Cleaning Hardwood Floors

plain water is best. You can add about a capful of pinesol if you need/want something with a cleaner smell than water.

Nothing with soap and nothing with a wax (mop n glow,etc)

~A. C

Bruce hardwood floor cleaner is awful. I would not recommend it. It coats the floors not clean them and it makes the floor slippery.

Hi, I have a wonderful mop, Bona, that is as easy as a swifer and cheaper to maintain. It dries within minutes.

http://www.bonakemi.com/shop/products_as.htm

Hi A.,
Firstly, those Swiffer Wet Jets contain dangerous chemicals. I remember reading a while back about a dog who drank the liquid b/c it was sweet, and he died (think that was some type of -glycol) Anyway, that goes for all commercial cleaners--chemicals! I have always used a little vinegar and water mixture (about 1/2 and 1/2) in a nice industrial spray bottle like you can get from Lowe's. It works great! I used this back when I used to clean houses for a living too. If you have any essential oils on hand, add a few drops of peppermint or sweet orange to make it smell nice. Also, Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soaps are FANTASTIC and better yet, organic, no detergents, REAL soap made from vegetable oils. Add one very small squirt (it's concentrated) to your vinegar/water spray bopttle and shake. Dr. Bronner's is available at Health Foods Stores,Publix and Target!

Good Luck!
C.

I sweep with a regular broom and use a damp mop with Mr. Clean. The floors get shiny and pretty. Just wring out the mop in the bucket fairly well- I've found that even the wet swiffers don't work very well on hardwood.

Hi A.,
I used to use the Swifer Wet, the one that sprays a cleaning solution, and that worked well but I recently bought a steam cleaner (you can get them for under $100). All you add is water(no chemicals) and the cleaning pads are reuseable after you wash them, so nothing more to buy. They do a great job and the steam disinfects your floors as well so it's good for the little ones.
Make sure you sweep or vacuum your floors good before you clean though, to get all the dust.

M.

Hi, A.. We bought our home last June and had the same need for a floor clean system. My friend Heidi told me about her floor system and I am SO glad she did, I LOVE IT! It's called Bona. Here is the link so you can find someone near you that sells it. http://www.bonakemi.com/mpdealers/mpd-masterep.asp
Here is what I bought (they have other products): the Premium Hardwood Floor Care System ($39.99) and an extra Microfiber Dusting Pad (the white one) because I have a lot of wood floors and this thing really picks up the dust, dirt and dog hair! I use the Microfiber Dusting Pad once a week on the floors and the throw it in the wash. I use the Microfiber Cleaning Cloth and the Bona spray to spot clean as needed then I use the spray and Microfiber Cleaning Pad once a month on a rotating room basis, I have my house broken up into cleaning zones so one week I will clean the kitchen, the next the MB and B, the next the FR and so on. This way I never have a day I have to clean all of the floors at once. This works for me and the Bona is excellent! You just spray a little section of floor and mop. This means the floors are never sopping wet, they dry instantly. This is much better for your floors because standing water and wood equals warping not to mention a mess. The first spray bottle I used lasted me 4 months but the mop, and the rest of the equipment should last for years as far as I can tell. The replacement bottle of cleaner is $8.99 but if you buy it in the concentrate and add water using your original spray bottle it can be as little as $5.75 per replacement bottle. I bought everything online from the same site above but later discovered I could have bought it at the Ace right down the road from me. Hope this helps, S.

Hello!
I have hardwood floors as well. Murphy's soap is helpful, just add 1 cap full to cool water .I usually wash my floors by hand. I don't use a mop---but I guess a mop would be okay. But don't use the soap weekly, just once a month. Otherwise, use just plain water to wipe down floors. Hope this helps. Use the Murphy's soap on a small sectionof the floor and see how you like.

HI A.

try plain slightly diluted vinegar. I used it on floors, walls and furniture. I can't use scented cleaners.

I use a Hoover Floormate on mine. You can purchase these at Walmart, Kohl's or Target for a little over $100.

