How to Clean Hardwood Floors
Learning the best way to clean hardwood floors is essential for protecting and maintaining your beautiful investment. Since dirt and grime can’t hide on hardwood floors like they can on carpet, cleaning your floors may seem “high maintenance.” However, once you establish your own routine, the best way to clean wood floors won’t seem so difficult.
Daily Schedule – Dust/Sweep
Giving your floors a good dusting with a microfiber mop or cloth will be your best daily defense against scratches and surface damage. Microfiber cleaning pads often use static electricity to trap dirt, particles, and other household allergens. Using a broom is okay, but it only pushes the dirt around. When you want to best clean hardwood floors without damaging them, avoid lifting your microfiber mop up off the floor when you clean—this way you keep the dirt trapped on the pad.
Weekly Schedule – Vacuum/Mop
Weekly maintenance will deal with hard to reach areas. Vacuums and wet mops are ideal for getting dirt out of trouble areas like corners and the spaces between hardwood. However, using vacuums and mops come with extra caution. If your vacuum has a beater bar, make sure it doesn’t hit the floor. Also, the wheels on a vacuum might damage the floor. If you’re using a mop, remember that water and wood don’t mix! Avoid excess liquid on your floor. Lightly misting your floor with a natural hardwood floor cleaner is the best way to clean hardwood floors.
Monthly Schedule - Polish
Adding a polish routine is another best practice for cleaning wood floors. Polishing floors renews and refreshes the finish that protects hardwood. Polishing your hardwood floor fills in microscopic scratches and evens out a floor’s protective surface. Polishing hardwood floors is an easy way to add life, beauty and extra protection to your floors. Depending on the amount of traffic in your home, we recommend polishing the floors every 2-3 months with our Bona Hardwood Floor Polish.
Yearly Schedule - Sand and Finish
Consider refinishing your floors every 3-5 years. Refinishing your floors removes the old protective finish and replaces it. If your floor has some deep scratches or gouges, sanding and refinishing can repair this damage, leaving you with immaculately clean hardwood flooring.
Advanced Tips
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Create a relaxing home with scented cleaners. Maximize the look of a beautiful floor with a fresh aroma to help you sit back and relax after a job well done. Floor cleaners infused with essential oils provide relaxing aromatherapy to soothe the body and mind. Our scented floor cleaners come in two scents: Cedar Wood and Lemon Mint.
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Get the proper tools to clean your floor. A mop paired with a machine washable, microfiber pad for dusting and cleaning are the best tools to clean wood floors. A good dusting pad attracts dirt, microparticles and common household allergens.
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Avoid using water and vinegar, soap-based cleaners, wax or steam cleaners on hardwood floors. Vinegar and water can dull the floor’s finish over time, while soap and wax leave a residue. Steam cleaners put heat and excessive water on your floor, which can lead to cupping and long-term damage.
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Use mats. Protective mats can further your floor’s life. Use a natural rubber rug underlayment with a waffle pattern in entryways or high traffic areas and use felt floor protectors on furniture.
Bona offers a wide selection of cleaners and tools to make it easy to best clean hardwood floors. Find the right products you need to give your floors a phenomenal clean.
