Your cleaner will be a pH neutral hardwood floor cleaner. Bruce, Armstrong, Bona, etc all make hardwood floor CLEANERS. Do NOT purchase the "polishes" or any product that promises to REVIVE or REJUVENATE your hardwood floors. These are to be avoided. They are polishes without the word "polish" in it's name.
If you are concerned (while standing in the cleaning aisle) go ahead and read the back of the bottle. You are looking for the words "Does not leave a residue". That is the definition of a cleaner.
You will want to use a microfibre mop. You will apply the cleaning solution to the MOP HEAD and then swish the mop around. The amount of cleaner is VERY SMALL.
Here's how your cleaning routine *should look like:
1. Vacuum/sweep 2-3 times per week (turn off the beater bar if you use a vacuum...suction only)
2. WATER ONLY damp mop 1 per week (microfibre mop that is almost dry)
3. Use your cleaning product 1-2* per MONTH instead of the water-only damp mop
I prefer to see the cleaner used 1/month...with the occasional 2nd application done after a particularly dirty month (like in winter or after a pool party). That means your cleaner will be used 12-18 times per YEAR! Yep. Per YEAR!
The sweeping will be your biggest form of cleaning. The water-only damp mopping is the NORM...And when I say slightly damp...I mean JUST THAT. The amount of water in the mop will be so little that it will feel 'almost dry'. The only way you will 'feel' the water will be the fact that the mop will feel a little cooler than the air. That's it. That's how LITTLE water you need to care for a hardwood floor.
Q
Felt pads
Q