Bona Kemi cleaner and a microfiber mop (came in a kit from my local hardware store). Recommended by my installer and and what seemed like about six zillion people :-) on the Flooring forum. You need very little of the cleaner so a bottle lasts a LONG time.

I use the Bona Kemi as well. I use a mop with terry cloth removable and washable covers with mine. About every 6th or 7th wash I do a water and vinegar wash. When my floors are washed they gleam beautifully.

I run a mop on our floors with plain ole dish soap and water if they just need to be cleaned real quick. Every few months I wash them with Murphy's Wood Soap. Our wood floors are very shiny and even though they are well worn, the still look very nice.

After several uses I found that the Bona cleaner left a foggy film on our floors, so now I use water with a tad bit of alcohol in it. It took the film away and the alcohol helps the floor dry faster. I still use the Bona for an occasional cleaning, but now it's much more sparingly.

Warm water and a tad of white vinegar, applied with a microfiber cloth. (Costco car cloths are inexpensive and fab). Rinse with clear water on clean microfiber cloths, absorb any dampness with a dry terrycloth mop head.

I, too have found that the Bona cleaner for wood floors leaves a film after several applications. About every 4th or 5th cleaning, I do use just vinegar and water to remove the film, and now use less of the cleaner, like lukkiirish.

If I'm going to take the time to clean the floor, beyond daily sweeping, it has to be on my hands and knees. At my age, it's the only way I can really see the dirt. ;) I use water with a little bit of white vinegar. I follow behind with a dry cloth.

Murphy's Oil Soap is not recommended for wood floors.

From the WFCA site:

"All floors with a urethane finish should never be waxed and require cleaners that wonÂt leave a film or residue.

A hardwood floor cleaner is useful in removing occasional scuffs or heel marks. Merely spray some cleaner on a cloth and lightly rub the stained area. Sticky spots can be cleaned with a damp towel or sponge.

Do not use ammonia cleaners or oil soaps on a wood floor, as they will dull the finish and performance of your floor. These products will also affect the ability to recoat your floor later.

Since wood naturally expands when it is wet, never wet mop or use excessive water to clean your floor. Large amounts of water can cause the wood to swell and may cause your floor to crack or splinter.

Being a natural product, hardwood will expand and contract due to moisture level changes. Minimize water exposure to hardwood floors and clean up spills as soon as they happen."

Here is a link that might be useful: WFCA

I, too have found that the Bona cleaner for wood floors leaves a film after several applications. About every 4th or 5th cleaning, I do use just vinegar and water to remove the film, and now use less of the cleaner, like lukkiirish.

After a once over with my central vac wood floor attachment, I clean (or my housekeeper cleans) with a gallon of water and about 1/4 cup of Windex applied with a terry cloth dust mop. Been doing this for years and so has my mother.

This is so confusing. I don't know what to do. There are so many differing opinions.

Citra Sheen. Hands down it's the best. Nothing could work better. I love this stuff. It was developed in the USA (Lincoln, NE)and I believe it's still made there though the citrasheen.net site is down. The company I found online to order it from is out of Maine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Citra-Sheen

Another vote for Murphy's Oil Soap and a microfiber mop.

Water and vinegar here - with the microfleece pads that velcro to the flat mop base. Leaves floors sqweeky clean and shiny. Have heard good things about Bona, will eventually try it. But the vinegar sure is cheap!

My Windex has vinegar in it, but smells better. :)

"Citra Sheen" I used to use something called Orange Glow. Loved it, but my store stopped carrying it.

Bruce hardwood floor cleaner. It's easy and does a wonderful job. Home Depot sells it.

I a with whitdobe - Bruce Hardwood floor cleaner.
I also bought the Bona stuff and it left film so I am back to Bruce Hardwood cleaner that the builders left me.

i use a damp cloth with a little vinegar.

on occasion i use the shark steamer. this i probably not great for the floors, but we have dogs that tend to get stuff stuck to the floor. i have trouble getting it up with just a cloth. the steamer really gets it up. i don't use it very often, but it's a good option for that sort of thing.

