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Occasional Contributor
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎12-15-2013

Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

We just had new hardwood floors installed. Gorgeous but very pricey. The installer's wife recommended the Swiffer vac for everyday use and quick clean-ups. Well, I bought one & just tried it out for the first time. It scratched my new floor! Thankfully, I noticed it in time & the surface scratches were contained to one small area. But still. I am not happy about this to say the least! She also recommended Bona cleaning products so now I'm questioning that as well. So...how do you safely clean your hardwood floors?

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Sweep them? Swiffer them? (If so, any issues?). Vacuum them? - dry wet or both? What works best? What is the best stick vac that won't scratch/damage hardwood floors? What about a Shark?

How often do you mop? What products do you use when doing so?

Thanks in advance! I appreciate it!

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 54,410
Registered: ‎03-29-2012

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

When I had hardwoods, I brewed several gallons of tea (for the tannins, but no sweetener) and used that like mop water. I wrung the mop out so that it was almost dry and then mopped. I have pets, so the tea didn't bother them and it's inexpensive.

I have also used Murphy's Oil Soap for the floors.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,865
Registered: ‎12-18-2010

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

I use vinegar in water and squeeze the mop until it is almost dry.

Jessa
Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,255
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

i generally use the spin mop and a highly diluted fabuloso. i also have a manual swiffer.

i also use a stick vac to get up crumbs and dust that i have to use almost daily.

we have hardwood floors in almost every room of the house. kitchen, back door area, dining room, living room, family room, hallway 2 bedrooms the hardwood is exposed, 4 bedrooms the hardwood is covered by wall to wall carpeting. the rest of the areas are either tile or marble.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,336
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

I used Mop and Glo. worked well on the polyurethaned finish.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,583
Registered: ‎06-25-2012

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

I have new hardwood floors throughout. I absolutely LOVE them but boy are they high maintenance! I have two long hair cats and always have to keep up with the fur balls flying! I have a Dyson vac that I use to vacuum daily. About once a week I clean them using my Swiffer. I tried Bona but it sort-of left my floors sticky feeling. Congrats on your beautiful new floors!

"Pure Michigan"
Super Contributor
Posts: 2,007
Registered: ‎04-05-2010

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

They shouldn't have scratched that easily. How are they finished? Waxed or a polyurethane?

We had our solid oak floors sanded and refinished 17 years ago. We vacuum them with our Dyson, dry mop with reusable microfiber pads, wet mop with a damp mop and Murphy's Oil Soap. We don't baby these floors - we take care of them, put rugs on the outside of the doors, but we have 3 cats, raised 2 sons, had annual family reunions, moved furniture, leave our shoes on, etc. They don't scratch from a Swiffer.

Hardwood floors should have a hard durable finish. If mine had scratched that bad that soon, I would be calling the installer and asking them to fix the problem.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,889
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

We use Zep Hardwood (and Laminate) floor cleaner and one of those Swiffer like mop things with a removable cotton cover.


Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?
Valued Contributor
Posts: 1,606
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

I use the Bona about every other month. It's double the work because you have to vacuum, then mop and then put the Bona on the floors. I have a huge amount of square footage in hardwood. Mops have been trial and error. I've heard not to steam mop them. The spin mop catches in the wood. My floor is 40 years old so maybe you won't have this problem. I am now using a Hoover floormate. It takes forever but it does have a dry setting. I cut the cleaner in half or it leaves streaks. I use one capful of Hoover cleaner.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,104
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Help! How do you clean your hardwood floors?

I use a microfiber mop dry, then either damp mop or steam my floors. I live in a 70 year old house and we recently re did the original floors

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.