We just bought a new home and I want to clean/disinfect everything. How do I do that with wood floors without hurting them? I think there are some wood "cleaners" out there, but do they really disinfect?
Thanks to everyone that answered. The majority of you said to use vinegar and water, so that is what I did yesterday. It seemed to work well and the smell was not bad at all. Thanks again!
I love the Orange Glo set I got at Home Depot. You can get the cleaner at K-mart too. Use it with a microfiber mop. Its easy if you don't wait too long in between. Good luck!
After working in the flooring industry for 8 years, the best option for you is the vinegar/water solution to do a first deep cleaning, especially if you do not know what brand or type of wood it is. Please DO NOT use products such as Orange Glo or Murphys Oil Soap until you test them on a small hidden portion of your floor. They work well for some, but for most they can change the color of your wood and/or strip the finish off. Also, if your wood is not a high gloss floor they will add a shine that you may not like.
In the future, if you can find out what type of floor you have in your new home (wood vs. laminate, maple, cherry, etc.) and what brand it is (Mannington, Pergo, etc.)you can buy products specifically formulated for your floor. I couldn't find out what brand my hickory floors were when I moved in, and I use Zep Hardwood Floor cleaner from Home Depot in the spray bottle with a microfiber mop. Works great on hardwood and laminate, and leaves no residue!! Good luck!!
Hi J.,
We just had new wood floors installed in our house. The flooring guy said to use something with an alcohol base instead of water because it will evaporate faster. You don't want water to sit on top of your wood floors. He said Murphy's Oil is about the worst thing you can use because it leaves a residue that keeps building up every time you use it. My sister uses something from Menard's that she puts in a spray bottle. I haven't made it there yet to get it.
I wouldn't worry about the disinfecting part. Being able to clean a wood floor every week is more sanitary than carpet!
I hope this helps!
J. - check out this posting on FoodMatters.com. It has great tips for non-toxic cleaners that will meet all your needs. http://foodmatters.tv/_webapp/How_to_Keep_Your_Home_Clean...
As one person suggested, vinegar in water is great for hardwood floors. Be sure to wipe up any excess water.
Take care,
D.
I would not put any thing on the wood floor just water unless you know for sure it is not going to hurt it . I have wood floors and they are older floors and they are sealed and use wood cleaner . But I also have newer wood floors and they say just water nothing eles it ruins the finish . So I would be make sure what you can use and not use on them .
You can also add a drop of liquid soap to your bucket of hot water and vinegar. I usually just use the vinegar and water- our floors have never looked better!
Best thing I was told by several people is to use warm water and white vinegar.
I always clean my wood floors with vinigar. It wont leave a dull residue like a lot of the "wood floor" cleaners do. I usually put a small pour into a bucket of warm water. The vinigar smell is gone in about an hour and it really gets the floors nice and clean.
You can use 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon warm water and damp mop the floors with a mop or rag. Afterwards you want to go over the floors with a dry rag, because excess water isn't good for the wood. Vinegar is also a natural disinfectant I believe, and the vinegary smell doesn't last long at all. This is what I've been using on our floors, and it seems to do the job.
Tea Tree Oil is a natural disinfectant. You can add that to the water you are using to clean the floor. A little goes a long way. I use 2-3 drops in a load of cloth diapers, so you can see you don't need very much.
I use a product called LOC. It is a Liquid Organic Cleaner. It is made by Amway. No harsh chemicals in it and can be used to clean anything and everything!
I bought a wood floor cleaner at Home Depot in a big bottle, which I then put into a spray bottle. I'm not sure on the disenfecting part, but I'm guessing it does the job. Don't use anything too harsh or it will ruin the floor or take off the finish.
murphy's wood oil makes a squirt and mop and a spray and a mix with water in a bucket type. I don't know about disinfectant but we love the product
