cleaning hardwood floors

[Derby]

I bought my wife a steam mop (Shark) for Christmas. Actually, my 6 year old wanted to get it because "It's the best! I watched a TV show on it!" LOL. So, we let her mop the living room floors with it for it's first use.

Our floor has never felt as clean as it did after using the steam mop.

I have a Shark Steam Mop, too, and it is the BEST thing ever!!! I actually clean my hardwoods now.

I have heard the Murphy's can damage some wood floors.

 

[travlnman1]

White vinegar only.

Our hardwood installer said only use vinegar and warm water.
Thats what we've been using for years.
No complaints and the wood is looking great!

 

[cheerforchelsea]

I clean model homes for a local builder so believe me I clean A LOT of hardwood floors in a week!!!

If the floors are truly hardwood it is best to clean with vinegar and warm water - about 1/4 C to a bucket of mop water. If the floors are laminate hardwood - clean with windex (the plain blue kind) and warm water.......just a spray of windex on the floor and mop with warm water for a 6ft by 6ft area. I have found that the new "string type" mops that are made out of some type of "paper strips" works the best. Never use any type of cleaner that contains any type of orange oil - it will often leave a film on the floor that is almost impossible to cut.

I have used Bona - but it is sooooo expensive!!!

 

[HaleyB]

I used to live in an old Edwardian house with really old floors. For the crumbs in the cracks you need a good vacuum cleaner with a bare floor attachment. Sweeping is just an exercise in frustration.

For cleaning them white vinegar and water. 10% for everyday cleaning, stronger is fine for tougher jobs or spot cleaning. My husband used to work for a company that maintained hardwood floors and vinegar is the only thing to use on real wood.

 

[Swimalie]

I use a Clorox Mop for hard woods and the Wood for Good stuff from Method. Is this not good? I have never noticed any build-up or problems. I have real hard woods and they are in my foyer with the widows shining down right on them so I see everything.

 

[Jenn4615]

Another vinegar and water person! And I am SO glad I am not the only one who gets on my hands and knees with a cloth to clean my floor! I thought I was just overly anal!

 

[cynjam]

We are the 2nd owners of a hundred year old house. My DH sanded/refinished all the original wood floors before we moved in. My mom keeps telling my not to mop them, because the water will ruin the wood. We also have "spaces" between the wood, some you can even see light from the basement, some just enough to trap crumbs. I'm NOT doing the hands & knees thing. My DD15 does sweep (as a chore) with a broom, but you know that's not really "clean".

Any advice? Does the Shark steamer get/leave the wood wet?

 

[shortbun]

Murphy's Oil Soap and hot water.

Do not use Murphy's if your floors have a poly finish. Vinegar and water is best or just a drop of dish detergent and then a rinse if your floors are really dirty. Sometimes ours get pretty bad at the entry ways when there is salt or mud outside.

 

[shortbun]

We are the 2nd owners of a hundred year old house. My DH sanded/refinished all the original wood floors before we moved in. My mom keeps telling my not to mop them, because the water will ruin the wood. We also have "spaces" between the wood, some you can even see light from the basement, some just enough to trap crumbs. I'm NOT doing the hands & knees thing. My DD15 does sweep (as a chore) with a broom, but you know that's not really "clean".

Any advice? Does the Shark steamer get/leave the wood wet?

He poly coated them after he sanded, right? Then a damp-not wet, sponge mop with a cup of white vinegar in the bucket. My mom used to have us on our hands and knees getting the 'doodle worms' out of the cracks in the floor. We used a broomstick then she swept. We only did that every 3 or 4 months Or if we complained about being 'bored.' lol! I just left a 100 year old home with all wood floors. We had them professionally refinished and polyurethaned. Vinegar. You must be aware that floors can only be sanded a time or two before the planks get too thin. Be careful.

 

[mrodgers]

Any advice? Does the Shark steamer get... the wood wet?

Yes. It is steam and steam is water. You will see a bit of water left on the wood.

.... leave the wood wet?

No. Use the steam mop, spin around once and the wood is dry. Since it is from the steam, it dries very quickly. It is similar to wringing out a wet towel as much as you can to make it damp and wiping the floor with that. Very little water left and dries very quickly. You can see it disappear as it dries.

My kids were painting laying on the floor in the kitchen (kid's paint, easy cleanup stuff.) They got paint all over the floor. We left it down on the floor over night because we wanted to see what the mop would do (we knew the paint would come up with some scrubbing with a wet towel easily enough the next day.) Plugged in the steam mop the next day, 30 seconds to heat up, 2 swipes over the dried up paint and it was all gone.

 

[MandM-Mom]

I love love love my Shark Pocket Steam Mop....my husband jokes with everyone that our house has never been cleaner...I actually enjoy mopping now before I hated doing my floors....

 

[tlh0726]

I use Lysol 4in1 cleaner. Dump some in one side of my 2 sided bucket, fill both sides up with water. A use a sponge mop with a head that is for wood floors.

 

[cynjam]

For those of you that have the Shark, do you have the vacuum, too? I saw an offer on TV for the Shark Navigator & Pocket Steam Mop for $250. When I priced them seperately at Walmart they were $160 & $120, so I thought the TV offer was a better deal. Anything better out there?