It depends if the floor was sealed after it was installed or each individual plank was pre-sealed before installation. We have floors that were pre-sealed and were told to use Bruce's hardwood floor cleaner (can find at Lowe's) b/c it's an alcohol base not water so it evaporates quickly to leave no residue and to keep any water from seeping between boards.

I use Murphy's oil soap dilluted in water. Greatest thing since peanut butter!!
K.- Owner
www.balterbaby.com
www.baltercatalogue.com

I recently purchased the Steam Shark from an infomercial and I absolutely love it! No chemicals, the steam kills germs and it leaves the floors the best I've seen them since we moved in a year ago (aside from the dog and kid scratches!). I think if you go to www.steamshark.com you can order it. It's about $80. A friend of mine uses a product from Hoover. I think it's called the Floor Mate. It's a little more pricey, but she loves it.

Hi A.,

I have had hardwoods for three years, I have found that vinegar & water is best. The mix is 1/2 cup vinegar to a gallon of water. I put it in a spray bottle, spray on the floors and mop up with a damp(not wet) microfiber mop. Works great on cabinets, too. It's cheap and environmentally friendly.

Good Luck!,
J.

I had tried every wood floor cleaner out there, and ended up using vinegar and water most of the time for cleaning my hardwoods; however, I recently have switched to using a microfiber mop head that only requires water (wrung out well so just damp mophead) and I swear to you, the floors are cleaner looking than they ever have been before and need mopping less often now and using no chemicals, thus going "green" in my cleaning. I'm using the microfiber cloths with only water for my mirrors and glass, too, and have been absolutely amazed how clean these things get my mirrors and glass with no streaks and no chemicals. I had to see it to believe it, but now I'm a believer! Be sure not to leave any liquids setting on the wood floors, no matter what you end up using. Damp mops only. I am unfamiliar with the bona system, but plan to look into that. Meantime, I cannot say enough good things about these new microfiber mops and cloths.

We have cherry floors upstairs and a low gloss urethane on them. The installer said not to use Murphy's Oil Soap on them (he gasped, actually when I said that's what I used in my old house). He said to dust the floors and then use a bucket of water with a little bit of vinegar in it. That's it. Cheap and easy.

A.,
I would suggest getting a dust mop at Home Depot or Walmart to use in between mopping. It makes mopping less often. When I mop my hardwoods i use murphy's oil soap and dilute in VERY HOT water. It does not leave my woods sticky and it seems I mop less often. I hope this helps.
S.

Two great products for cleaning hardwood are Bruce Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner. With either one, you'll first need to purchase the full kit which includes the spray cleaner and the mop. The mop is kind of like a swiffer stick with a detachable cloth that is machine washable. I'm not sure how much the entire kit costs, but after you buy it, the cleaner alone is a reasonable price. I have had a hard time finding the Bona brand where I live, but I bought Bruce at Home Depot and it works just as well. Try Home Depot or Lowes for either product. I hope this works for you.

Hi A.,

I use both water-diluted vinegar and also a product from a membership club that you can get online. It is both tough on dirt but tender to your floors. (You can actually make a baby wipe out of it because it is so tender.)There is no residue and both are natural and safe for kids to play on.

Hope I helped!

M.

Get a Shark steam mop. We LOVE ours. Our floors aren't real hardwood though (they are pergo aka laminate), so you may want to do a little research first to see if you can use a steam mop on real hardwoods. If you can use one, I recommend it because it will sanitize your floors with out using any harmful chemicals. Good luck!

I use the orange clean hardwood floor cleaning system, it works really well.

Wow! I just read through the various responses and feel compeled to share some information. I have owned a commercial cleaning and property maintenance company in the Greater Atlanta area, (based in Kennesaw) for many years. We deal primarily with the luxury home market, re-sells and model homes in particular. We are required to have a 2 million general liability policy. This is because we are responsible to protect and preserve the various installations of the homes.

