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How to Clean Hardwood Floors Properly Without Damaging Them (4 Easy Steps)

How to Clean Hardwood Floors Properly Without Damaging Them

We at Cozy Home Hunter love hardwood floors. But we have seen our fair share of damaged and dull wood floors from improper cleaning rituals. So, what is the best way to clean hardwood floors?

Start by removing all the dust and debris from hardwood floors. Use a damp mop (not wet) to mop the floors regularly. Only use non-corrosive and hardwood-safe products to clean hardwood floors. If you notice any stains or scuffs, scrub it gently with a damp sponge. 

For anyone with hardwood flooring in their house, you don’t have to dread cleaning day. With the proper cleaning routine, your hardwood floors will last for decades and shine like it is brand new. Here is a step-by-step guideline of how to clean hardwood floors without damaging them. 

How to Tell If My Hardwood Floors Are Sealed?

How to Tell If My Hardwood Floors Are Sealed

Before proceeding to the cleaning process, you need to determine whether or not your hardwood floor is sealed if you do not know that already. You can very easily tell if your hardwood floors are sealed with this simple test. 

Find an inconspicuous area on your floor and pour a drop of water. Wait a few minutes to see if it soaks in or beads on top. If the water drop beads on top of the floor, you have a sealed flooring — meaning you can use a water-based cleaner to clean your floor. 

If the floor absorbs the water drop, you do not have a protective layer on your floor to protect it from moisture-caused damages. Click here to learn how to clean unsealed hardwood floors. 

How to Clean Hardwood Floors 

How to Clean Hardwood Floors 

Step 1: Remove all the debris

Dirt and grime build-up can be a major hurdle to cleaning hardwood floors. Keeping dirt and debris off the floor is key. Dust particles act like sandpaper when you step on them and scratch the surface. They can also get into the wood textures, which is a pain to clean up. It is recommended to sweep or vacuum high traffic areas daily. You can also run your Roomba in places like the kitchen, dining area, family living, etc. You can run the vacuum or sweep once or twice a week in fewer traffic areas. 

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iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum-Wi-Fi Connectivity, Personalized Cleaning Recommendations, Works with Alexa, Good for Pet Hair, Carpets, Hard Floors, Self-Charging, Roomba 694
  • MORE THOUGHTFUL THAN YOU THOUGHT – The Roomba 694 takes vacuuming off your mind with personalized cleaning suggestions powered by the unique intelligence of IRobot OS. Learns your habits and your routines..Runtime : 90 minutes
  • 3-STAGE CLEANING POWER – The 3-Stage Cleaning system lifts dirt, dust and debris from carpets and hard floors while an Edge-Sweeping brush takes care of corners and edges. Auto-Adjust Cleaning Head automatically adapts its height to effectively clean carpets & hard floors.
  • FOCUSED CLEANING YOU CAN COUNT ON – IRobot’s Patented Dirt Detect Technology allows the Roomba 694 robot vacuum to detect dirtier areas of your home and clean them more thoroughly.

After the daily sweep using a broom, you can use a dry mop or dust mop to pick up any remaining if you are not going to mop the floor. You can also run dry (microfiber cloths) to clean up the fine dust that the broom hasn’t picked up. Make sure you use a soft-bristled broom and, of course, move with the grain when cleaning. Use the hard floor setting on your vacuum to avoid scratching the hardwood with the brush roll.  

Step 2: Choose the right cleaning products

Before moving on to the mopping part, let’s discuss which products are safe to use on hardwood floors. We cannot stress this enough, but using the right cleaning product will make your floor clean and look brand new. Keep in mind that different finishes require different products. So, ask your manufacturer to find out which type of finish you have and find a suitable product. 

Experts recommend avoiding hard chemicals to clean any hardwood floors as they can create hazing. Also, avoid anything that says it will polish, shine, rejuvenate, or revitalize the wood floor. These will only create unnecessary product build-up when used too often and make the wood floor look cloudy after a few months. Avoid using straight ammonia, alkaline products, or abrasive cleaners, as they dull and damage the surface. 

