How to Clean Hardwood Floors

Your hardwood floor is finally in, and it’s everything you’ve been waiting for. But if this is your first time (or your client’s first time) having one, you might not know exactly what’s involved in caring for this investment.

How often does it need cleaning? Should you mop hardwood floors? What products should you use?

The answers to those questions could mean the difference between preserving your floor or damaging it.

Cleaning wood floors consistently is key to keeping them in good condition since even a little dust or dirt, when walked on, can leave scratches or scuffs. Thankfully, the cleaning process isn’t complicated, though it does involve a bit of foreknowledge. This page will provide you with everything you need to know for:

• Daily cleaning
• Weekly cleaning
  • Products to use
  • Products to avoid
  • Whether to steam clean

Learn all about the most effective techniques, product recommendations, and tips from the pros.

Daily cleaning

Cleaning your hardwood floor every day can seem a lot, but it doesn’t need to take more than 5–10 minutes. If possible, sweep (using a broom with soft bristles) or dry mop to keep small pieces of dust, dirt, or pet hair from scratching it when you walk on it. Regular dust mopping is recommended by most hardwood floor manufacturers, such as the Olde Wood Limited.¹

If you can’t do so for the whole surface every day, focus on getting at least the high-traffic areas.

Or, you may prefer to vacuum rather than sweep or dust mop. In this case, be sure to turn off the beater bar of the vacuum cleaner or use a hardwood floor attachment to avoid scratches on the floor.²

If you spill something, the best way to avoid permanent damage is to clean it up as quickly as possible with a soft, absorbent towel or microfiber cloth.

For spot cleaning, use a damp cloth and a cleaner designed for hardwood floors (discussed more below). If you’re trying to clean off a sticky substance like gum or candle wax, put ice on the substance to harden it and then use a plastic scraper (like an old credit card) to peel the substance off.³

Weekly cleaning

Once a week, take some time for a deep cleaning with a recommended cleaning product to remove any grime or buildup that sweeping didn’t take care of.

Always start by vacuuming any loose dust or dirt. As we already noted, you’ll want to have a vacuum that allows you to turn off the beater bar or has a mode for hardwood. A vacuum with rubber wheels is also safer for the floor than one with plastic wheels.

After you vacuum, damp mop using a cleaner designed for hardwood floors. Again, be sure you have something soft for this, like a microfiber mop or cloth.⁴

The key word here is damp. You don’t want standing water on the floor surface after you’ve mopped. In fact, doing so could void its warranty. This is the case with Shaw Floors, which states that wet mopping with soap, water, oil-based detergent, or liquid cleaning material will void the warranty.⁵

As you mop, pay attention to how dirty the cleaning applicator is. If you’re using a dirty applicator, you could end up with a hazy floor. That’s why Steve Marley at Johnson Hardwood in California recommends that these applicators “should be changed every 500 square feet.”⁶

So, what kind of product is best for cleaning hardwood? More on that next.

What kinds of cleaning solutions can I use?

The best product for your hardwood floor is one suited for your floor finish. The finish manufacturer will typically recommend cleaning products or sell their own.

For example, Johnson Hardwood recommends cleaners like:⁷

• Bona hardwood floor cleaner
• Mannington wood floor cleaner
• Bruce Armstrong wood floor cleaner
• Basic Coatings Squeaky Clean

If you don’t know what kind of finish you have, the Hardwood Distributor’s Association provides this advice for figuring it out:

“Rub your finger across the floor. Be sure to do this on a clean floor. If no smudge appears, the floor is surface sealed. If you do create a smudge, the floor has been treated with a penetrating seal, oil finish, shellac, varnish or lacquer, and then waxed.”

The association only recommends using a wax or petroleum-based product on a floor you know has a wax finish.⁸

Most floors, though, have some kind of urethane finish, so a cleaner designed for that is best.⁹ Some generic hardwood products are:

• Bona
• Method
• Libman
• Blanchon
• EcoMist
• Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
• Wood Wash

If you’re unsure of how your floor will react to a certain type of cleaner, test out a small amount of cleaner on a non-conspicuous spot before using it on the whole surface.

What products should I avoid?

Because of how sensitive hardwood floors are, avoid using any harsh chemicals or abrasive or acidic products when cleaning it. These can damage the finish. Unfortunately, that even includes many DIY cleaning products, such as:

• Baking soda
• Lemon juice
• White vinegar
• Ammonia
• Glass cleaner
• Bleach

Oil soaps (vegetable oil, silicone oil, oil soaps, citrus oils) and wax-based cleaners aren’t recommended either. Think Murphy’s oil soap. These can harm the finish and leave a hazy appearance.¹⁰ According to an article on Wood Floor Business, they can also make it more difficult to refinish because the finish will tend to run away from the oil.¹¹

Wood polishes and conditioners are also products to be cautious about since they can leave residues behind.¹²

Is it okay to steam clean my hardwood floor?

The simple answer is no. The combination of moisture and heat from a steam mop will wear out the finish much more quickly. It can lead to peeling, whitening, or haziness.¹³ And once the finish is damaged, water can sneak in and harm the wood grain itself.¹⁴

Michael Purser, founder and owner of Rosebud Floors, has this to say about steam cleaning:

“No manufacturers of any coatings, stains, prefinished floors or engineered floors recommend steam cleaning their products. The National Wood Floor Association does not recommend it, and a number of manufacturers will void their warranty if you steam-clean their product.”¹⁵

A simple step for floor longevity

A well-maintained floor is a long-lasting floor. And longevity is the goal of hardwood floor cleaning. With proper floor care—quickly wiping up messes and getting rid of dust and dirt—you’ll extend your investment as far as possible.

Proper methods of cleaning also play into this equation. With the right cleaners and the right amount of moisture, you can avoid water damage, warping, or other harm to your floor.

Here’s to keeping it in pristine condition!