Okay, now I'm afraid to use the Bona again. I've only mopped it a few times though, but I sure don't want to get rid of the shinyness.

What does the vinegar do? Does Vinegar, alcohol or Windex (with water) strip the shine?

My floor installer told me to use a dust mop often on it, which I do to get dust from under furniture, but he said it also shines the floor.

I use the vacuum more now, before I used the dustmop all the time. I may take turns to keep it shiny.

I do like the mop that came with Bona.

Yes, lots of different opinions. Until you make up your mind, it won't hurt to start with plain water, and then a bit of vinegar added, if you want. If that works, there is no need to do any more. If you need something stronger, go with the Bona, understanding that it does leave a film that will have to be removed later. You won't hurt your floors in the meantime (but really, most wood information says specifically to avoid Murphy's oil soap). The worst thing you can do to your wood floors is not to sweep/clean up the grit, which is what grinds down the finish. My DH tries to walk on the wood floor instead of the oriental rug so he won't "ruin" the rug. I tell him he's more likely to ruin the floor than a good wool rug!

I love Bona and never get a film. Maybe thats because I don't use a lot of it. We have low sheen floors. When I had cleaning woman, she used too much and I thought that foot prints showed more after she used it. I use a damp pad and just a little bit of the Bona in a spray. No problems.

Our hardwood is Mannington. I called Mannington yesterday and asked them what they recommended, and they told me to use the Bona wood cleaner. They also said that the use of an oil soap or products with ammonia would violate the warranty on our floors.......so I'm staying away from those! They said that the Bona should be used sparingly, with the microfiber mop, and we should have excellent results. I admit that I've probably been using too much of the cleaner, so will cut back and see how they look. Our floors are ten years old now, and still do look like new in most areas.

I know the Bona comes in a spray bottle but I don't use it full strength. I give about 5 spray shots to a bucket of water, put my terry covers in that (use at least 3 on both sides because of the dogs)and make sure I wring out the cloths very well.

My floors still tend to develop a film eventually, but I think it's because our family likes being barefooted. The oils on our feet start showing. I regret that my floor has such a high sheen. I actually wanted a low sheen floor :( . I use the water and vinegar after a certain amount of Bona washes and I call it my "Purifying wash".

I felt a need to explain more the mechanics of my wood floor washing :).

I love my dark floors but they show everything. I swiffa daily and on a weekly basis, I'll vacuum, then get down on my hands and knees, pour a little Method hardwood cleaner onto a damp towel and rub over areas of the floor that need to be cleaned. Sometimes, I do this using the microfiber swiffa, but I still get down on my hands and kneeds to wipe with a clean cloth.
I wish they invented a good steam cleaner, but have yet to discover one that doesn't drip water.

Bona Kemi with the Bona microfiber mop only here after vacuuming with the central vac. I was never happy with the finish after cleaning until I began using Bona. It must be a couple of years now and our very dark hardwood floors positively gleam the way they did the day they were installed! No film at all.
I do use the spray sparingly, perhaps that's the answer.

I also use microfiber cloths and warm water with vinegar. Usually on my hands and knees, but in-between times, I put a damp microfiber cloth on my swiffer and run over the floor.

Friend told me she uses a Haan steam cleaner on her wood floors? I'd never heard of them. Anybody here use this one?

I bought a steam mop several years ago and use that once every couple months. Otherwise, I vacuum with a canister w/non-rotating brush and also use a swiffer with attached cloths sprayed with hardwood floor cleaner.
Our floors aren't super clean.
We have prefinished super shiny 3/4" red oak hardwoods.

I have used the bruce cleaner, it is good. I mop occasionally with a small amount of vinegar and keep the mop only slightly damp. Go over it with my dustmop that has a terry cloth cover to dry. I have also used a citrus cleaner that I like, cannot think of the name. I use cleaners very sparingly.

I have also been told not to use Murphy's. Looks like that would make the floors slippery.

Doesn't windex have ammonia in it?

