Hardwood Floor Homemade Cleaner Ideas

Clean your hardwood floor with homemade cleaning products.

Using homemade cleaners allows you to have total control of the chemicals that you use to clean and maintain your hardwood floors. Many commercial cleaning solutions contain harsh or caustic chemicals that could irritate your skin or cause harm if ingested. If this is a concern, mix your own hardwood floor cleaners using ingredients that you probably already have in your cabinets.

Vinegar Cleaner

Mix 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of white vinegar into one gallon of warm water in a mop bucket to make a simple homemade cleaner for your hardwood floors. Use 1/4 cup vinegar for lightly soiled floors and 1/2 cup vinegar for heavily soiled hardwood floors. Mop the hardwood floor using the mixture but wring the mop out to avoid leaving large puddles on your floor that could cause damage. Rinse the mop and the mop bucket when you are finished cleaning. Refill the mop bucket with fresh, clean water and mop the floor again to remove all traces of the vinegar. The vinegar smell will dissipate as the floor dries and should not linger.

Liquid Soap Cleaner

Look for liquid soaps with plant-based ingredients to clean your hardwood floors. Many of these soaps are referred to as "green" or "natural" cleaning products. Mix 2 tablespoons of the soap into a gallon of warm water in a mop bucket. Clean your hardwood floor with a mop dampened in the homemade cleaner. Follow with a mop dampened in clean water to rinse away the soapy water.

Polishing Cleaner

Combine equal parts white vinegar and vegetable oil to make a homemade wood floor polish. While you may not need to mop the floor before applying this polish, you will need to sweep the floor as any dust or debris on the floor will become sticky when it comes into contact with the oil in this polishing cleaner. Once the floor has been swept, pour a small amount of the mixture onto a clean rag or paper towel and rub it gently into your hardwood floor. Buff the surface of the floor with a clean cloth afterward to make the floor shine.

Polishing Spray

Brighten dull hardwood floors with a homemade floor polish using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice into a spray bottle full of hot water. Spray the mixture onto a small area of your hardwood floor. Buff the floor with a clean, soft cloth to immediately dry and polish the area. Continue to spray and buff small areas at a time until you are happy with the appearance of your hardwood floor. You do not need to rinse away the mixture when you have finished cleaning.

References

• California Environmental Protection Agency: Green Recipes
• Dakota County: A Guide to Healthy Household Cleaners (see page 10)
• The Old Famer's Almanac: Make Your Own Cleaners
• King County: Recipes for a Cleaner Backyard (see page 2)