Cleaning Hardwood Floors Naturally

Hardwood flooring suggests richness and luxury. Hardwood floors are a prized possession, and hence must be maintained with utmost care. If you have hardwood flooring in your home, you would want to take special care for it so as to make it last longer. Are you wondering how to clean hardwood floors without chemicals? Here are a few methods that will help you to clean hardwood floors naturally.

Methods to Clean Hardwood Floors

Sweep: Sweeping hardwood floors is considered as the best and simplest method of cleaning and maintaining hardwood floors. All you need is a soft brush with fine bristles to clean hardwood floors. Sweeping the floor regularly will prevent spreading of dirt around and spoiling the floors.

Vacuum: It is also necessary to vacuum the rugs and the carpets once or twice a week for the same above mentioned purpose. Although not seen to the naked eye, microscopic dust can cause scratches on hardwood floors. You can use vacuums that have attachment for using on bare floors. You must also remember not to use vacuums with beater bar.

Cleaning Spills: Wet spills of any sort will ruin hardwood floors. Hence, all spills should be immediately cleaned with the help of a dry damp mop. Spilling of water is not favorable for hardwood flooring, and hence water spills should also be cleaned with a soft cloth or a towel as soon as possible. It is also essential to wipe out food or other stains from hardwood floors.

Removing Stains: There are different methods for cleaning different types of stains on hardwood floors. But, a very fine steel wool is the most effective of all, and can be used for cleaning a variety of stains. Bleaching agents like oxalic acid or hydrogen peroxide can also be used for cleaning stains.

Vinegar: Vinegar is used as a cleansing agent for cleaning many household things. Vinegar is also one of the most useful products for cleaning hardwood floors naturally. Mix half a cup vinegar in 1 gallon of water and use this water for mopping the floor. You must remember not to use vinegar frequently as it can lead to corrosion.

Sealing / Waxing: Certain varieties of hardwood need to be sealed and waxed regularly. You can get the specific products meant for these sealing hardwood floors at the manufacturers. You can also take help from the manufacturers about the use of these products. You can check out with your manufacturers, as sometimes they offer care and cleaning products and information.

If the floor is spoiled and contains excessive scratches, they can be waxed or sanded to retain their original shiny appearance. You must make sure that the floors are properly waxed before you mop them again.

Hardwood Floor Maintenance Tips
You need to follow certain things in order to make hardwood flooring last longer. Here are tips for hardwood flooring care.

• A damp mop should be used for cleaning only if the hardwood floors have a coating of polyurethane.
• You should not wear high heels or heavy shoes on these flooring as they can cause dents.
• It is also not advisable to drag furniture on these flooring or they can result in scratches. You can place gliding furniture pads or plastic protectors under the legs of the furniture.
• It is better if you install carpet runners or floor mats on these floors to protect them against dirt and scratches. You should also remember not to use rubber mats on hardwood floors.
• In case there are pets in your house, you should have their claws clipped to prevent scratches on the floors.
• It is not recommended to make use of oil based soaps or ammonia based cleaning agents for cleaning hardwood floors as they can ruin the floors.

If proper care is undertaken, the beauty of hardwood floors can last longer, and they will rarely need to be replaced.