We recently remodeled our first floor and now it's all hardwood floors. I love them but cleaning them has become a pain. I spot clean pretty much daily because my kids haven't mastered the art of getting food from the plate into their mouth! :). I do this with just soap and hot water which works great but I couldn't imagine how long it would take to do the whole floor that way. I currently use a Swiffer with hardwood floor cleaner but I'm finding that it is leaving streaks. So the floors don't look really clean. It's really annoying to spend all this time cleaning and yet it doesn't look clean!
I've read about a steam cleaner with reusable cloth covers. Does anyone have any experience with them? The ones I've seen are $75 - 150. I don't want to spend that much and find out they are no better than the Swiffer. Or does anyone have any other suggestions
Thanks
My installer suggested Bona or vinegar and water. I have a mop with an integrated sprayer and washable microfiber pad.
The installer said DO NOT use steam to clean hardwood.
The Bona floor care system works really well (just a mop and cleaner) and the cleaner is non toxic. Works well and easy for daily moping, but you will still need some deep cleaning once in a while.
People do it but they should Never EVER use steam of any sort on any hardwood or laminate floor.
Steam forces moisture between the boards - have you ever seen cardboard that's got wet and dried out again? - it's never the same - and your floor is just like that.
Read the manufacturer's suggestions for cleaning.
http://www.flooring-professionals.com/steam-cleaners-stea...
Put a plastic mat down before you feed the kids then clean the mat.
(Or feed the kids in a shower stall and hose them all down when they are finished.)
I use some diluted murphy's oil soap in the sink then lightly wet down an old clean towel with the soap solution. Then I wrap the towel around a push broom and mop the floors with it. It does a great job....we have lots of wood floors and it goes really fast.
after vacuuming, i only use water and distilled vinegar. spotless.
Daily vacuuming with the Swiffer vac. Spot clean as needed with a cloth and a little water. About once a week - the entire floor with Bona - which is a spray that comes with a mop (it's kind of like the Swiffer hardwood cleaner, but the guy who refinished our floors said it was better and I've never had streaks).
Every now and then as needed, move all the chairs out of the kitchen and do a hands-and-knees cleaning with a bucket of hot water and vinegear. Not the entire floor this way, but under the table where the kids make the most mess.
I've read about the steamers, but hardwood can be damaged easily and I'm too afraid that steam will ruin the polyurethane finish in the long run, so I will not get one.
Our refinisher instructed us to only use soft cloths with vinegar and water - anything else would damage the finish.
I have wood floors in my formal areas which are blocked off so the dogs can't go into those areas. Basically, I use the Swiffer and the cleaner I use is Bona.
My daughter's 1300 SF condo is mostly wood floors with exception of steps and 2 bedrooms. She uses Bona as well. When we purchased her condo in July, the wood floors looked as if they had not been cared for properly. After a few jobs on being on hands and knees with Bona, they look great now.
I would not use steam on my wood floors. The floors in both our home and condo are nailed down and not laminate. They are real hardwood floors and they do not need steam.
All the ladies in my neighborhood use Bona, including me. I suggest getting a mop with a reusable washable cloth. Right now I'm using it with my Swiffer until I run out of pads just to use them up and then I will switch to a reusuable cloth. Bona makes a mop as well if you want to use it, but it's an expensive mop. The cleaner is a little more expensive as well but worth it. I=
I now use Bona for spot cleaning after we had our floors refinished and the guy told me water is the enemy of hardwood. They do look nice but are a pain. I'm always stopping to wipe up spots of water from my husband or dog. But Bona is what they recommended.
We have a steam mop, made by Shark. We borrowed my sister's first, made by Oreck, to see how it worked. We got ours on base, so it was $70, but I think it's more at Wal-Mart/Target. She said hers was about $100.
I LOVE it. All 3 of my kids (6, 8, and 10) enjoy using it as well. My 8 year old actually ASKED to do the bathroom floors the other day. Score!
The steam mop isn't doing any damage to our floors and makes them look amazing.
I use a quarter cup of Murphy's oil in about 4 gallons of water. I damp mop and then immediately go behind with a dry cloth to dry the floors. The Murphy's oil leaves a nice conditioned look to the floors.
As I understand it's not good for water to sit on hardwood floors.
I want to try Bona too!
I use my vacuum cleaner hard floor tool to vacuum up the dust, crumbs, etc. I also have a smaller stick vac for quick clean-ups. Then I follow up with either Bona or Sal Suds. The Bona mop has a refillable container so I can spray and go and the head of it can either be used as is, or I can push the little button and the mop head vibrates and really gets the grimy stuff off. Alternately, I use a flat mop (with a washable cover) and Sal Suds (I fill a spray bottle with water and add a couple tablespoons of the Sal Suds to it). I find that the Sal Suds clean the floors better than the Bona and I use it on my tile, countertops, in the laundry, pretty much everywhere.
I've got over 2000sqft of hardwood floors. This is what works best for me…although I HAVE considered the steam cleaners. Curious to read what people say about them.
I use my shark steam mop and I love it! It has always done a great job
bona, hands and knees.
:/ khairete
S.
I use Bruce's Hard Wood Floor cleaner and an applicator type mop (wide terry pad).
I've not heard of Bona--but will check it out!
Steam cleaners are great but if you're looking to save time - this won't do it. Swiffers are the quickest and easiest thing to use. I do find them to be overly fragrant.
I use hot water and vinegar. It sanitizes as well.
Hardwood is beautiful but a lot of work to mop. I hate to mop and have 3000sf of hardwood. I have a cleaning lady!! I'd rather clean a toilet than a floor any day :)
