How to Clean Hardwood Floors With Steam

The traditional way to clean hardwood floors is to first sweep and then mop them. In many cases, this traditional method works just fine. However, if your floors get an unusual amount of traffic or if members of your household suffer from allergies, you may want to consider steam cleaning them. Steam cleaning kills bacteria and microbes that are not killed by regular mopping. Therefore, a steam-cleaned floor can reduce allergies in your house and ensure that your floor is as clean as it can get.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Remove any dirt, grit or loose particles from the floor by sweeping or vacuuming it. This is a very important step because your floor can be scratched by dirt left on the floor and trapped under the steam cleaner.

2. Fill the water canister in your steam cleaner. If you choose to use cleaning solution, add the solution at this time.

3. Begin cleaning in one corner of the room and work toward the opposite corner. Use a back and forth motion as you clean, just as you would with a vacuum cleaner. When you push forward, the steam is released, and when you pull back, the cleaner picks up the grime. Continue until the room is completely cleaned.

4. Empty the steam cleaner and wipe the cleaning pad on the bottom so it is ready for the next use.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your hardwood floors are sealed before steam cleaning them. If there are spots that are not sealed, you may notice some warping from excessive moisture.
• Don't use a steam cleaner on hardwoods that is not intended to be used on wood. Some cleaners intended for other hard surfaces such as tile or linoleum can actually damage hardwood floors. Read the manufacturer's directions and warnings before purchasing or renting a steam cleaner for hardwood floors.