Hardwood floors

[cinmell]

What do you use to clean hardwood floors? I have been told to stay away from Murphy's Oil Soap and other cleaners like it. Sooo, what should I use that won't harm the floors? Thanks!

 

[Megan's Mom]

I use Old English for hardwood floors. It make them shiney without being slick. Murphy's Oil makes them slick. I have also used I think it is Pledge for hardwood floors. Walmart and places like that have a section for hardwood floors with the other floor cleaners.

 

[CEDmom]

We have Pergo laminate flooring and I use the Swiffer wet jet on them which works great. Swiffer makes a wet jet formula for hardwood as well.

 

[Christine]

Depends on the kind of hardwood floors you have. I have solid oak flooring with seven coats of polyurethane finish. I have been told by several different floor people to only clean them with a vinegar/water mixture. Cleans the floor, saves the finish. You do not want to use anything soapy or waxy on this type of finish because it will build up and then you can damage the floor when trying to remove the buildup.

If you have natural hardwood with no finish, you will want to use a vinegar/water mixture to clean, and then a wax based polisher such as Pledge, Old English, or a paste wax.

 

[mbb]

No Bucket, no scrubbing, hangs right up...LOVE IT !LOVE IT! LOVE IT!...................

My first tag is gonna be about my love for cleaning products, isn't it ?!!

Anyway, I agree with Christine - it depends on the type of floors that you have...

Enjoy!!

 

[RUDisney]

Vinegar and water. It takes of all the dirt and leaves them shiny with no buildup.

 

[WeirdEyes]

I just bought the Swiffer Wet Jet a couple of weeks ago and now I can't figure out how I lived without it. I love it!!!!!! Now I'm moping more than ever. And yes, I use the hardwood formula on my hardwood floors. Cleans great!

 

[disneygals]

I use vinegar and water in a spray bottle or the swiffer solution. I find both make the floors dull, though.

I bought Proshot from QVC as a sometimes finisher. It makes the floors very shiny, but not slippery. It doesn't last long in high traffic areas, we stupidly have hardwood in the kitchen.

Vivienne

 

[minniecarousel]

I use the Murphy's Oil Squirt & Mop stuff. The floors haven't been looking too good lately. Maybe I'm getting a build-up?? What is the ratio of vinegar/water that you all are using? No rinsing?

 

[Minnie824]

I was also told to only use vinegar and water. Thankfully, there are now those premoistened wipes that attach to swiffer or whatever....I think theyre a pledge brand though, but they're specifically vinegar and water for hardwood floors. So much easier!

 

[RUDisney]

Disneygals, I have hardwood in the kitchen and love it! I have had tile and linoleum and would never go back to either. Sorry to hear that you don't like yours.

 

[snoopy]

Another one who swears by the Swiffer Wet Jet!

 

[speedi-deedi]

The "floor guy" that just refinished our 10 yr old floors told me to ONLY use water and a little (1 tbsp per gallon of water) vinegar. He told me another customer had bought a swiffer wet jet and replaced their solution with vinegar and water and was really pleased with the result. I'm anxious to try it too.

 

[FreshTressa]

I can't STAND the smell of vinegar! I just wash mine with the old english about once a month and use the wet jet for in between. I love the wet jet, but like to get in once in a while on my hands and knees and give them a good scrubbing.

I have 2,000 square feet of hardwoods, and sometimes they are a PAIN to clean.

 

[jrmasm]

Everything that I have read/been told is that water is the last thing that you want to use on hardwood floors.

I agree with RUDisney re wood kitchen floors. I wouldn't have it any other way!

 

[speedi-deedi]

Ooops, better clarify!

JRMASM is correct if your floors aren't sealed. Mine are polyurethaned. If so, it's safe to use water.

 

[jrmasm]

my reading doesn't make exceptions for finishes. 99% of the infomation that I have found says do not use water regardless of finish.

Also just read that a vinegar solution does nothing to remove dirt and grease from woodfloors.

Who knows!

I'll be really interested to see what the ingredients in my cleaner are.

 

[RUDisney]

Water was taboo on hw floors several years ago. It is one of the reasons why my parents didn't put wood floors in the house that they built... too many years of watermarks in the old house. The reason why we can use water now is because the polyurethanes have improved and don't let watermarks form. The only exception to this would be an area that has water sitting on it for an extended period. That'll warp the flooring.

I feel your pain, FressTressa... I have about 3000 sq ft of wood floors. While they can be a pain to clean, they are no where near as bad as cleaning the tiled bathroom floors... Now THAT I hate.

 

[cinmell]

Thanks everyone! I have solid oak floors with a few coats of polyurethane. I've also been told to use water with some ammonia on a very damp mop but I wasn't sure of the ammonia part.

 

[PeterPanette]

I read sometime back that the best thing to use for hardwood floors is tea. Just steep a coupla family size tea bags in some hot water for about 5 minutes, then pour into your mop bucket with some added water. There is something in tea (tannins?) that cleans and shines your floors...and the tea coloring helps prevent fading. Works great!

Oh, and if you just dampen your sponge mop, you don't have to worry about water damage.

That being said.....I'd rather take a beatin' than to have to mop floors!