Ultimate Guide: How To Clean Hardwood Floors Like A Pro

by John Griffith
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Floors are a big part of your home’s design and vibe. However, they take on a lot of wear, such as daily foot traffic, spills, scruffs and more. If you have hardwood flooring, you probably know how important it is to do regular maintenance. However, wood can be quite finicky. You really don’t want to do any damage to your floors, scratch them, or warp them in any way. But they still need cleaning. So, what to do. Well, we’ve asked the cleaning experts to tell us how to clean hardwood floors the right way, so you can get them looking as good as new.

Floors are a big part of your home’s design and vibe

how to clean hardwood floors person moping the floors

You probably know how important it is to do regular maintenance

parquet floors with chair and table

How To Clean Hardwood Floors

Once you’ve decided to install beautiful wooden floors, it’s important to learn how to clean them and keep them in tip-top shape. While a mop and some simple cleaning solution can do enough to keep the longevity of these glossy floors, it’s definitely not enough for the more serious messes and grime. Sometimes your floors need a better cleaning, which is completely normal. However, most store-bought cleaning solutions that promise to “shine”, “polish”, and “rejuvenate” aren’t actually a good choice, as they are just a temporary fix. That’s why we will show you how to clean your floors properly.

It’s important to learn how to clean the floors and keep them in tip-top shape

mother sweeping the floors

What You’ll Need:

  • Broom/Dry mop/Vacuum with a wooden floor attachment
  • Microfiber Mop
  • Water Bucket
  • Water
  • Multi-surface cleaner/Oil Soap

A mop and some simple cleaning solution can do enough to keep the longevity of these glossy floors

man cleaning hardwood floors with mop

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. The first step is removing all the grime, dirt, dust, hair and so on. To do so use a broom, dry mop, or a vacuum with a wooden floor attachment.
  2. Now it’s time to mix our multi-surface cleaner or oil soap with some water. Always mix according to the manufacturers instructions.
  3. Then take your mop, preferable one that can be wrung out, and mop the floor with the solution. It’s very important to avoid using too much liquid as you don’t want to warp and streak the floors. The best type of mop for this job is a microfiber one.
  4. If you have any pesky stains, now is the time to start taking care of them. Below you can find how to treat stains.
  5. Now it’s time to fix any obvious scratches in the hardwood floor. You can check out our guide to see what to do.
  6. The floor is finally clean, now it’s time for some prevention. If your floor is starting to wear down, you can do a re-coat, add a rug, make sure to sweep regularly, and so on.

Most store-bought cleaning solutions aren’t actually a good choice

hardwood floors in dining room

How To Remove Stains

Removing stains is pretty simple. You can try using a hardwood spot cleaner, or you can try using hydrogen peroxide. This chemical has bleaching properties without being harsh like actual bleach, so it’s safe for hardwood floors. Just soak a cloth in some hydrogen peroxided, cover the stain for around six hours, and then the stain should have lifted. Some stains in areas where the finish has worn off may require a re-sanding, re-staining, and refinishing, which is best done by a professional.

You can try using a hardwood spot cleaner, or you can try using hydrogen peroxide

woman cleaning her hardwood floors

What Will Ruin Hardwood Floors?

There are plenty of things that are not recommended you use on your beautiful floors. This includes a steam mop, a vacuum without a wood floor attachment, wax on an urethane finish, white vinegar, chlorine bleach (even if it’s diluted), harsh chemicals, and abrasive cleaning tools. Your floors should be treated gently and with love and respect. If you want to keep them looking beautiful it’s best to avoid the above-mentioned.

There are plenty of things that are not recommended you use on your beautiful floors

dog in his bed on hardwood floors

How Often Should You Clean Hardwood Floors?

It very much depends. In general, a regular broom, or dust mop will do wonders. However, if your floors receive a lot of traffic, and it’s muddy season, you may need to be cleaning daily. Just look at your floors, if you think they need a clean, then don’t leave it for another day.

If your floors receive a lot of traffic, and it’s muddy season, you may need to be cleaning daily

living room with hardwood floors

This was how to clean hardwood floors like a pro. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can give your beautiful floors a good scrub without worrying that you may cause any damage.

This was how to clean hardwood floors like a pro

how to clean hardwood floors long bright floors

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John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.