Cleaning wood floors

For the first time, I finally have wood floors. I must say, they scare me a little bit when I see all the dust that accumulates on them and to think about that equal amount in the carpet. With the wood I can see it and therefore I know to clean it but I don't really have a good idea of how. My problems are this:

1. General dusting. How do most of you do it, please be specific. Do you just run a dry mop over it? I have been sweeping and that has not been overly effective. I also have an electric broom that is junk and I hope to one day upgrade but that is in the future. With the general dust as well, how do you handle things such as under the bed (I have no dust ruffle) or under the couch, etc.

2. When mopping I get streaks. Any idea of what is causing this. I am now at the point where I only use water for mopping (I notice the streaks on the tile as well, just not quite as badly). How often do you mop? How do you handle little spots (like a baby spitting up on the floor)and what can be done about all of those footprints.

I am sorry, I know that it is a lot for one post but I greatly appreciate any help that can be offered.

I have both "Real wood" and pergo. My real wood floors I have to baby b/c if you use too much solution, etc. they really streak. I know it is a "no no" but I use a warm vinagar rinse on them about ever 3 months to strip away the old build up of cleaner, etc. Bruce also makes a hardwood cleaner that is a stripper of old polish/buildup, etc. Sometimes I use this instead of vinegar. On a daily basis, I swifter. About every two weeks I clean them either with the Bruce Cleaner or vinegar rinse.....For Pergo - I swifter daily AT LEAST and then do spot cleaning with just warm water....

I have laminate flooring (love love love it!) I vacuum it most of the time. I use a hardwood floor mop like this:

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=314628

occasionally. I have a spray bottle with a 1/2 cup vinegar, remainder water and slight amount of Murphy's oil soap in it, and I spray the floor, then use mop on it. The floor never gets very wet and ends up almost completely dry.

There are those who recommend against vinegar and oil soap for wood floors. The oil soap amount is small, and I haven't had any problems with the vinegar (which is also small in this recipe). There are commercial products on the market if you want to go that route -- this one has worked for me.

Jean Marie

I have solid wood flooring-

Daily-floors get vac. with a stick vac.

Bi-Weekly- mopped with hot water and pine sol using a libman wonder mop

Bi-weekly (alternating)- I run the Scooba with Scooba solution

Weekly- I use a quick shine floor wax (holloway house) It is really hard to find here and I buy all they have when I find it. It works great- the floors have a beautiful shine and it doesn't buildup.

Small spills are treated immediately with paper towels and if I just waxed I just use an old cloth diaper and wax that spot.

Jean Marie- I like the Murphy's oil soap and it works great- but DH hates the smell.

Tish-if you're floors are streaky- make sure you are getting all the dirt up prior to mopping, use a good mop that is damp (not too wet) and make sure the mop water is changed frequently. Rule of thumb-if the water looks dirty- it is- change it.

I have a steam mop. It is wonderful on wood floors and they do not get the floors "wet'. The steam dampens it and evaporates quickly, dry in a minute..the worse thing you can do is "wet" wood . I clean all my floors in minutes, doesn't break your back and they are squeaky clean and sanitized ( type in steam mop in search bar on ebay, they are hard to find in stores. (I have the "Homeworks" one ) stay away from Bissell ..never heard any thing good about that brand. The Lysol brand wants you to use their cleaner..stay away from these two- all you need in it is just water.
I also have the hoover floor mate. I put vinegar and a few drops of lemon juice (great mix for wood floors) in place of their cleaner..I love that also.( nearly every room in our house is wood floors) Both of these products are made for hard wood floors, but also works great on tile and other surfaces. hope this was of some help!

Hi!
What type of finish do U have? All of the advice given here R about "Polly" finished floors. I think most posters R by far younger than I and I am 54. I grew up in the days when U could not use water. My mother was nuts and we had to clean & wax them twice a year. We had Parquet and Oak. This was a total pain!!! U had to clean them with Bruce cleaner, open all of the windows, as U would not B able to take the fumes, then hand apply the paste wax, being Butcher's or Bowling Alley wax. The cleaner would be applied with pads of the finest steel wool #0000, I think, and then had to be wiped up. Then go outside and get some fresh air. Now we would apply the wax. We just took a handfull of wax and placed it into a nylon stocking. Warm it in your hand and go to it. Let it dry and then buff it off with a floor machine with bruhses and the with the lambs wool buffing pads. The dog could not walk and all guests entered at their own risk. Unless U have this type of floor anything will do as U R dealing with plastic. It is just like a Formica counertop. They have never had floors like I just described and never will. I will never have them again as my entire home is covered in white carpet. I have covered all hardwood with this in the last 3 homes. I would never do it any other way and no 1 takes their shoes off on my request. They all do as they all have white carpet so there is no need to worry. That is just the school of thinking. Just deal with this as plastic and don't flood it with water and U will B fine. I clean 4 a living and they pay me big $$ for what I know.