You can use something as simple as a few drops of Murphy Oil Soap diluted in warm water to mop your hardwood floor. Another great DIY alternative is a cap full of vinegar and a few drops of dish soap (half a pinky nail worth) mixed in with a bucket of warm water. Vinegar is a mild disinfectant and cuts through grease and grime without leaving any streaks. Use warm water instead of cold water as it dries up quickly.

Step 3: Use a damp mop to clean the hardwood

For the best mopping result on your hardwood floor, keep five key things in mind –

  1. Use a damp mop, not wet
  2. Use a flat microfiber mop or microfiber twist mop
  3. Mop in an “S” pattern
  4. Dry the floor quickly by either using a ceiling fan or microfiber cloth
  5. Mop along the grain of the wood

Prepare your mopping solution and soak the mop head in the bucket for a few minutes to soften. Put the mop in the wringer and twist until almost dry. If you are using a flat head mop, slide it against the dryer at least 3 to 4 times. Start mopping from a corner using an “S” shaped pattern and mop your way out of the room. 

When mopping a large area, divide the floor into sections for the best result. To be extra diligent, you can take a microfiber cloth and do a quick wipe down, so no water is left behind. Change the water once it becomes dirty. A quick rule of thumb is to change the water once you can’t see the bottom of the bucket. Rinse and re-dampen the mop often to avoid streaks. 

You should mop high-traffic areas at least once or twice a week. For less-trafficked floors, you can get away with mopping once per month or once a season. Avoid mopping against the grain for the best results. 

Step 4: Treat any scuffs or scratch

Regardless of how well you sweep or mop, you will find stains and scratches that the mop just won’t get rid of. The best way to get rid of stains and scuffs on hardwood is to get on your hands and knees and treat them individually. 

To remove any scuffs or stains, use a damp sponge and dish soap and gently rub the area. If it doesn’t remove the stain, apply some baking soda to the spot and rub it using a microfiber cloth. Remove all baking soda residue from the area and wipe it dry. 

Hardwood floors are prone to scratches, especially if you have pets. You can use a liquid scratch concealer that forms a permanent seal when dry. This seal will not come off when you mop next time. You can also use something as simple as stain markers to fix surface scratches. 

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RamPro Furniture Markers Touch up, 12 Piece Furniture and Wood Floor Markers and Crayons Repair Kit – 6 Felt Tip Wood Markers, 6 Wax Crayons in Black, Maple, Oak, Cherry, Walnut and Mahogany
  • ✓DESCRIPTION -The Rampro wood pens for scratches and paper wrapped wax crayon sticks are the perfect repair set for furniture. Use our 8 color options wood repair markers to pick the color that matches the wood and fill in any scratches or blemishes.
  • ✓QUALITY – Our furniture repair kit matches to most type of wood finishes. The wax filled crayons are for hardwood floor scratch repair. The set comes with a sharpener to keep the furniture scratch repair crayons freshly sharpened.
  • ✓SPECS – The 8 furniture pens for scratches come with large tips to get the perfect shade to match the wood. It also comes with 8 crayon wood stain pen and a sharpener. The 8 colors included are white, grey, cherry, mahogany, walnut, black, maple, and oak to match most wood tones.
  • ✓DESIGN – The wood touch up markers and wax crayons have chiseled tips to get smaller spots. The wood scratch repair markers cover can be attached to the back, so it won’t get lost and has a small piece attached to stop from rolling off the table.
  • ✓USES – This wood floor repair kit is suitable for flooring, furniture, moldings, and other wooden items. It instantly covers blemishes, chips, and nicks on scratched wood and wood finishing. Great for wooden furniture, floors, trim, cabinets, tables, bedposts, doors, frames, etc.

5 Things You Should Do to Avoid Damaging Hardwood Floors

5 Things You Should Do to Avoid Damaging Hardwood Floors

Clean up spills immediately

Never leave wet or sticky spills on any wooden surfaces. Wipe up spills immediately using a damp cloth and dry the area. 

