be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions. You may not be able to use some of these products on engineered hardwood floors. You should never use a steam mop to clean your hardwood floors or use too much water with any type of wood floor cleaner. Because moisture can damage hardwood floors, you only want just enough cleaner to get the job done.

When cleaning the floors, use a dust mop or sweep the floors first to remove surface dirt. Mix your floor cleaning solution in a bucket of warm water and wet the mop with it. Wring it out until just damp and move across the floor in a side to side motion until the whole floor has been cleaned. Allow the floor to dry completely before walking on.

Sweep Daily

You should sweep and mop floors daily to keep down on germs and bacteria that gets brought in on people’s shoes. Having a “welcome mat” at the front door helps cut down on some of the dirt particles that make it inside.

Preventative Care Tips

Protecting your hardwood floors is just as important as cleaning them. Add floor protectors to the feet of furniture that sit on hardwood floors to protect it from being scratched or gouged.

Take off your shoes when you enter the house. This is an old habit, but one that is still useful. Little bits of rock and debris get lodged in the bottoms of your shoes and can scratch your wood flooring while you walk around your house.

Wipe up spills right away. The longer the floor stays wet, the more time the floor has to become damaged by moisture.

Hire a Professional to Do the Job

Knowing how to clean hardwood floors the right way will help preserve them and keep them looking nice for years to come. If you tend to be short on time, you can have professional cleaners do this for you as part of a regular house cleaning service. A deep cleaning once per week or per month will keep your home clean and germ-free. We have all the tools and supplies needed to take expert care of your hardwood floors.