Get a good canister vac 2 do the day 2 day. i can't believe what people think is $$$ on this site!

Good Luck!

I live in an 80 year old house with the original oak floors and an added family room with new Bruce floor.
I have lived all my life but for about 12 years with wood floors....they are really no big deal!
Just dry mop them....I sure don't mop every day!! But amybe once a week...
I just use a dist mop fo a dry swiffer....if they are dirty I use a little ( VERY little vinegar water....I just spritz a little on the dust mop and swish.
I do remember the days of Bruce prefinished floors...not the old shellac finish....and I did the twice a year wax and polish thing....but the really old shellac floors are really nicer and easier...
I sure wouldn't be using any steam mop on my floors!
Linda C

This forum is to share with others in what we use and works for us. Not to put down what someone else may use, if you personally wouldn't use it, that should be kept to your self. Everyone has their own method in what they prefer to use, it may not be what someone else may prefer, but we are not here to be critics, just to share and be helpful to others. My house is a 120 year old victorian with original wood floors in most of the house. They have all been refinished , they are beautiful and clean. They never dulled or have any type of damage from the steam mop, it's tried and true . So you can keep "disting" and I'll keep steaming.

I use a Pledge dry mop a few times a week to pick up all the dust, dog and cat hair. I wash the floors with warm water and vinegar and a few drops of Dawn. The floors are clean and shiny. I use a rag type mop that I saw a cleaning crew I had in use. I think it's Jiffy brand, from HD. You can wash the mop head and ring it out really well before using on the floor. I found the Murphy's left a film on my floors. I have a water based, satin finish on mine, no poly.

Try Bona Kemp or Zep, you can buy it from Lowes. Vinegar is not good for your fllor.

I have prefinished hardwood floors. I vacuum weekly with a canister vac, then clean them with a dust mop and spray hardwood floor cleaner by Zep that I buy at Home Depot. This is what the installer recommended when I had them put in a few years ago, and they look great.

As eteinne has aready written, your choice for cleaning products depends on the type of finish you have on your floors. A product that is great for one type of finish would be a disaster for another - you don't want to ever apply wax to a floor finished with polyurethane. Here is a link to help you figure out your floor's finish.

I vacuum my floors with the floor brush attachment. I seldom mop it, I mostly just spot clean with water. I use runners in the hallways.

Here is a link that might be useful: Floor finishes

I vacuum daily, because as you notice, every bit of dust and lint (and pet hair) shows up on wood floors. I used to mop only with a slightly damp mop and a weak bleach and water solution, and once every so often I used a spray-on wood floor cleaner. I decided to try a steam mop and now it is the only thing I use after vacuuming, and my floors gleem like they never did with my previous cleaning method. The steam mop is safe for my particular floors. I have the Shark brand, which does not leave any wetness on the floors at all.

Mine are finished with polyurethane and I vacuum them with the floor brush on my cannister and clean them with a steam cleaner. I've been doing this for 14 years without any problems.

I have polyurethane coated oak floors. I vacuum regularly. My Miele vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter that catches a lot more of the dust that a vacuum cleaner without it. Miele is expensive, but there are others with a HEPA filter that are reasonably priced. I also damp mop the floors with Murphy's Oil. It's okay to use this if your floors have polyurethane coating, so check to make sure. With Murphy's Oil, you need to wring out the mop as much as possible. I find the floors dry in a couple of minutes and look clean and crisp. One other thing: if your house has a forced air heating/AC system, you should consider using quality filters of the type that are endorsed by the American Lung Association. They're costly, but they last 3 months and really keep the air in your house (and your lungs), much cleaner.

