How to Clean Your Wooden Floors
Wooden floors add elegance and beauty to old and modern homes alike. The most common hardwood flooring contains a polyurethane coating, according to HouseCleaningCentral.com. The type of cleaning method you use for your floors depends on the type of seal and finish that you have. Surface finishes are the most common, but some floors have penetrating seals, which prevent the surface of the wood from becoming scratched or damaged on daily use. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Broom or dry mop
- Cleaning bucket
- Water
- Liquid dishwashing soap
- Mop
- Clean white rag
- Distilled white vinegar
- Oil-based wood cleaner
Instructions
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Common Surfaces: Polyurethane Coated Flooring
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Remove furniture, rugs and other objects from the flooring. Be careful not to scratch the floor when moving heavier objects, such as tables or sofas.
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Dry mop, sweep or vacuum the floor to pick up any loose dirt or debris.
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3
Fill a cleaning bucket with water and mix in a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap. Dampen a mop that has a soft sponge or fiber tip. Avoid mops with scraper pads that will damage your floor's surface. Wring out the mop thoroughly and make sure there is not any dripping water coming off it. Do not use water and soap on old wooden floors that do not have a polyurethane coating.
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Push the mop back and forth going with the grain of the wood. Do not scrub or press the mop into the wood's surface.
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Use a clean white rag to buff the surface of your flooring. Run the rag in a circular motion across the floor to pick up soap and water and leave a shiny finish. If your flooring does not shine afterward, use a wood floor cleaner that is safe for polyurethane floors.
Special Surfaces: Swedish Finish or Old Wooden Flooring
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Determine if you have Swedish finish or old wooden flooring. Swedish finish floors are bright and shiny in natural appearance. Old wooden flooring has a rough feel to the fingertips and is porous in appearance.
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Remove furniture and other items from the flooring and use a dry mop to pick up any loose dirt.
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Use a solution of 1 cup distilled white vinegar to 1 gallon warm water in a bucket for Swedish flooring. Mop the solution onto the floor's surface going with the grain of the wood. Buff up the water and vinegar using a clean white rag and wait for the flooring to dry completely before replacing the furniture.
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Use an oil-based wood cleaner for old wood floors. Prepare the cleaner per instructions since some require dilution, while others are safe enough to spray directly on the floor's surface. Mop the surface of the wood moving back and forth with the grain. Make sure that your mop is not too wet when cleaning old wood floors, since they are porous, they can absorb the liquid quickly. Wipe the surface dry with a clean, white rag before replacing furniture.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
