There are 3 different kids with hardwood floors; polyurethane, hardwood finish, and unfinished hardwood. A hardwood finish has a waxy layer that repels liquids. Unfinished hardwood on the other hand cannot have any liquid on it. To test what kind of finish you have, try spilling a tiny bit of water on the hardwood. If it beads, you have a coating. If it’s absorbed, you have unfinished hardwood. Now that you know what type of coating you have, it’s time to clean!
In order to clean your hardwood floors, you will need six items. These items include dishwasher soap, vinegar, a ring bucket, a microfiber mop, and a microfiber cloth. After you’ve gathered all of your supplies you’ll be ready to start cleaning your hardwood floors.
- Add half a pinky amount of dishwasher soap to your bucket. Dishwasher soap is great for cleaning floors because it cleans the floor without leaving anything bad behind.
- Add a capful of vinegar to your bucket. Vinegar is a mild disinfectant that will be sure to clean everything on your floor. If you have dirt, mold, or dust, vinegar will clean it up. Just be sure not to use any more than a cap because it can affect the finish of your hardwood floor. The last thing you want to do is ruin your hardwood floors.
- Fill your bucket up with hot water.
- Let your mop sit in the bucket for a few minutes to soften up. This will also allow your mop to absorb the cleaning solution.
- Ring out your mop and be sure to do it well. The goal is to get the mop almost dry.
- Clean the floor in an S shaped pattern to ensure you get every spot cleaned. Make sure the bucket is behind you to avoid messing up the cleaned portion of the floor.
- Dry off the floor with your microfiber cloth. There won’t be too much liquid on your floor, but this step ensures it will be dried off completely.
This method will be sure to get your hardwood floors looking clean and shiny. So how often should you do this cleaning method? Experts recommend mopping your floor once every two weeks. Is there anything else you should do in between mopping to upkeep your hardwood floors? Yes! Be sure to vacuum and dust at least once a week for maintenance. The effort of cleaning will be worth it in the end. Your friends and family will be in awe of your mirror shiny hardwood floors.