Suprised to see this thread again. I replied back in the summer that I use vinegar water to clean the floors after using the dry swifter.
Now I have the Shark steam mop. I do use the dry wipe Swifter almost every day, it is shocking how much dust gas forced hot air puts out onto your floors. And I now use the Shark twice a week. Way faster than mopping, and the floors dry almost instantly.

Some have posted to Murphey's oil, that will cause a build up and when you go to refinish your floor you will have major problems.

Steam cleaners do great, but can and will cause damage in the seams. Think about steam is being shot and high pressure at your floor.

Bleach and vinegar are no good for wood at all.
Here is a link and the post to common hardwood myths.
http://www.lumberliquidators.com/custserv/aboutus.jsp?pageName=Flooring101

Damp mopping is the best way to clean a wood floor.
To the contrary, water and wood do not mix. Throw away that bucket and mop! Water causes deterioration of the wood itself, as well as the finish. Use maintenance products and procedures that will not harm your urethane finish.

Kitchen floor cleaner with vinegar, ammonia, or abrasive cleaners are the best products to use when cleaning my floor.
Never use these kinds of cleaners, as they can dull and damage your hardwood floors and void warranties. Use products safe for urethane finishes.

It is always best to use my vacuum with a rotating brush to remove grit and debris from my wood floor.
While weekly vacuuming is important for removing dirt and grit, a special hard surface brush tool should be used.

A beater bar with a hard bristle brush can scratch your hardwood.

Wood floors require a lot of time and effort to maintain them.
Unlike other types of floor coverings, hardwood floors can be kept looking like new with a minimum amount of effort. Never damp mop your floor. Use only products designed for wood floors. Just spray and dry mop across the floor.

I have heard the oil-soaps are the best way to clean my wood floor.
Soaps will leave a harmful yellow film causing the finish to alligator and crack.

I love Fuller Brush's Wood Floor Easy Clean Mist because it contains vinegar to really clean, yet it doesn't leave any build-up because it contains no waxes or oils. They also have several other products for various types of floors, but this is my favorite. It's on sale this month (item 633907).

Christine

Here is a link that might be useful: Fuller Brush Central

I use Parker and Bailey wood floor cleaner from Bed, Bath and Beyond with a terry cloth mop head. I have pre-finished Brazilian Cherry. I do use a damp, well wrung out mop head.

I have tried the "spray and wipe" cleaners with the mop head being dry -- they do not clean the spots, drips and marks on my dark floor, especially since my hardwood is is the kitchen. Having the terry cloth mop head slightly damp makes all the difference.

I hope I am not harming my floor but I won't be around in 50 years to find out anyway.

livvysmom,

I love the Parker & Bailey Furniture Creme (That is what it says on the outside of the container) and was unaware that they made a floor cleaner. They have been around since 1819! My question to you is have you experienced any change in the color of the floor since it has been exposed to sunlight? This is a top of the line home and everything is the top of the line as the husband builds for a living and he can get it at cost. The floors are a mess and 20 changes of color as to N/S/E/W sun exposure. Open a closet door and the closet floor is the original color. This drives me crazy! I did tell the wife not to put this in as this is not the blonde floors from the 50'S! It show all of the flaws. Then they had 2 Weimereiners. I know that is not the correct spelling but they slobber all over the floors! I would be on my hands and knees knocking the dog slobber off these floors with a old credit card as I could not flood them with water. They had to put them down as they were old. That has knocked 2 hours of the cleaning of the house!

Now to all of you who use the "Starfiber" mop. There is a new mop head out there that works better the the Original. I found it 2 years ago and would not order it as they stated that it was more abraisive. I didn't want to damage the floors in the houses which I cleaned so I never ordered it. Last winter I was out in Palm Springs and they were selling Starfiber in some open air market. I was able to see it first hand and purchased a dozen. They were so cheap! I think $2.50! The loops are longer and clean better. It is much easier to push as these are not so dense where the pad hits the floor. You just realy have to wring them dry. Roll them from end to end and squeeze as hard as you are able. Turn it inside out and repeat the process. They are great! I don't have to use the old credit cards any more!!! It saves the knees! LOL

eteinne -- my floors are prefinished Brazilian Cherry (Bellawood) -- they are dark and shiny and show every drip, scuff, scratch and crumb. They did darken after we put them in but stopped probably after a year. They are still darker under my front door rug but really -- who cares? If it bothered me I could just leave the rug up until the floor underneath "caught up".

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