Washing wood floors

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Forum -> Household Management -> Cleaning & Laundry

Washing wood floors

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DovDov

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 12:05 am

How do I do it?

My mother didn't have any wood floors when I was growing up. So I understand you don't use a lot of water -- but how do they get clean?

Treat me like an idiot, folks -- when it comes to cleaning, I am! embarrassed

Mimisinger

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 12:28 am

What do you own? a mop? What kind? A sponga? A swiffer wet jet?

Let us know and then we can help you.

Skippy!!

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 12:33 am

Murphy oil

DovDov

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 9:10 am

I have Murphy's soap. My current modus operandi is to mix some soap with hot water and scrub with a towel.

I am happy to buy a mop, spong-a stick, or whatever is easiest to use. My question is technique. I was told not to splash a lot of water on the floor, so I just use the wet towel, but then it feels like I'm just moving dirt around.

bubby

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 9:21 am

I had a beautiful wood floor laid. The installer recommended a DAMP sponge (not dripping wet!) with water & vinegar. Works very well & doesn't harm the wood.

greenfire

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 9:41 am

I just sanded a house full of oak wood floors ... the trick to protection is a good few coats of polyurethane ... keep it clean with damp sponge mop making sure it dries completely and never drag any furniture across ...

chocolate moose

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 1:41 pm

The guy who manages our bldg just came by and said Murphy's Oil soap is waaaay too harsh for wooden floors, and to get something Swedish called Bona (at BBB) which cleans better and is better to condition the wood.

DovDov

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 3:12 pm

bubby wrote:

I had a beautiful wood floor laid. The installer recommended a DAMP sponge (not dripping wet!) with water & vinegar. Works very well & doesn't harm the wood.

I washed the floor with water and vinegar once and everywhere the vinegar-mixture dripped turned black. Is that because there was too much vinegar, or because the floor isn't properly waxed?

Do I need to wax the floors? How often?

granolamom

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 11:11 pm

bubby wrote:

I had a beautiful wood floor laid. The installer recommended a DAMP sponge (not dripping wet!) with water & vinegar. Works very well & doesn't harm the wood.

same here

granolamom

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 11:12 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

we've tried Bona, make sure to use a tiiiiiiiiny bit. it leaves the floor very slippery.
I still prefer the vinegar/water damp sponge

tziviakayla

Sun, Feb 15 2009, 11:47 pm

A landlady we had once told us to use warm water mixed with a little Dawn dish detergent on the floors. Worked beautifully!

ROCHELLE

Mon, Feb 16 2009, 2:04 am

If you have a shiny wood floor, like parquet (spelling??) do not use murphy it will take away the shine. Water and a drop of vinegar is the best to keep your floor shiny.

amother

Mon, Mar 16 2009, 2:27 pm

hate the smell of vineagar and murphy (also heard murphy not so healthy)any other suggestions??

octopus

Mon, Mar 16 2009, 2:57 pm

what if the floor is not polyurethened but just scraped and somewhat shiny? how much vinegar? how much water? I'm also interested to know of any good ideas?

jennzda1

Fri, Apr 03 2009, 11:12 am

We bought a home last year that has several rooms with very light color, very high quality wood flooring. For the first year in the house, I was using a Swiffer Wet Jet with their cleaning solution specifically for wood floors. It was easy and did the job well. (Note that there has recently been some concern raised about using swiffer with pets or crawling children in the house, although I don't know if this applies to the wood floor cleaning solution or just the general one).

A few months ago, I hired a cleaning woman. She told me that the swiffer (and pine sol as well) leaves a residue build up if you use it too often. She suggested using the wet jet once or twice a month and hand washing the floors with a barely wet towel that's been dipped in a water/vinegar mixture. THe floors looked beautiful! Of course who has the time or energy to do them on their hands and knees, and mine have to be washed often because they are so light colored. I have since started with a new cleaning service, and one of the women there suggested Bona. I haven't seen it in Target or Walmart, but she told me I can get it at a local hardware store. I intend to try it out soon.

DevorahMonsey

Mon, Apr 20 2009, 12:48 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

We have new red oak floors and my guy also recommended Bona and warned against Murphy's because it leaves a residue. But I have also used the Swiffer wet pads on it in emergencies and it's been fine. I can also use a regular sponge mop with Fabuloso or Mr. Clean, but then I would go over it with a towel on a stick (the push tabs in the Swiffer will let you put a small thin towel like a linen or glass-drying towel in) to dry it thoroughly. Sometimes it just doesn't seem "squeaky clean" without the sponge mop! Maybe it's all in my mind, but...

Also it's very important whatever you use to change the water when it's looking nasty, have a stack of cleaning pads for the Bona and wash them each time, or change a Swiffer pad as needed (I use three to clean a dining room - sized area).

amother

Mon, Apr 20 2009, 7:35 pm

Basic H2 From Shaklee is great for wood floors

chocolate moose

Mon, Apr 20 2009, 8:09 pm

Bona isn't for cleaning, though, it's for conditioning and shine. You need special supplies for it.

NotInNJMommy

Mon, Apr 20 2009, 8:17 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

Bona isn't for cleaning, though, it's for conditioning and shine. You need special supplies for it.

I looked at Bona's website, and they did have cleaner. they also have separate polish, etc.

chocolate moose

Mon, Apr 20 2009, 8:47 pm

I have the 32 oz. canniser right here.

"Restores shine, easy application, urethane maintenance coating"

and from the back...

"Bona is not a cleanser. It is a finish. Make sure floor is completely clean and dry before applying."

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