Avoid using the wrong broom or vacuum

Using a broom made for harsher surfaces such as concrete or a vacuum suitable for rugs can scratch up the surface and scrape off the hardwood seal. 

Only use safe cleaning products 

Make sure any cleaning products you are using on the floor mention that they are safe for use on your particular hardwood seal. Stay on the safe side by using a pH-neutral cleaner in low concentration to remove grimes and oil from the floor.

No steam cleaning

Never use steam on the hardwood as it is highly vulnerable to moisture.

Be cautious of excess water on the floor

Overly wet mops and water drips can sneak moisture between boards and through tiny tears in the finish, which is caused by the expansion and contraction of the wood with the weather. Over time, this moisture can damage the wood.

Is It Safe to Use Vinegar to Clean Hardwood Floors?

Vinegar has antibacterial properties, making it one of the best homemade floor cleaners. It also cuts through oil and grimes and leaves a streak-free finish. However, cleaning hardwood with vinegar is not considered safe by the experts, especially at a high concentration. The low pH of vinegar can damage the hardwood seal and cause them to wear out faster. If you use vinegar to clean the hardwood floor, use it at a low concentration (2 tablespoons in a bucket of warm water).

What Is the Best Thing to Use to Clean Wood Floors?

What Is the Best Thing to Use to Clean Wood Floors?

Broom and Dustpan

Pick a soft-bristled angled broom that will not damage the wood surface and remove all the dirt and debris. Here are our top three picks: 

Sale
AmazonCommercial Angle Broom with Metal Handle - 6-Pack
AmazonCommercial Angle Broom with Metal Handle - 6-Pack
6-pack of brooms; ideal for sweeping smooth, dry floors and cleaning hard-to-reach areas; Flagged polypropylene bristles (splintered ends) effectively capture fine particles
$59.70 Amazon Prime

Microfiber Mop

Use a microfiber mop to pick up any dust and debris off the floor. You can also use a dry mop for touch-ups in between cleaning. Here are our best picks for wet and dry mopping –

Vacuum cleaner

Choose a vacuum cleaner that’s easy to pick up and maneuver and has a soft roller head that won’t scratch the delicate hardwood. Our top vacuum choices are –

Sale
Shark NV352 Navigator Lift Away Upright Vacuum with Wide Upholstery and Crevice Tools, Lavender, 15 in L x 11.4 in W x 45.5 in H
Shark NV352 Navigator Lift Away Upright Vacuum with Wide Upholstery and Crevice Tools, Lavender, 15 in L x 11.4 in W x 45.5 in H
Powerful, lightweight, and versatile at only 14 lbs.; Swivel Steering for excellent control to maneuver around furniture.
$169.99 Amazon Prime
Dyson V7 Fluffy Cordless Stick Vacuum for Hard Floors
Dyson V7 Fluffy Cordless Stick Vacuum for Hard Floors
Cord-Free. Hassle-Free. Powerful Suction; Up to 30 minutes of run time; wo cleaner heads and extra tools
$384.00

Cleaner

A good hardwood cleaner should quickly remove scuff marks, be easy to use, and have a quick drying time. Our top picks for hardwood cleaners are –

Sale
Sale
Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner, 32 Fluid Ounce (3 Count )
Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner, 32 Fluid Ounce (3 Count )
Safely cleans woods; Trusted for over 100 years; Does not contain ammonia or bleach
$10.66 Amazon Prime
Pledge Wood Floor Cleaner Liquid, Shines Hardwood, Removes Dirt, Safe and Gentle, Lemon, 27 fl oz - Pack of 3
Pledge Wood Floor Cleaner Liquid, Shines Hardwood, Removes Dirt, Safe and Gentle, Lemon, 27 fl oz - Pack of 3
Quickly and gently cleans wood floors; Streak-free, residue-free, leaves a natural shine; Reveal your wood floor's natural beauty
$114.77

Do you have any tips and tricks about how to clean hardwood floors? Comment below and let us know.  

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