How do I clean hardwood floors?

TranquilityAndPeace

Wed, Jul 24 2024, 9:23 am

Amarante wrote:

Bona or the equivalent is what should be used - never water and NEVER NEVER Murphys soap.

No one has mentioned that the real killer of wood floors is grit - the most important thing you can do is to vacuum frequently so the grit doesn't destroy the finish.

Exactly.

I did a ton of research when we moved into a home with lots of wood.

Every crumb and speck of dirt acts as sandpaper throughout the day as it’s kicked and blown around the surface of the floor.

I run my Roborock vacuum every night.

I also have a ShineBot mopping robot that puts down very little water, which I use every so often.

It’s very satisfying to empty the dustbin of the vacuum and the dirty water tank of the mopping robots.

amother

↑ Dimgray

Wed, Jul 24 2024, 9:56 am

amother DarkViolet wrote:

How in the world can you wash without water? Anyway the floors are finished so that damp mopping shouldn't be a problem...

You don’t need to wash it. And you use bona it’s a liquid chemical.

↑ Amarante

Wed, Jul 24 2024, 10:06 am

amother Dimgray wrote:

You don’t need to wash it. And you use bona it’s a liquid chemical.

Bona and similar cleaners are designed to clean wood floors

Vinegar is acidic, so it can wear down finish over time even if it's diluted with water. You should use the specific hardwood floor cleaner recommended by the manufacturer of the finish used on your floors.

Hardwood floor cleaners are neutral pH cleaning solutions, which is why they are better than the "old method" of vinegar and water

These "ingredients" provide a specific "surfactant" effect which effectively dissolves dirt and absorbs it more effectively than "old fashioned" methods of cleaning.

Years ago wood floors had no finishes but relied on wax to clean and protect them. I grew up with the kinds of floors and twice a year my father would use a special machine to clean the floors and then apply wax and buff it to a high waxed finish. Nobody does that any more