How do you clean your hardwood floors?

[Giada]

We have hand-scraped dark wood floors that show every bit of dust and pet hair. I''ve found the best way to get them clean is to first sweep up the big stuff with a broom, Swiffer to get the dust and small particles, then damp-mop with a microfiber mop and Bruce Hardwood Spray cleaner. Once that is done, I just Swiffer ever other day. I only need the "deep cleaning" method about once a week.

I have a chow-mix and two cats and I''ve found the Furminator helps a ton with the undercoat shedding. The animals actually enjoy their "beauty time", too!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I have a chow too Giada and boy does he put out tumbleweeds! He sure does love to be brushed though...

 

[Giada]

Date: 12/7/2009 2:39:47 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
I have a chow too Giada and boy does he put out tumbleweeds! He sure does love to be brushed though...

Ha! Yes! Our chow''s name is Abbey, so we call them Abbey Tumbleweeds. The Furminator has done wonders, though.

 

[stephbolt]

So, is there something wrong with me that I totally didn''t know I should be cleaning my hardwoods with anything other than a vaccuum? We just pulled up all our carpet and got the floors refinished at the end of september, and the only cleaning I''ve been doing is a weekly vaccuuming of all the dog and cat hair tumbleweeds.

Off to check out the suggested cleaners after work today...

 

[Giada]

Steph,

Make sure you look into appropriate cleaners for your finish type. For example, we have pre-finished wood and it requires a different type of cleaner than other finshes do. If I were to use Orange-glo or anything along those lines, it would cloud and ruin the finish on my floor.

Bruce Hardwood Cleaner (comes in a spray bottle) is the best I''ve found for my type of floor.

 

[elrohwen]

Steph, don''t worry, I haven''t been using cleaner either for the most part

Then again, I started this thread, so clearly I am not the expert.

I also rent, so I have a lot less incentive to take fantastic care of my floors.

 

[Kay]

Our flooring installer recommended Bona for our pre-finished wood floors. We do not have any pets. Every other week, the floor is vacuumed with a Dyson to get up any dust or loose dirt. Then we spray on the Bona and mop it up with a microfiber mop, doing small areas at a time.

 

[bebe]

Date: 12/8/2009 3:50:34 PM
Author: Giada
Steph,

Make sure you look into appropriate cleaners for your finish type. For example, we have pre-finished wood and it requires a different type of cleaner than other finshes do. If I were to use Orange-glo or anything along those lines, it would cloud and ruin the finish on my floor.

Bruce Hardwood Cleaner (comes in a spray bottle) is the best I''ve found for my type of floor.

Exactly, Giada. For the first few years, I used the Bruce cleaner. Then I had a housekeeper who insisted on using nothing but a warm, damp string mop. After she left, I resumed using the Bruce. Big problem! My floors developed a cloudy haze and looked awful. My husband and I spent 2 weekends steaming the wax/Bruce cleaner up and wiping it up with rough terry towels. Not a fun job.

So, the lesson learned here - use one cleaning system, don''t switch.

 

[Haven]

We vacuum and then use Bona. Our local hardware store guys strongly suggested Bona, and we really like it.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

If you''ve just had your HWs refinished, don''t mop them unless there''s a need (like you''ve spilled something or tracked in mud).

 

[stephbolt]

Date: 12/10/2009 9:08:05 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
If you''ve just had your HWs refinished, don''t mop them unless there''s a need (like you''ve spilled something or tracked in mud).

Wow thanks for this tip! What''s the reason for this? How long after refinishing should I start mopping them regularly?

I love how educational PS is.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

There''s no rule about it. Don''t clean it if it''s not dirty. In most cases just vacuuming is enough unless you have little ones crawling all over it, etc. You''re working with a clean new surface in your case, you''re not working with a 50 year old floor with cracks and crevices in it. Does that make sense?

 

[stephbolt]

Date: 12/10/2009 11:20:05 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
There''s no rule about it. Don''t clean it if it''s not dirty. In most cases just vacuuming is enough unless you have little ones crawling all over it, etc. You''re working with a clean new surface in your case, you''re not working with a 50 year old floor with cracks and crevices in it. Does that make sense?

Totally makes sense - I think I''ll stick with my vaccuuming for the most part then. Thank goodness, because I am a somewhat lazy housekeeper.

Thanks HH!