NO! Don't steam hardwood. I use a bucket of warm water with a little floor cleaner -- and a well-wrung-out sponge mop. Just let it air dry.

A steam mop is great for ceramic tile but not recommended for hardwood

chisue and Rose, some of the steam mop brands make a version that says "for hardwood floors" stating that they are only unsuitable for unfinished hardwood floors. I have cherry hardwood floors but they definitely have a factory satin matte finish on them. I've read the customer reviews of many people who use them on their hardwood floors, and they say they do not leave any moisture on your floor, that the steam lifts off smudges but dries immediately.

With a true solid hardwood floor (not a manufactured material or a laminate), a mop shouldn't be used. Directly applied moisture will seep into the cracks and cause it to warp.

Regular vacuuming should handle most dirt. Very periodically (once a month or less unless you have a lot of dirt tracked in), lightly spray or otherwise dampen the dust mop and move it over the floor. If using a bucket, I'd say you've got too much moisture.

Never would I consider using steam on my hardwood floors. I don't care what their ads say.

Think about it - what happens when wood gets wet?

I have laminate and it works fine. Not sure how it would work on actual hardwood floors. My steamer has 3 different settings so i would think that the lowest setting would work because it lightly dampens the floor.

When I lived in an old house, I used Endust on a dust mop, & then every other week I rubbed Indian sand into any scratches & then waxed with Stanley Wood...something.

I looked at their website, & I think it may have been something like the "Original Wood Care".

Back in the day, it came in a brown & gold metal can.

no water.

no way no how no water.

I love hardwood floors but I think they are harder to take care of then carpet. I find that first I have to sweep with a broom to get up the dust....vacuum takes care of bits of dirt, crumbs, etc..but not the layer of dust. Then I use Bona spray with a microfiber mop. Never fails, I always miss spots and you can always see the areas that I missed. So frustrating. I am thinking of getting the new Bissell Symphony which is an all in one vacuum and steam mop. When people talk steam mops I don't think they mean tons of water being sprayed and soaking wet floors, especially for wood. I get the sense it is a light mist and dries quickly. You can go with a heavier spray on tile or vinyl floors. I think it runs around $200 so haven't taken the plunge yet.

chisue, my floors also have a low gloss (they call it satin matte on the box) poly seal. I vacuum every other day, as we have 3 dogs.

The amount I spritz on the floor smudges is very minimal, just enough to clean them off with a dry microfiber mop. So many people using the steam mops for hardwood floors seem to love them and supposedly they get the floor clean without leaving any moisture on the surface that has to dry.

But I can understand that steam would definitely penetrate between each board, and that would be harder to air dry, probably damaging the wood. If I'm getting negative feedback here, I just can't trust the outcome, despite the good product reviews. Thanks for your help!

Yes, the turn-off for me is the 'steam' -- it has to involve HOT WATER, however briefly it's on the wood. I'm not willing to test this.

Well, I know my floor is probably not like most others wood floors. I have wide planked pine boards that are face nailed with cut nails.
My boards are not flush- they twist and warp with the seasons....They shrink and expand.
I have 3 cats with nails, a stone driveway that sometimes follows you in on the soles of your shoes and more than one time dropped wood and hot coals. I'm pretty much over keeping them nice.
I do use a broom, a vacuum, a mop and sometime a steamer.
I do however live in a rustic log home so the worn, unevenness adds to the character for me.

I know of several people that use and swear by steam mops on hardwood. One friend has a 100 yr old house and said her floors have never been as clean as they are now since she started using the steam mop.
I do not have hard wood and was told by the manufacturer not to use steam on laminate because it can cause some of them to start to delaminate on the edges.
I have a shark steam mop and can tell you from experience the floor does NOT get wet it is dry pretty much instantly. It would get more water exposure by using a wet mop which is much wetter than a steam mop.
But it is up to each individual as to whether they want to try it. My friend tried it first in a closet that had the same hard wood as the rest of the house and she was thrilled with the cleaning.

When I was trying to decide if I wanted a steam mop and what kind I found my answer right here on GW at the cleaning forum and if you don't think there have been tons of discussions on the topic then just check out this link from that one forum.
steam mops

IT is a very heavily discussed topic here at GW. LOL
If I had hardwood I would likely do the same test, I would try it on a location that is not right out in the open. Or specifically ask the manufacturer of the hard wood if that is a possibility.

When I steam mop my tile it is completely dry in seconds after the mop goes over it, I can't risk the slipping factor, which is why it is really good for me. And I can do it sitting in my chair because the mop is so easy to use.
I would certainly never presume to tell someone what to do I think we are all intelligent enough to make those informed decisions.