The Dos And Don’ts Of Cleaning Your Hardwood Floors

What’s okay and what’s *really* not

One of the many reasons you love your home is those great wood floors. Problem is, they tend to show off dust bunnies and mud tracks as well as showcase your amazing design style.

So, there are a few things to consider when cleaning and regular maintenance are concerned. Consider this: It’s as easy to ruin your wood floors trying to clean them as it is to neglect them entirely. Try explaining to your roommate or house guests how that 10 x 10 section of the floor lost its varnish or why that corner is peeling up from the ground entirely.

As such, we thought it’d be helpful to break down some major do’s and don’ts when it comes to caring for those gorgeous planks. Reading this article will put you in charge of your wooden floor fate and ensure that its shiny aesthetic stays intact for the long haul.

DON’T do these things:

Turning your favorite part of your home into the most stressful is just an innocent spray away. Let’s dive into the things you SHOULDN'T do when maintaining your wood floors.

• Don’t steam clean your wood floors
  In the same way that standing water can saturate the wood, so too can steam, which eventually turns into moisture. Save steam cleaning for vinyl, tile, or linoleum and never use it to clean your wood floors.

• Don’t ignore spills
  Anyone with kids knows that spills are a part of daily life. Sippy cups gone wrong or airborne cereal bowls are your wood floor’s worst enemies. If a spill happens (it’s okay, they’re part of life), address it immediately. That includes ice cubes that spill out of the freezer, wet doggy paw tracks, and those muddy boots.

• Don’t use the wrong cleaning products
  Acrylic products and paste wax do more harm than good on your wood floors. In fact, they actually strip the wood of polyurethane and can even create an accident-prone slippery surface. Best to skip these entirely.

• Don’t use heavy equipment
  Using a hard-brush broom meant for outdoor spaces may scratch your wood floors, so make sure to use an indoor variety. Similarly, a floor cleaning machine meant for tougher surfaces will permanently damage your wood. Instead, use our recommended techniques, listed below.

Do these things:
There are plenty of things you can do to clean and maintain your wood floors, and they’re all fairly easy and straightforward.

• Do use a cleaning solution with the right PH level
  Look for a cleaner with a PH level of about 7. Anything higher has too much alkaline and anything too much lower is fine for your multi-purpose surface areas but not your wood floors.

• Do use a vacuum cleaner You will also want to consider vacuuming at least once a week. If your vacuum has a “hard floor” setting, use that for the toughest suction. Conversely, using a “brush roll” setting can actually scratch the surface of your floors, which is no bueno indeed.

• Do use a microfiber-like mop For dealing with dust and dirt, look for a mop with a microfiber-like dusting agent. Microfibers are made up of super-soft synthetic materials that absorb dirt and grime without leaving behind any scratches. The Swiffer Wet Jet Wood is a good choice since it uses a thick, dry, sweeping cloth to conform to the surface of your floors, trapping and locking the dirt.

The key to keeping your wood floors looking sharp is simply to pay attention to them every once in a while. Knowing which cleaning methods are okay and which ones aren’t is more than half the battle. If you’ve made it this far down the page, you’re well on your way. Now, it’s just time for a little muscle.