How do you clean your kitchen hardwood floors
vidyaram
12 years ago
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natal
12 years agoblfenton
12 years agoRelated Discussions
How Do *You* Deep Clean Hardwood Floors?
Comments (10)I have a Hoover Floor Mate. I also have engineered oak hardwood floors. (And a side note: engineered flooring is "real" wood. It's not solid hardwood all the way through, but is composed of layers and the top layer (thickness depends on brand) is real oak with a poly finish and should be treated the same as a solid hardwood floor. As far as Floor Mate, I won't be without it! (Actually, I used the first FM version about 4 years, then a little plastic part broke and water leaked some. So I just replaced it with the purple (500 model, I belive, DH just put it together last night, so I haven't used it yet.) Anyway, I would not recommend using it on hardwood, no matter if it's engineered or solid. It does secrete enough water that it would ruin the floor if it seeped between the seams (and that is inevitable). I do, however, use Floormate religiously on: ceramic, lineoleum and commercial grade laminate. (Our laminate has a rubber backing, since it was installed below grade on top of concrete. It's actually a commercial grade laminate. If I had "residential" laminate, which we are thinking of installing in our kitchen, I would not use the Floor Mate because the underside is not rubber but wood composition and if water seeped between the seams it would ruin the underside of the flooring.) Love my Floor Mate, BTW. The gunky water that is left in the dirty water tank is unreal. I can't go back to a mop and bucket, knowing I'd be spreading that stuff right back onto the floor again. And a double bonus: if you have a bad back, it's a life saver! So I clean my hardwood this way: Vacuum thoroughly to get large particles picked up and to avoid scratching flooring with Swiffer or hardwood mop. When I vacuum, I use a filter queen with a hardwood floor brush attachment (no rotating beater/bristles!). Next I follow up with a Swiffer. (I got Swiffer Max, which is much wider and covers more floor space.) After that I spray Bruce Duraluster cleaner on a hardwood mop and wipe the floors. Love the Bruce cleaner, gets the floors really clean (evidence is on the hardwood mop) and leaves a nice satin sheen (but no residue build-up). Sounds like a lot to do, but it's not really. I can do an entire level of hardwood flooring (3 bedrooms, hall, living room) in under 30 minutes....See MoreHardwood floor care tips: area rug & pad, felt pads, how to clean
Comments (4)We are getting our 20 year old hardwoods refinished right now because they are trashed! Here are the "really" bad things we've noticed. Do not push your furniture across the floor! It will leave gouges. Buy tons of felt protective pads in all different sizes and put them on EVERYTHING. You also need to replace them frequently and keep the pads clean (if there is any grit or dirt on the pad the protective pad turns to sandpaper). Put an area rug under the sink/DW and water dispenser to catch drips (and shake and clean under rugs regulary so no dirt is trapped under them). Our kids have plasma cars and they have destroyed the floors so I would say no wheels at all on the floor. Don't push that piano! Swiffers or dust mops are great and help keeping it clean....See MoreIf You Have Hardwood Floors in your Kitchen, I Need Advise
Comments (26)We are 2 active and messy cooks in the kitchen with 1 furry Jack Russell Terrier who sheds white hairs everywhere. We have unstained maple floors, finished in place with 3 coats of Swedish. I vacuum every few days with the flat soft brush attachment on my canister vac. I don't use the beater bar attachment, just the plain floor sweeper head that gets attached to the wand. It doesn't scratch, and I'm careful to check it each time before I use it to make sure no grit or dirt is stuck on it. That gets up most of the crumbs, hairs, and dust/dirt. It's the loose dirt that gets tracked in that you want to get rid of, as it can scratch the finish over time. About once a month I'll use the Bona wood floor product with the microfiber mop that comes with it. That gets up any accumulated grease that might settle down over time. We put large washable cotton area rugs (some decent ones are at IKEA) in front of the stove and the prep sink/island. I make sure to vacuum and wash them periodically, and lift them to vacuum underneath as that's where a lot of dirt will build up. The most important rug is the one in front of the rangetop, as cooking grease that vaporizes and splatters onto the floor around the stove can be the most destructive to the finish over 20 years of use. All spills are wiped up immediately, even droplets of water from wet dishes and hands. And all chairs and even the dining table legs have thick industrial strength felt pads under them (the super sturdy tan colored ones from HD). The pads are changed at least once a year, as they can build up grit which then scratches your floors as you move the chairs. And most importantly, all shoes are left at the front door. No high heels and dirt are allowed to track on the wood floors in the kitchen or great room. It's been 3 years since the renovation and they still look brand new. Wood floors can be a wonderful investment, but you have to take care of them. Wall to wall carpet can take a lot of abuse and hide a multitude of sins, but your wood floors will show how good a housekeeper you are, LOL....See MoreHow do you clean your hardwood kitchen floors? (X-posted on cleaning)
Comments (14)rebeccamomof123 your floors are lovely. If you like the way your floors look, I wouldn't have them refinished now. You know now that when the time comes you'll have to completely refinish them, but there's no reason you have to rush into it since they obviously are in good shape. I'd stop using the steam mop and Murphy's and start using the damp microfiber mop. We had oak floors refinished in our last house and I used Bona and the occasional steam mop. After 6 years, the satin poly was starting to wear thin in a few spots. Our new hardwood floors are waiting to be installed right now and I don't plan to ever use the steam mop on them!...See Moreslush1422
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