eternalsummer Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 We just moved to a new rental house that is mostly hardwood floors in the main living areas. What do you use to clean your hardwoods? I've been using the swiffer wet things, since they say they can be used on hardwood, but it tens to pick up dirt easily again and it's not shiny anymore. Non-toxic preferred, DIY okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaplank Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I love Murphy's Oil Soap for hardwood. Cleans gently and keeps the shine. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I used to use method hardwood cleaner, which I felt worked well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachaheart Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I like both Murphy's Oil Soap and Method hardwood floor cleaners. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Strong tea in a spray bottleis an excellent one for daily. Otherwise, I use better life. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I've used a variety of stuff on my hardwood. I did the vinegar/water mix for a long time, but I found it didn't quite clean it. I didn't like Murphy's Oil soap, but maybe I didn't do it right. It just didn't seem to do well, and I was worried about build up. I was happiest with Bona for hardwood floors. I hated paying for what I felt like was mostly water, but I did like the results. I liked swifter, but I only used it occasionally, like when I had a large mess (dog whatever on the floor) or company was coming. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 when I was in high school, I cleaned a designers studio once a week. old building, with old floors. she had us use vinegar and water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Steamer mop. Just uses water. Is actually AWESOME on hardwood. Just read the instructions and use the lower steam settings that are OK for hard wood. The one I have has 3 levels of steam, and the lower 2 are both OK for wood. I use it all the time on my hardwood floors. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 Well, we rent, so they're not my hardwood floors, and I am a bit nervous about accidentally destroying them. I know it shouldn't be rocket science but they're just so pretty that it feels like rocket science :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 I generally use either a drop of Dawn dish detergent or a tiny bit of Mr. Clean summer citrus in my mop bucket. If you believe the Environmental Working Group website Mr. Clean gets a much better grade (B) than Method, Bona (which I think is a total waste of money--it doesn't clean any better than plain water), Murphy's oil soap, Method and many of the other supposedly "natural" cleaners. I've never found vinegar and water to be an effective cleaner at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 I've always used vinegar and water on mine, even though they say vinegar is harsh on wood. My college aged daughter is renting a house with beautiful hardwood floors. I used a damp swiffer rag dipped in vinegar and water to go over the floors quickly. Wow! Even though they didn't look dirty, it sure showed it on the rag. Also, you could feel the difference when walking, the floors were slippery (but not too slippery). You could just feel the sudden difference. I figure if the floors have lasted this long with a bunch of college students, vinegar and water couldn't hurt! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 There seems to be a trade-off between cleaning off organic dirt (think high pH and detergents, Murphy's Oil Soap) and having a non-dulled finish (low pH, vinegar and water). Water alone is a great solvent, but will not have the cleaning power of a high pH detergent. Vinegar will aid in rinsing, and reduce mineral deposits from hard water, but will not be more effective than plain water in cleaning organic dirt. I have settled on routine maintenance with non-ammonia window cleaner (I buy a concentrate from a janitor supply store- a gallon lasts years-- helps reduce streaking) with occasional deeper cleans with a neutral pH cleaner, also from a janitor supply store. What seems to help the most is following any water based cleaning with drying with old towels to pick up the dirt loosened by the water. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Ask the LL or management company? Don't use vinegar. It will eventually make some finishes sticky. I use Bona. Something used on our last floor left it streaky - the flooring guy felt it was a cleaner that had been used, but we don't know which one. He recommended Bona, so that's all I use now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbyribs Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 The guy who refinished our hardwood floors said to use water, but just damp, not too much water. He said the Bona stuff was good too, but only a little better than plain water. Honestly, I try to keep them swept, but I don't often get around to mopping. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 We couldn't live without the mopping, and it's really got to be an everyday thing. I should just ask the landlord - it is their old house, and they probably know how they'd like it maintained and what works best for this finish, etc. I'm just worried she'll think I'm a doofus. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Vacuum frequently, use Bona or Bruce cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 It depends on the finish. If it has a polyurethane finish, then about half cup of vinegar in a half pail of water does a beautiful job. If they are engineered hardwood, then most products (including vinegar, Dawn, Murphy's Oil Soap, etc) will cause a cloudy film on the finish. The only thing I've found that doesn't leave a film on my engineered hardwood are Bona products, or plain water. Actually, the finish is so awesome that plain water works for most types of soil, but Bona is great for occasional spot cleaning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 It depends on the finish. If it has a polyurethane finish, then about half cup of vinegar in a half pail of water does a beautiful job. If they are engineered hardwood, then most products (including vinegar, Dawn, Murphy's Oil Soap, etc) will cause a cloudy film on the finish. The only thing I've found that doesn't leave a film on my engineered hardwood are Bona products, or plain water. Actually, the finish is so awesome that plain water works for most types of soil, but Bona is great for occasional spot cleaning. FWIW -- I have engineered hardwoods and Bona seems totally useless. It does nothing that plain water doesn't do just as well. A small amount of Dawn (literally one or two small drops in a gallon or so of water) doesn't leave mine cloudy. Quite the opposite. I don't doubt that water quality (hard versus soft or whatever) could play a role. All I know is that ours isn't hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 (edited) How do I know what kind of hardwoods they are? The boards are maybe 2.5" wide and kind of a variegated mediumish color. It's not the super fanciest house in the world but it's not a typical rental. eta: I think built in the late 80s/early 90s Edited October 31, 2017 by eternalsummer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 How do I know what kind of hardwoods they are? The boards are maybe 2.5" wide and kind of a variegated mediumish color. It's not the super fanciest house in the world but it's not a typical rental. eta: I think built in the late 80s/early 90s I really think asking the landlord is your best plan. If you were the owner wouldn't you be happy to be asked rather than someone doing something that might degrade the finish? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 We couldn't live without the mopping, and it's really got to be an everyday thing. I should just ask the landlord - it is their old house, and they probably know how they'd like it maintained and what works best for this finish, etc. I'm just worried she'll think I'm a doofus. Given how many types of finishes there are, you're not going to sound like a doofus. There are a LOT of variables, and she probably realizes that. You can even mention that when you ask. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samba Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Steamer mop. Just uses water. Is actually AWESOME on hardwood. Just read the instructions and use the lower steam settings that are OK for hard wood. The one I have has 3 levels of steam, and the lower 2 are both OK for wood. I use it all the time on my hardwood floors. What kind of steamer do you have? I had a HAAN years ago and it was great but died after only one year. Then I tried Eureka and I was never happy with the results. I borrowed my brother's McCulloch and it was too cumbersome and I don't think it cleaned exceptionally well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 What kind of steamer do you have? I had a HAAN years ago and it was great but died after only one year. Then I tried Eureka and I was never happy with the results. I borrowed my brother's McCulloch and it was too cumbersome and I don't think it cleaned exceptionally well. This is the one I have. https://www.amazon.com/Shark-Professional-Steam-Pocket-S3601D/dp/B00ESP4J6O I bought it on clearance at Sam's Club as an impulse buy ($60, seemed like too cheap to pass up, as I'd been thinking of getting a steamer for years), and I did pretty much zero research before buying, so I can't really compare/contrast it with anything. I like that I have 3 washable, double sided mop heads. I have about 4000 sf of hardwood in my house, and I can do the whole house (assuming it's not disgusting) with all those mop heads. :) I also like the multiple settings, of course, which enables me to use the lower setting for wood and then crank it up for the tile areas in my house. Water capacity sounds small (in all/most steamers), but it's fine, as it lasts at least a half hour, so probably 1500 sf of mopping, before I need to refill, and that just takes 20 seconds or so. It has a long cord, which is convenient. It requires distilled water, which I have unlimited supplies of as dh is into salt water aquaria so has some unit in the basement that creates RODI water, which is even cleaner than distilled water . . . You can buy 1 gallon of distilled water at the grocery for about $1, and I find that a gallon lasts me several months, FWIW. You could just use tap water, but it might shorten the length of life of the machine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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