Whether you have a classic wooden floor, engineered hardwood, or even laminate floors in your home, keeping them clean is essential for both their esthetics and longevity.
And yet, doing so isn’t as simple as it seems. Depending on the type of flooring you have, the best cleaners and techniques for maintaining them will vary greatly.
Today we’re here to provide you with some tips for keeping your hardwood floors looking their very best.
Whether you live in a small apartment or a large family home, we have the perfect advice for you. We’ll talk about the best ways to spot clean, deep clean, polish your floors, and more.
So let’s get started!
| Key Points |
|---|
| Cleaning hardwood floors is essential for both their aesthetics and longevity. |
| Dust mopping once a week is recommended to remove dirt and grime. Use a slightly damp mop, move in slow back-and-forth motions along the grain of the wood, and use a non-abrasive cleaner for an extra deep clean. |
| The right vacuum can be beneficial for cleaning hardwood floors. Use a lightweight upright or handheld that has a brush roll shutoff feature, which will prevent the bristles from scratching the floor. Go over each area at least twice, using a back-and-forth motion, and adjust the vacuum's setting to the lowest if using a beater bar vacuum. |
| Mops are effective but not always recommended. Use the right cleaner, don't drown your floors, and don't mop too much. |
| Choose cleaning products that are specifically formulated for hardwood floors and compatible with your floors' finish. Test them first in an inconspicuous area. |
| Troubleshoot common hardwood floor problems, such as scratches, scuffs, and stains, by using the right techniques and products. |
Table of Contents
- How to Dust Mop Hardwood Floors
- Vacuums: Friend or Foe?
- Mopping: Effective but Not Always Recommended
- Cleaning Products for Hardwood Floors
- Troubleshooting Common Hardwood Floor Problems
- Do’s and Don’ts of Keeping Your Hardwood Floors Clean
- Conclusion
How to Dust Mop Hardwood Floors
If you want to keep your hardwood floors looking their best, it's important to learn how to dust mop them correctly.
Dust mopping is a simple process that involves using a slightly damp mop and sweeping it across the floor once a week to remove dirt and grime.
First, make sure the mop is slightly damp, but not wet. This will help sweep away any debris without leaving behind watermarks. Next, move in slow back-and-forth motions along the grain of the wood. This will help ensure that all of the dust and dirt is picked up. Lastly, make sure to use a non-abrasive cleaner on your mop for an extra deep clean.
Once you've done this, be sure to let your hardwood floors completely dry before replacing furniture or walking on them again. This will ensure that no water damage occurs and also help protect against future scuffs and scratches caused by furniture being moved around.
Vacuums: Friend or Foe?
It's easy to think of vacuums as your hardwood floors' best friend. After all, they suck up all the dirt, dust, and debris that can accumulate and cause scratches or even irreparable damage. But the truth is that it's not that cut and dried—vacuums can do more harm than good when it comes to keeping your hardwood floors clean.
The Right Vacuum
The key to successful vacuuming on wood floors is to choose the right vacuum. Stick with a lightweight upright or handheld that has a brush roll shutoff feature, which will prevent the bristles from scratching your floor. Vacuums with beater bars are also suitable for cleaning hardwood floors if you make sure it's at the lowest setting possible.
How To Vacuum Right
Once you have the right vacuum for your hardwood floors, make sure you use it correctly too! Go over each area at least twice, using a back-and-forth motion instead of just going around in circles. This will help dislodge any dirt that might be stubbornly clinging to your floorboards.
If you're using a beater bar vacuum, you should also adjust to its lowest setting—anything higher could cause scratches on your floorboards.
Mopping: Effective but Not Always Recommended
Mops are a go-to tool for cleaning your hardwood floors, but they're not always recommended. Believe it or not, water can be pretty damaging to wood if not used correctly. So here are a few tips on using mops safely to keep your hardwood floors looking spectacular.
Use the Right Cleaner
When picking out the cleaner you want to use on your floors, make sure it won't damage or discolor the wood. Many cleaners are too harsh for a hardwood floor and will strip off protective layers of wax or polyurethane seal.
Don’t Drown Your Floors
It's tempting to use a lot of water when mopping the floor, but it's important not to overdo it. Too much water can cause warping and buckling in the wood, so make sure you don't leave puddles on the floor when you're done cleaning.
