What is the best way to clean wooden floors. We have a new construction house with lots of dirt coming in?
Sue asked:
It’s not just dust and loose dirt - the floors are often dirty with two kids running in and out. I always thought you shouldn’t wash them often but they need it! What are the best tools (mops etc.) and best/safest cleaners for real wood floors.
Get some throw rugs, cover them bad boys until the construction is finished. Clean Gently with oil soap and cotton mop
I use Bruce’s hardwood floor cleaner. It was recommended to me by the people that installed the floor and it works great. You can get it at home depot, and it comes with a terrycloth mop that can be washed.
We have wooden floors in our house too. First sweep them thoroughly, then use a sponge mop with Pledge floor cleaner. It’s a fairly new product, but it works great. Make sure you don’t mistake pledge floor cleaner for pledge dust cleaner, because then if you walk across the floor in socks you will go for a RIDE. Good luck.
Are there any manufacturer’s directions? I would use a weak white vinegar and water solution for the dirt and then use a swiffer or dry cloth to just dust them.
You must be very careful with wood flooring or you will ruin the finish. How you clean it all depends on the finish that is on them. Poly coated wood should not have anything more than a dry mop or just a slightly damp with water only cleaning. Those “oil soaps” for wood will ruin poly coated wood and make it so that it will cost more to have the finish repaired/redone. You could end up having to buy all new floor.
You really need to find out exactly what was used to finish the floors before you do anything else.
To be safe…..I would only use a very light damp mop. Wood and water do not mix but very slightly damp mop you can get away with very infrequently. Water raises the grain of wood. And anything more than water on some of the wood finishes can destroy the finish. I know there’s all these “new” products out there that say safe for wood but if you read the “fine” print it also says to test these things in a small unnoticeable area first to be sure.
Would be good if you had manufactor’s instructions that’s for sure.