hardwood floors

hi ladies! what do you use to clean your hardwood floors? i've been using a sponge mop with a mr. clean solution and it makes them shiny and smells good, but i just dont think it cleans them thoroughly. if i walk on our floors with white socks, the bottoms of my socks start to look dirty.

any suggestions??

Re: hardwood floors

We have literally cleaned our wood floors with paint thinner. PAINT THINNER! And our socks are still dirty.

If you find anything that works, please share!

Re: hardwood floors

My floors always feel a lot cleaner after I use the Shark Steam Mop on them...you should see how black the pads are! Sometimes I add a little vinegar into the water. It stinks but i feel like it does an even better job.

Re: hardwood floors

we just got out floors done and i havent mopped.. its been a few months.

i use swiffer wipes. so far so good.

Re: hardwood floors

Shark steam mop works great!

Re: hardwood floors

i'll have to look into the steam mop!

i usually just do swiffers in between mops, but our dog is such a mess when she eats and her water gets all over the floor, then she steps in it... and then i have little paw prints all over our floors. so lately i've been mopping once a week.

Re: hardwood floors

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Posted by MR1223

i'll have to look into the steam mop!

i usually just do swiffers in between mops, but our dog is such a mess when she eats and her water gets all over the floor, then she steps in it... and then i have little paw prints all over our floors. so lately i've been mopping once a week.

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This is our problem. We have the shark steam mop and use it maybe once a month to mop. But it's a pain to use more often than that and with our dogs we need to mop at LEAST once if not twice a week. It was so nice when DH was home with his sprained knee- he swept and mopped every DAY and the floors were gleaming! Too bad he has to go back to work, I'm gonna miss my little house husband!

Re: hardwood floors

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Posted by jilliibabii

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Posted by MR1223

i'll have to look into the steam mop!

i usually just do swiffers in between mops, but our dog is such a mess when she eats and her water gets all over the floor, then she steps in it... and then i have little paw prints all over our floors. so lately i've been mopping once a week.

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This is our problem. We have the shark steam mop and use it maybe once a month to mop. But it's a pain to use more often than that and with our dogs we need to mop at LEAST once if not twice a week. It was so nice when DH was home with his sprained knee- he swept and mopped every DAY and the floors were gleaming! Too bad he has to go back to work, I'm gonna miss my little house husband!

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hahaha werent you lucky!

Re: hardwood floors

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Posted by tinadansr

Shark steam mop works great!

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I use this too. Have to do it today actually!

Re: hardwood floors

This is good to know - I was afraid to use my steam mop on my hardwood floors. Thanks girls!!

Re: hardwood floors

Its hard because i really dont like to wet or steam the wood floors that often. Its really not good to do. But when i do i use a steammop & also add organic seaside naturals hardwood floor cleaner. Works great. The in between i use the cleaner with a swiffer.

Re: hardwood floors

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Posted by lori7570

This is good to know - I was afraid to use my steam mop on my hardwood floors. Thanks girls!!

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I think the newer engineered wood you can't but the old fashioned wood floors in old homes it seems to be fine on.

Re: hardwood floors

ohhhhhh i can answer that since my DH is owner of his own flooring company (he brainwashed me)...

Do not use anything with a wax base- like steer clear of Murphy's Oil Soap and other wax/oil products... down the line when you want to have your floors done... you may have to fully refinish them rather than screen and coat them... which is a huge difference in $$. Refinishers can not screen and coat your floors if wax products were used because the wax leaves a residue and that residue causes a reaction with the poly, leaving streaking and sometimes white spots.

My Husband recommends Polycare floor cleaner or Bona or even a Damp Mop. While the 2 products maybe a little pricey... a little goes a long way and down the road, you won't have to refinish your floors, just screen and coat it. Which is money is your pocket!

Let me know if this helps... I can also tell you where you can get polycare and bona... we have a few distributors and I believe BBB sells Bona...

Re: hardwood floors

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Posted by Sandradv121

ohhhhhh i can answer that since my DH is owner of his own flooring company (he brainwashed me)...

