Wood Floors

[Bittersweet]

We’ve had wood floors in nearly every place we’ve lived. Yet I’ve somehow never learned how to properly clean and care for them. Everything I’ve tried seems to dull them. Our new place has wood floors everywhere but the bathroom, so it’s time I learn.

How do you clean your wood floors? What products and tools do I need? TIA

What kind of finish do they have on them? We use the Method wood cleaner on ours and it works great.

[Bittersweet]

What kind of finish do they have on them? We use the Method wood cleaner on ours and it works great.

Yikes, I'm not sure. Maybe that's been my whole problem all along!?! Is there an easy way to tell?

[MrsK]

I love Murphy's Oil Soap. I've used it since 2003 and my floors are glossy-new looking. Just be careful when its drying. I've taken a spill on an oil puddle and it's not fun.

[JaneDoe]

The company who installed our wood floors recommended the product Bona. It seems to work fine. The company specifically said not to use the product Orange Glo because it has citrus in it which, apparently, is not good.

[spotty_dog]

My new place is all wood too so I've been researching. I think I've concluded that dust mopping VERY frequently, damp mopping with plain water regularly, and occasionally using a specific floor cleaning product, will be my plan of attack. The author of Home Comforts recommends, "a small amount of Fabuloso, a little Murphy Oil Soap, or even a small amount of neutral, light-duty laundry or mild liquid detergent for washing dishes by hand (the no-bleach, no-brighteners, no-enzymes, and no-additives type)". She says she uses Murphy's once every year or two and a little mild/neutral cleaner in between.

So a big fluffy dust mop will be my first purchase!

I'm not sure how to tell what kind of finish you have. Maybe test the cleaner on a small area before doing the whole floor? Our hardwoods are prefinished and products like Murphy's Oil Soap leave a dull, waxy film on them.

[DCJenn]

Basically it's age dependent. MOST of the new pre-finished floors recommend using nothing but damp mopping to keep the floors clean. The products that exist are oil-based to nourish the wood and just cause a sticky build-up on the boards if used incorrectly.

The medium aged wooden floors are often sealed with polyurethane- you can usually tell these floors because the finish turns orangey-yellow and can crack/bubble as the finish lifts off the boards. You can use just about any cleaner you want- if the finish is still intact.

The older floors are typically not sealed- they may have been finished with a paste wax or other finish that would have required buffing every so often. These floors do well with the nourishing cleaners.

How do I know this? Because in this house (1907 w/ a 1985 addition) I have some of each of them.

PITA.

Jenn

[JaneDoe]

I totally agree about the frequent dust mopping, especially if your kitchen has wood floors. I have to dust mop my kitchen after most meals (my 3 yr. ds is very messy). I don't have to do the other wood floors in my house as frequently. I am also on my hands and knees about once a day in the kitchen with a damp cloth or using Bona to clean spots caused by water, food spills or whatever else the kids spill.

A couple of weeks ago, Dh and the kids were making chocolate chip cookies. One of the kids spilled vanilla on the wood floors and Dh didn't notice it right away. I went to clean up the spill and the finish start bubbling and peeling off. I was so angry. After I cleaned the area, I can't tell that the finish came up but I'm a little nervous about cleaining the area especially with water.

I love my wood floors but they are a lot of work!

[Deebs]

We were told only to use vinegar and water. We have hard wood with a pre-finish that is somewhat glossy cherry.

The company that refinished our wood floors (Swedish finish) suggested using the Bona products. I can't remember exactly, but they said we should try not to use water/wet mop very often. Not a problem for me! They also said to spray the cleaner on sparingly.

I don't dust mop, I usually sweep or vacuum which is probably similar. I do need to use a damp cloth more frequently in the kitchen. There is a damp cloth mop sort of thing called a Shmop (I think?) that people seem to like.

[HouseofWool]

In our current place (built in 1927) I use Murphy's Oil Soap, mostly because I can wash the cheap-ass vinyl flooring in the kitchen, the wood floors and the tile floor in the bathroom without changing products.

[DCJenn]

I have wood in my kitchen and man, does it show! Water damage in front of the dishwasher and in front of the fridge and generally it's bubbled and buckled. Oh well, refinishing floors is not on the priority list.

Jenn

[spotty_dog]

Note to self, buy lots of throw rugs for the kitchen...

[Bittersweet]

Note to self, buy lots of throw rugs for the kitchen...

Ditto!

Thanks for the advice everyone! In the past I've used Murphy's Oil Soap (in our 1895 house). Maybe I have just been using too much of it, hmmm. I think I'll give the Bona or Method products a go in our new (1940s) home and try to show some restraint when applying the cleaner.