Best Cleaning Products to Use for Mopping Wood Floors

Hardwood floors are valuable assets of our house and cleaning and maintaining them can be daunting, especially if you don’t know the right tips and tricks. Everyone thinks wooden floors are very delicate and they require special care and attention, but following a few easy guidelines can make it an easy task. Properly cleaned floors are not hard to obtain, especially if you know what products to choose. People are continually searching for easy and efficient cleaning products and solutions to clean their wooden floors and make them shiny. Some people are allergic to certain chemicals and products, or some may be sensitive to strong scents as well. Therefore, it’s essential that you choose the correct product for your house, so that it is safer for people as well as the environment. More cleaning power is required when your floors are extra dirty so that you can save your time, money and effort and get the desired result as well. However, cleaning gets strenuous with such dirty floors that make the house look soiled. Hence, it’s better advised to take the assistance of professional cleaners for the end of lease cleaning in Melbourne. Experts have the right strategies to clean the house so that you may not have to face any hassle in getting back your bond money. Following are some best cleaning techniques and solutions to clean your hardwood floor without damaging the finish:

Preparing for the Cleaning

It’s important to follow a few steps to start the cleaning routine and take care of few things on a regular basis: Remove your shoes- A wooden floor tends to get dirty very soon if you walk along with your shoes on it as it leaves behind lots of sand and dust. To prevent it, put mats both outside and the inside of the doors, so that much of the dirt doesn’t get tracked in. Take extra care in snowy or rainy weather and add a boot removal area to avoid damage from snow or water. Wipe up the spills immediately- It’s important to clean up the spills over a wooden floor as soon as possible. If it’s not attended immediately, it will get dry and stick on the floor and consequently will make the floor finish dull and will attract extra dirt. Always use a soft bristled broom- A soft bristled broom will protect the wood from getting scratched and will remove big dirt particles that may graze the floor if caught under a mop. Vacuuming- Vacuuming should be done regularly, at least every alternate day to keep the wood floors clean. It will remove the dirt and grime so that the floor can get ready to be washed. However, refrain from rubbing the floor as it can damage it and use a mop or a microfiber duster to remove any remains of the dirt, dust or pet hair before vacuuming.

Choose the Right Cleaning Agent.

Choosing the right cleaning agent for your wooden floor is important. For the purpose of general cleaning, choose water-based cleaners. However, for a deep clean purpose, choose an alkaline, water-based cleaner with detergents, soaps. Make sure you don’t use ammonia, bleach or any abrasive cleaner as it can leave residue on the floor and therefore will damage it.

Using Liquid Cleaners

Mopping and vacuuming won’t be able to remove all the filth and dirt that keeps building up over the time. You need to have a liquid cleaner of good quality for routine cleaning. You can pick up a commercial wood cleaning products, which are safe for your home, for periodic cleaning of your wooden floors. However, always follow the manufacturer’s instruction while using commercial products. Soak a sponge or rag in your cleaning solution; squeeze the extra liquid so that the rag is soggy but not completely wet. Remember that excess water can also damage the wooden floors gradually. Mop the floor with this cleaner. Rinse the mop using clean water, remove the excess and mop the floor once again to remove any residues of the cleaner. Finish off the process by wiping out the excess water using a clean and dry towel and ensure that there is no standing water left on the floor. Let’s take a look at some green clean solutions to clean your wooden floors effectively:

Vinegar

Vinegar is a great cleaning agent. One cup of vinegar mixed in a bucket of water is one of the best solutions for deep cleaning the wooden floors. Use a clean mop, dip it in the solution and squeeze out the excess water. Wipe up the floor with this dampened mop in the direction of the floorboards. Let it air dry or if it’s taking a lot of time then, use a soft, clean towel to dry it.

Vegetable Oil

There are some types of floor finish for which water is not recommended. For them, you can use vegetable oil which is very effective in removing the dirt and bringing back wood’s shine as well. However, you have to prepare a solution using vegetable oil and vinegar. Fill this solution in a spray bottle before applying.

Essential Oil

Essential oils are again can be effectively used for cleaning. It can be used to add fragrance to your cleaning solution. Make a solution of water, vinegar and essential oil and mop your wooden floor with it. There are different varieties of essential oils, choose any of them and add it to your solution for removing any odours and cleaning it naturally. Lemon juice is generally considered as a great cleaning agent. To clean the wooden floors also, it works well. Make a solution of lemon juice, olive oil and hot water and mop the floor with it. This solution will not only clean the floor but also bring the shine back. Soak one bag of tea in two cups of boiling water; leave it until it comes to room temperature. Remove the tea bag and immerse a clean cloth in this liquid, squeeze out excess water and wipe the floor. Finish off by drying the floor with a soft cloth. This method will bring back the shine to the wooden floors. Before selecting a product for your house, you should know what kind of floor you have and how it’s finished and sealed. Wooden floors are known for being comparatively low maintenance, but most of the times, people ignore them and hence it gets difficult to clean them. It is better that you use homemade solutions so that the floors are cleaned without any damage. However, if you feel that cleaning wooden floors is a tiresome task, you can take the aid of expert cleaners like Bond cleaning in Melbourne. They have clean, green solutions that bring back the shine of the floors and the house after every cleanup.