For deep cleaning and disinfecting wood floors, you should give the surface a more thorough clean every 1-2 weeks. To disinfect your floor, use
A mixture of 1 part Chlorine Bleach, (Clorox) to 32 parts water (½ cup bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water) will need to sit on surfaces for 5-10 minutes in order to disinfect them. We found this did not harm either of our wood finishes.
Just please don't use them to clean wood floors. Using vinegar and water as a homemade wood floor cleaning solution can have a negative effect on your wood floor.
Sweep, mop (with caution) or vacuum your hardwood floor regularly. This will prevent any abrasive dust or grit accumulating, which can scratch the surface of the wood and damage / dull the finish. Use a vacuum with a soft brush head. It is not recommended that you use a vacuum with a hard head that can mark the floor.
Is Fabuloso® Antibacterial Multi-Purpose Cleaner safe on wood? Fabuloso® should only be used on SEALED wood surfaces.
It's safe for wood and hard, nonporous surfaces. You can apply it to the floor directly from the bottle. For more information about the Pine-Sol® lineup of products, visit our FAQs page.
Begin by dusting or sweeping your floors well. Then make a cleaning mixture using 4 cups warm water and a few drops of castile soap or dish soap. Do not shake, but gently mix this, then mop or scrub small sections at a time, drying them with a clean cloth or dry mop after."
Dry-mop at least twice a week using a microfiber head, focusing on corners. Avoid using water to clean your hardwoods, and never wet-mop, as the moisture can damage the material. To avoid staining and cracking, blot up spills immediately with a dry, clean cloth.
Manufacturers and industry experts advise against cleaning hardwood floors with water because wood naturally expands when it's wet and can cause your floor to crack or splinter.
Don't use vinegar or baking soda.
Many DIY home cleaning solutions involve the use of vinegar or baking soda, but these are, in fact, the worst things you can apply to your wood floors. They actually damage and dull the polyurethane, which can irreparably ruin them.
Here's a secret: Tea's tannic acid makes for an excellent surface shine, according to HGTV. Boil a couple of teabags in some water and dump the tea into a bucket. Wring out a rag or mop in the solution and use it to mop the floors.
For everyday spot cleaning, Dettol Antibacterial Floor Wipes are suitable for use on sealed wooden floors and can provide tough cleaning action to remove grease and dirt.
Fabuloso® Antibacterial in Lavender Scent is an all-purpose cleaner that cuts through grease, and kills 99.9% of bacteria*. It transforms your home with a fresh, lasting lavender scent, and deodorizes and sanitizes as it cleans†.
Hot water can dissolve over time the luster of your floors finish and penetrates the wood a lot easier than cold.
Dish soap is a gentle cleaner that won't damage the natural wood, and it's perfect for light jobs and daily upkeep alike. In a large bucket, mix two to three tablespoons of dish soap with one gallon of warm water. Dip your mop and wring it over the bucket, then gently mop the surface of your floors.
The Winner
The hero and 100% natural cleaning active is – vinegar. Distilled (aka purified) white vinegar. Yes, you can smell vinegar when using but let an hour pass and any scent is a thing of the past. Our reliable Aunt Fannies describe this as your floors smelling of clean, not of chemicals.
Generally, you can clean hardwood flooring with a hydrogen peroxide solution and a mop or towel. Be sure to wring out the mop or towel so that it is lightly damp; too much water is bad for hardwood (bad for laminate wood-like flooring, too).
Pine-Sol is a gentle cleaner and the best way to clean linoleum floors. Dilute ¼ cup Pine-Sol® to a gallon of water. Wipe those dirty floors down with the solution using a mop or sponge.
No rinsing required, except on rubber or asphalt tile. For extra tough jobs, use full strength and rinse immediately. For painted surfaces, test a small area first. Not recommended for use on unfinished, unsealed, unpainted, waxed, oiled or worn flooring.