What to Use to Clean Hardwood

Hardwood floors are a durable, long-lasting investment for your home. Maintaining your investment is important to keep it looking and feeling new. This means regular cleaning in between professional cleanings. Fortunately, the best way to clean hardwood floors requires only three, simple tools.

WHAT TO USE TO CLEAN HARDWOOD FLOORS

• Quick-drying, ph-balanced hardwood floor cleaner

• Vacuum or a broom and dustpan

• Microfiber mop

These three requirements are also just as efficient for cleaning laminate flooring. Cleaning laminate flooring also calls for a fast-drying cleaning solution and a microfiber mop to reduce drying time, allowing the floor to dry as fast as possible to prevent any water damage.

Before you use a neutral hardwood cleaning agent, or make your own, it’s important to test a small area before cleaning the entire space. It’s best practice to know what topical coatings are on your hardwood floor because it’s possible to find a white film on the surface if any moisture penetrates a wax or acrylic treatment. Always test an area, then begin with low amounts of cleaning solution and increase if necessary.

HOW TO CLEAN HARDWOOD FLOORS

1. Clear the floor.

3. Mop floor.

1. Mop along the grain.

2. Use a microfiber mop.

3. Use a neutral hardwood floor cleaner and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

• Note: only use a microfiber mop and neutral hardwood floor cleaner, other floor cleaners and mops can warp your hardwood floors and/or leave a residue.

DIY HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANER

1. 1/8 C dish soap
2. 1/8 C vinegar
3. 1 gallon water

4. Buff as soon as possible with a microfiber towel.

Dirt gets easily trapped in hardwood, especially if you have older floors with years of wear and tear. Between regular maintenance, it’s a good idea to properly take care of your hardwood floors and get them deep cleaned to remove dirt and allergens deep down that a microfiber mop can’t.

We recommend calling a cleaning service to professionally clean hardwood floors once a year.