Do not use anything with a wax base- like steer clear of Murphy's Oil Soap and other wax/oil products... down the line when you want to have your floors done... you may have to fully refinish them rather than screen and coat them... which is a huge difference in $$. Refinishers can not screen and coat your floors if wax products were used because the wax leaves a residue and that residue causes a reaction with the poly, leaving streaking and sometimes white spots.

My Husband recommends Polycare floor cleaner or Bona or even a Damp Mop. While the 2 products maybe a little pricey... a little goes a long way and down the road, you won't have to refinish your floors, just screen and coat it. Which is money is your pocket!

Let me know if this helps... I can also tell you where you can get polycare and bona... we have a few distributors and I believe BBB sells Bona...

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i just bought this, but i havent used it yet: http://www.minwax.com/products/wood_maintenance_and_repair/hardwood_floor_cleaner.html

it says no residue. SANDRA - is this bad? doesnt say anything bout wax??!!

we just got floors refinished, so not really sure whats best. this looked good in teh store!

Re: hardwood floors

i use the swiffer for a quick clean and the shark steam mop on my floors

Re: hardwood floors

I used warm water with the tiniest splash of non0sudsy amonia. This is what my floor guy has told us to do.

I was pretty upset, cause we got a steam mop that I could not wait to use on them, and he old me to abolutely NOT use it on the wood floors. Atleat I can still use it on the tile.

Re: hardwood floors

Swiffer wet jet and it works pretty well.

Re: hardwood floors

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Posted by little j

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Posted by Sandradv121

ohhhhhh i can answer that since my DH is owner of his own flooring company (he brainwashed me)...

Do not use anything with a wax base- like steer clear of Murphy's Oil Soap and other wax/oil products... down the line when you want to have your floors done... you may have to fully refinish them rather than screen and coat them... which is a huge difference in $$. Refinishers can not screen and coat your floors if wax products were used because the wax leaves a residue and that residue causes a reaction with the poly, leaving streaking and sometimes white spots.

My Husband recommends Polycare floor cleaner or Bona or even a Damp Mop. While the 2 products maybe a little pricey... a little goes a long way and down the road, you won't have to refinish your floors, just screen and coat it. Which is money is your pocket!

Let me know if this helps... I can also tell you where you can get polycare and bona... we have a few distributors and I believe BBB sells Bona...

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i just bought this, but i havent used it yet: http://www.minwax.com/products/wood_maintenance_and_repair/hardwood_floor_cleaner.html

it says no residue. SANDRA - is this bad? doesnt say anything bout wax??!!

we just got floors refinished, so not really sure whats best. this looked good in teh store!

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Joe says if the floors were just refinished (when its refinished, they literally bring back to bare wood) or are brand new than YES use this product. He said if the floors are older and you don't know what the previous owners used (like if they used waxed products), and you personally didn't have them re-done, don't chance it and use a damp mop.

BTW, Joe wanted me to give you the website address, in which you can email him any questions you have and he will more than happy to help. (he's feeling important lol)
Avista Hardwood Flooring

Or you can just fm me and I can pass it along...

He swears by Minwax, Bona, Polycare. He has lots of info on there that might be useful in maintaining your floors. Hope this helps my loves...

Re: hardwood floors

And now a word from Joe himself:


'As for steam mopping, if its a lot of water it'll cause cupping over time... this is why I prefer my customer to Damp Mop with warm water and a little white vinegar or dishwashing soap, or use a swiffer (not wet jet). Products I like are Bona and Polycare.

Def no's
Murphy's oil soap
and
MOP and GLO

These are very bad and they cause chemical reactions.'

LOL he's so cute...

Re: hardwood floors

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Posted by Sandradv121

And now a word from Joe himself:


'As for steam mopping, if its a lot of water it'll cause cupping over time... this is why I prefer my customer to Damp Mop with warm water and a little white vinegar or dishwashing soap, or use a swiffer (not wet jet). Products I like are Bona and Polycare.

Def no's
Murphy's oil soap
and
MOP and GLO

These are very bad and they cause chemical reactions.'

LOL he's so cute...

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Too bad I won't get to meet him tomm.