14 Effective Hardwood Floor Cleaning Tips

The hardwood floor added classy with an elegant appearance to the home.

It's quite expensive, that's why once you installed it you should concern about its maintaining and cleaning. A lot of people wonder how to clean hardwood floors as it's not the same as another flooring type.

If you're one of them, you come to the right place. Cleaning this type of floor can be a hassle if you don't apply it the proper way. It may ruin your wood surface as well as your investment. Also, the dirty wood floor isn't smooth at all, and the wrong way of cleaning can be damaged it which is costly to repair and exchange.

To know the proper take care that make your floor durable for decades. As we're always there to reduce your trouble, have researched a lot of and acquired some cool way to keep the wood floor clean.

Let's dive into the discussion.

14 Ideas about hardwood floor cleaning

1. Know your wood finish

How will be treated your floor depends on its finish as wood cleaning means you actually clean its finish. So, before you start to clean the floor- determine the wood's finish to make your cleaning process easy.

Most of the new wood surfaces sealed with urethane, polyacrylic, or polyurethane. You would glad to know that this type of finish is water and stain-resistant. Also cleaning these types of floors is simple.

To identify the wood finish merely rub your finger onto the surface, if the floor doesn't smudge, then you can be sure that it is sealed with urethane, polyacrylic, or polyurethane.

Or, if it smudges, most probably been sealed with penetrating oil, oil finish, varnish, shellac, or lacquer. These types of surfaces are not durable in comparison to the new model.

You may own prefinished floors which can be easily identified as their edges are slightly raised, but these are not water-resistant though they are coated. If you see the floor isn't shiny, maybe you have an unfinished floor.

Finally, if you have confusion with finish type then pick a gentle way to clean your floor or consult with a flooring expert; after all, you can't take any chance with your pricy hardwood floor.

2. Use soft bristle broom

After knowing the surface type, you can go with this step before you dive into the mop. Usually, the mop is poor to pick up crumbs, solid debris, and hair.

But you have to use a soft bristle broom whereas, a hard bristle is harsh to the wood floor that can scratch on it. Soft bristles can easily pick up more massive dust particles. If you skip it, then this tremendous grit or sand may cause of scratch the surface if caught below a mop.

Alternatively, you can use a hardwood vacuum cleaner or handheld vacuum that intended to collect dust without harming your wood floor.

3. Take your shoes off

This is a small tip, but the effect is powerful! If you walk on the floor with shoes that means you bring dust particles and some dirt can cause marks and ruin your floor surface.

So to avoid the wise decision is walking with shoes on it. Take your shoes. During a snowy or rainy day, keep a specific boot removal place to prevent damage from water and de-icers.

4. Use dry mop daily

For wood floors don't use a soaked mop as much water can ruin the texture of the floor surface.

We recommend dry wool mop for the wood floor as it not only move dust around but also can hold all dust particle onto it before you shake the mop outside or rinse it. Do it regularly to keep clean the floor, and less dirt is easy to clean than massive.

The daily mop helps to protect the wood finish from the buildup of any dust, dirt, pet hair, and food debris. If you don't do swab, these abrasive will get turn into a stubborn stain that wouldn't get out quickly.

5. Use wet mop weekly

Excessive water is harmful to the wood floor, and even daily wet mop can cause a sticky floor residue that traps dirt and debris. But wet mop requires a week for deep cleaning, or you can repeat it twice in a month.

Using a good microfiber mop is the best thing to mop the wood floor. Also, take a spray bottle that you can control the amount of moisture hitting the surface. Don't use a sponge mop and bucket that holds more water than you need.

6. Use a gentle cleanser

When you think about using a cleaning agent on the wood surface, then pick up a mild cleanser. Never think to use an abrasive cleaner, ammonia, or product with high alkaline levels since these can scratch the finish.

Use a gentle ph- balanced soap or mild dishwashing liquid soap with water. You can put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray it over the floor, then mop it the microfiber mop.

7. Say goodbye to scuff marks

If you see the scuff marks on your wood surface, never get worried as there are simple tricks to get rid of it.

You only need an eraser that your children used in school and it works very quickly. Just rub with the grain of the wood, and after that, the mark would vanish

Else, if you don't want to back down, then you can use a tennis ball to remove it. Take it on the end of the mop or broomstick by cutting an 'x' and rub it over the scuff to buff away from the finish.

8. Removing sticky marks

Most cleaning experts would recommend vinegar to remove stickiness, but it's not suitable for the hardwood floor as we said before. Then what's the solution for it?

Well, you can try olive oil or vegetable oil. First, put the oil on the affected surface and leave it for a few moments to sit on the finish. Next, wipe the surface with a microfiber cloth to take away the oil. The sticky marks come out with the oil.

9. Removing of greasy marks

Grease on the wood surface is the cause of cloudy problems. Cleaning seems a nightmare to every homeowner.

Luckily we found an easy way for you. First, sprinkle some baking soda on the grease marks and leave it to settle for at least 30 minutes. After that, scrub the surface lightly with a clean cloth that is dipped in warm soapy water.

10. Removing white water stain

White water stain which has already penetrated the wood finish. It seems impossible to clean up, but there is some simple method to deal with it.

Using mineral oil is an excellent hack to clean this type of stain. Apply a thin layer of oil with the help of soft microfiber clean and wait for some time. Repeat this process, and after 24 hours, the watermarks get to break down.

If the mineral oil is ineffective, then you can use mineral spirit in the same way and leave it for 24 hours. Additionally, you can use baking soda paste on the surface and let it overnight for the set, then rub it softly with the microfiber cloth.

Alternatively, you can apply iron or hairdryer (warm heat that would not burn the floor surface) on the affected area for 5 minutes, lastly, rub with a clean cloth.

11. Nail polish and paints

Accidents happen, you can't stop it! But you can face it.

If you own rubbing alcohol in your cleaning stock, then you have already the solution to pick up it. Just soak a piece of cloth in rubbing alcohol and put it on the marks; scrub gently after a couple of minutes. You'll be amazed to see how quickly the nail paint comes out.

12. Wipe up any liquid

Whenever or anytime liquid like water, vomit, pet urine, and any drink may fall on the wood floor, never leave it for dry and wipe it with a clean microfiber cloth.

As well as the liquid get dry; it would damage the surface and discoloration would happen. That's why clean the liquid like a pro will save your floor from ruin.

13. Pet stain

To deal with pet stain on the wood floor- you should act quickly. The faster you can deal with it, the better. But wait for too long, you may allow it to turn into a tough stain that would difficult to clean up.

Also, you can use a natural enzymatic cleaner that is non-toxic for your surface but strong enough to clean urine stains and odor.

14. Things to avoid

We always suggest vinegar as a cleaner but in the case of wood floor cleaning we don't recommend it at all. Because vinegar is acidic (though mild), that can break down the wood finish.

Some would suggest using vinegar with water, but it also not well for your wood floor as the mixture can dull the floor finish in case of long-time use.

Also don't clean with soap-based cleaner, wax, or steam cleaner. Because, soap-based and the wax cleaner will leave a residue, whereas steam cleaner gives heat and excessive water to your wood surface, which can cause cupping and long term damage.

You can use mild-warm water but not hot water.

Final thoughts on Effective Hardwood Floor Cleaning Tips

Once you apply these tricks, you'll be delighted to see how your floor get shiny and that make your investment worth. Even we're more than glad if you get help from these ideas.

But if you see these tips will not help you to clean the floor then maybe your wood needs an expert or it's time to replace it.