I am another who prefers a low sheen, not shiny. I cannot remember what ours are called! LOL

tina

We recently moved into a new (for us) house that has dark wood floors. The previous owners left some cleaning supplies which included "Euro-pro" floor cleaning wipes from HSN. They also had Orange Glo and Murphys Squirt and Mop as well as Murphys Oil Soap. The floors look a little hazy to me and I need to decide on something about how to clean them.

We installed Brazilian Cherry 9 months ago, and I think the flooring company recommends Bona, but I use a spray bottle of water with vinegar, and clean all the floors on my hands and knees. Just a damp micro-fiber cloth, the same cloth dries it, so it's not very wet. I shake it out at the sink after a few swipes. It's a long process that only lasts a day or so, these cherry floors are a nightmare to keep clean, and I've turned into a floor cleaning FREAK!!!! Family calls me the Floor Police!! Can anyone else relate?? You must have socks on, because toe prints will show and scuff marks drive me crazy, crumbs...spills, and unwanted scratches galore!!! I prefer to use my Dyson for bare floors daily and sometimes I gather all the crumbs with a micro fiber mop before I wet clean.

I'm really happy to see others are using vinegar, because sometimes I feel I should buy the Bona cleaner. Vinegar was our first choice with ceramic tile, and now I'm using it on wood, hoping its still a good choice. No build-up that I notice. Someone said it takes away the shine, I haven't noticed that either.
I would NEVER use Murphys Oil due to build-up.
Try vinegar and water..and ONLY MICRO-Fiber cloths, I buy mine from Sams.

Another Bruce hardwood cleaner user here. We have used it over the course of ten years and two homes and the floors look brand spanking new. No buildup or film. My DH swears by the Bruce cleaner and won't allow the cleaning people to use anything else.

I cleaned w/ Bona per the floor people recommendation. I also got this amazing mop that use microfiber cloth. It comes with an extending pole, the cleaning towel is held on by velcro and magnetic, you can flip the handle over and use the other side of the mop when one side got dirty. Because the cleaning surface (where the cloth goes on) is magnetic, you can hang it on any metal surface (like side of fridge).

I vacuum first w/ a Miele + soft brush attachment. It's like a broom + vacuum. This take care of dust, hair, sand, everything. I only use the Bona cleaner + mop once a week (but more often in the kitchen & dining -- I have messy kids).

I have low sheen (per floor people recommendation since I have lots of kids) and I wish I have higher sheen. :-)

Bellaflora, I'll gladly trade my medium sheen (which looks pretty shiny) for your low sheen floor :D .

I am trying a new product I got on sale called Vim Wood Floors this weekend. It's much cheaper than the Bona so I'm willing to take a chance on it. It says that it leaves no dull residue and also does laminate and kitchen cabinets. The only problem is, I don't like the smell very much. The first thing I usually do when picking out any kind of cleaner is smell it, it's very important to me that it smell good LOL.

Has anyone here tried this product? I figure that if I'm not satisfied with it, I'll just do a few vinegar and water "purifying" washes to get rid of it. I'm hoping that it will remove the filth I now have on my floors quicker and easier than the Bona or the vinegar does (less elbow grease). My floors haven't been washed in 3 weeks! I have 2 large dogs, 3 cockatiels, a cat and 5 pairs of human feet traffic-ing around here. The only upkeep the floors have had lately is vacuuming regularly. The holidays have kept me busy and my priorities have changed for the moment... you can just imagine the state of the floors!

I use vinegar on a sponge, buff dry with a cloth; if I happen to use linen it comes out shinier than drying with cotton. I have a waterlox-finished floor in the kitchen, and various other varnishes and shellacs elsewhere in my 100+ year-old hovel.
One of the finishes (which I put down 15 years ago) is a special (discontinued!) soft varnish that buffs up incredibly with a woolen buffer. So sad BenMoore no longer makes it; it was very maintainable. I don't do poly on antique floors because renewal requires another round of sanding, which my old floors can't take.
Casey