Don't Mop Too Much
If your hardwood floors have urethane finishes, they need only wiping with a damp mop occasionally—that’s all. Once a month is plenty unless you have particularly dirty areas that need more attention. If you're using a wax finish, then mopping more often is necessary—at least once every two weeks should do the trick!
Cleaning Products for Hardwood Floors
Keeping your hardwood floors looking great requires the right cleaning products. You want to take care of your floors, so pick cleaning products that are specifically formulated for hardwood and not those that you would use on tile or other materials.
Common hardwood cleaning supplies include:
Floors cleaners: These cleaners don’t need to foam, but should be pH neutral and should safely remove dirt from unprotected wood surfaces without leaving streaks or dulling the finish.
Vacuum attachment: A floor mop with a soft microfiber cloth can help you get into those tight spaces. It’ll also help protect against scratched floors, as the cloth will lift particles off the surface instead of dragging them across it like a vacuum cleaner would do.
Wood soap: Wood soap is specifically designed for wood floors and can help restore their original beauty and shine when used regularly for maintenance purposes.
Wood putty: If you have any cracks in your wood floors, wood putty is a great way to fill them in and make them less noticeable so they don’t detract from the overall floor's beauty.
Make sure that all the cleaning products you use are compatible with your floors’ finish and always test them first in an inconspicuous area to make sure that they won’t damage your flooring over time or leave any residue behind that attracts dirt or dust particles—this would cause more harm than good!
Troubleshooting Common Hardwood Floor Problems
No matter how hard you work to keep your hardwood floors clean, sometimes you may run into a few common problems. Don’t worry, just follow these simple steps and you can keep your hardwood floors looking amazing!
Oily Residue
If you find an oily residue building up on the floor, use a dry cloth to blot it up. You might want to use hot water or an all-purpose cleaner with a damp mop to help get it off. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions before applying any products.
White Spots
White spots on your floor are often caused by water that gets trapped and then evaporates, leaving behind a mineral deposit. To remove white spots, use a damp cloth and gently rub in a light cleaning solution (a combination of mineral oil, distilled white vinegar, and hot water).
Dullness
If your hardwood floors look dull or scratched up, try using an abrasive cleaner like steel wool to gradually buff out the scratches and restore their shine. Just be sure not to rub too vigorously as this could damage the floor’s finish!
Do’s and Don’ts of Keeping Your Hardwood Floors Clean
By now, you probably have a good idea of how to keep your hardwood floors clean. To sum it up, there are a few do's and don'ts that will help you maintain your hardwood floors:
| Do’s |
|---|
| Make sure to mop or sweep regularly to pick up any dirt or dust in the room. |
| Vacuum on a very low setting to get rid of any particles that can't be removed with just a mop or broom. |
| Wipe away any liquid spills quickly and use a damp cloth when cleaning harder spills. |
| Use an area rug or runner in areas of your home that you visit more often to keep dirt from accumulating in one spot. |
Look for cleaning products specifically meant for hardwood floors; these cleaners will be gentler and often provide better protection than regular cleaners.
| Don’ts |
|---|
| Don’t wet mop too often or leave standing water on the floor, as it can cause damage to the wood over time. |
| Avoid using strong chemical cleaners like bleach, ammonia, or vinegar on your hardwood floors as they can strip away the protective coating and damage the wood itself. |
| Don't walk on the floor with high heels or spiked shoes as they create deep gouges that cannot be fixed. |
| Avoid wax-based cleaners as they will make your floor look dull and streaky over time. |
| Refrain from using steel wool and abrasive cleaners as these can scratch and dull the finish of your hardwood flooring. |
Following these simple tips will ensure that you maintain your beautiful hardwood floors.
Conclusion
Taking some of these tips in mind, you can make sure to keep your floors looking like new and keep your home shining.
Whether it’s a regular weekly sweep or a quick touch-up, you can quickly clean your hardwood floors and make sure that they stay looking as good as new.
Keep up with regular maintenance, use the right products, and clean up any spills right away and you’ll be enjoying your hardwood floors for years to come.
Further Reading:
How to Keep Your Hardwood Floors Looking Like New