Hardwood floors are not the same as they were when we were all children. In those days we could wash, wax, scrub with soapy water, etc... Not so anymore.

Be aware that any new homes should have warranties for all upgrades. You may have to ask for them. It is important to read your warranties for granite, hardwoods and any other upgrade. Know the manufacturer of your floors and keep their toll free number listed for referene. They all have technical divisions that can advise you about proper cleaning and trouble-shooting. Improper cleaning of your floors will, in most cases, negate the warranty.

Beautiful wood floors are an investment that should be protected. Some warranties specifically name Murphy's Oil Soap as what NOT to use. Most will say NOT to damp mop or expose the floor to water. That includes steam cleaners.

Today's finishes are easily contaminated. Many newer finishes are water-based. Also, not all installers apply multiple coats of finish which used to be standard. This means that if you use a cleaner that has an ingredient that tends to bond to the finish, it will eventually dull the floor. Some cleaners indeed clean the floor but begin to break down the finish. You need to protect your finish which is there to beautify and protect the wood.

The life of your hardwoods depend on the amount (and type) of traffic and the proper care of your floor. If hardwoods are well cared for, you can periodically "refresh" the finish to prolong the new look. Eventually you can have what is called a "sand and recoat". That is just light abrasion, cleaning and re-applying finish. However, if your floors are contaminated (they spot test for chemical and oil residue), this will not work and you will have to have the floors sanded and refinished. This is more expensive. Where older floors seem to last for generations, many newer hardwood floors have a life-span of only three to five refinish options before the floors have to be replaced. Therefore one should know what tyoe of floor you have, what kind of finish, etc.

I know this information will be horrifying to many who have used improper cleaning methods. Unfortunately, most builders and developers do not educate their homebuyers. From my experience, it is not ill-will on their part, but lack of knowledge. Since floor installation is subcontracted in most cases, the builders rely on the cleaners. Only the most prudent maintenance people read the warranties. I can tell you that many times warranties are negatd by the cleaning crews before the home even goes to closing!

The first time (years ago)I read the warranty for some hardwoods in a new community, I laughed and said " the homeowner will have to stand outside the home and look at his floors through the windows to maintain this warranty . . ." no moisture, no high heels, no animal's untrimmed nails, etc...wipe up any acid based spill immediately, cush as coffee as it will eat into the finish . . .

Warning: Some warranties warn that a chemical found in Swiffer cloths should not come in contact with wood floors!
There are even hardwood floor cleaners on the market that are not safe to use on some hardwood floors! Go figure. Again, I donlt personally think product manufacturers are trying to destroy our floors but that they donlt have product engineers who are researching the current and ever changing market.

Now that I have shared so much disturbing news, I will say that there are a few products on the market that are formulated specifically for this generation's hardwood floors. The Bona Khemi products are great. They are also marketed under the names "Crystal Clear" (might be Krystal Klear) and Orange Glo. Orange Glo seems to have a slightly different formulation. It leaves a film on some floors where the Bona X doesn't. I have contacted the mfg several times and cannot get a response from them about Orange Glo and warranties.

For all who have steamed, oiled, swiffered, and used good old fashioned vinegar and water --- you are in good company. Don't worry. If your floors look good and are clean and you are enjoying them, forget the warranty. The idea is to enjoy your floors. You can't go back and start over. You may even have a custom installation with a finish that allows vinegar and water or wet mopping. Remember that once you wax, you must continue waxing.

But for all who are buying a new home, read the warranty and make sure who ever cleans your home, understands how to protect your investment.

I sincerely hope I have helped and not discouraged anyone.

I use Basic H2 Concentrate from Shaklee to clean everything including hard wood. (this is nontoxic,all natural, and can't poisin you family even if ingested full strength!!!) There is a specific dilution for hardwood and never any sticky resedue! I even use it in my swiffer and just use pliers to remove the top and keep refilling! If you are interested I can give you more info or you can go to my website to look into it.
www.shaklee.net/takecontrol/getclean Click on Our Products, View products, and then on the product ( it is listed first on the list)
Hope this helps! I can send a sample too if you like.

K.

I use the swiffer hardwood for wood floors and use the swiffer vac before. Mine are never sticky and it smells great afterwards!

We had hardwoods throughout our entire old home and the best thing was orangeglow that came in a spray bottle - anything in a spray bottle that is floor cleaner, not a squirt bottle. I would spray a section and then wipe with a cloth that I would attach to our swiffer vac. I used the swiffer vac all the time to just collect dust and dog hair then would take off the dust cloths that you use with it and put on a real cloth rag when I would spray the floors. Hope this helps.

All my homes have been hardwood and I don't mop them. I spot clean with vinegar and water! Works like a charm.

We are about to take possesion of a home with hardwood floors. (This Friday!) This discussion has been very helpful. Thank you.

Hi A., we started using the "Bona" system for our hardwood floors. My husband found it at Ace Hardware. We love it and it makes our floors look great....and clean!

Enjoy your floors!

J.

Murphy's soap is the best way to go!

I use the Swiffer on my hardwood - did you use the hardwood cleaning solution?

I used to use Bruce's Hardwood floor cleaner (Lowes) and then switched to Murphy's Oil soap. I still use the Bruce's for spot cleaning and accidents, I just feel the Murphy's does a better job. Another tip my mom gave me that has saved my sanity. Keep a bad of shelled walnuts around. Any time you get a surface scratch (I get tons from kids toys), break open the walnut and use it to "erase" the scratch. It's amazing how it works. Some times I clean the floors afterwards, some times I don't. Usually I do it right before I'm going to clean but there are times it drives me crazy!

I'm partial to Murphey's Oil Soap.

It depends on the finishSatin, Semigloss or Glossy
Satin _ orange glo murphy's every 3 months
Semi gloss Murphy's oil soap once every other month oranage glo inbetween

Glossy( looks wet all the time) murphys everytime orange glo once a month.

damp cloth will get the job done. For STUBBORN ( milk spills) 1 cap full of pinesol per gallon of water

I have had hardwood floors in three of my homes now and the only way to get them clean the right way is on your hands and knees with some Dawn soap and warm water. I don't recommend the wet jet swiffer at all. I do use the dry cloth swiffer in between cleanings to get the dust up. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it does the job. I have never used any special hardwood cleaners, just dishsoap.

Try Minwax's floor cleaner. I've never had residue with that product.

Hi A.. My husband and I put wall to wall prefinished Bellawood hardwoods on both floors of our house and the stairs last year. I've been using the Bona X Swedish Formula Hardwoord Floor Cleaner to clean the floors. It's water based, non toxic and environmentally friendly. I use a squirt bottle and spray the cleaner right on the floor and then I mop it up with a mop that has a micro fiber pad that I can throw right in the wash. It works great and doesn't leave the filmy residue that dulls the floors. Here is a link to the product... http://www.1877floorguy.com/bohaflcapr.html?gclid=COXx5b6.... This isn't the site where I bought it, but I can't remember where I got it. I bought the gallon refill and bought a generic squirt bottle at Home Depot.

A.,
I use the Method brand almond hardwood floor cleaner and a damp (not wet) mop. It works well and leaves a nice scent.

i certainly don't want to do an advertisement here, but i have recently started using the bona system (available at stores like ace or true value or independently owned hardware stores). it's kind of an expensive initial layout, but it lasts a long time and really makes a very nice clean, dry shine (not sticky) on floors.

I have found that a mix of vinegar and water works the best. I don't rember the amounts (my cleaning lady usually mixes it)but you can find it online.

The Shark Steam Mop is the way to go. There is no sticky residue, it sanitizes your floor and there is no drying time. The floor dries instantly. If you follow the directions, it is perfectly safe for real as well as "artificial" hardwood floors. WITHOUT chemicals!