How to Take Care of Your Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors are beautiful, and are really durable. Did you know how to take care of your wood floors so that they last?

 Most people think, oh vinegar is great for wood, right?! Wrong. Vinegar is a very strong acid, and can actually ruin the finish on your pretty floors. Mopping with straight vinegar will actually start to burn the finish off the floors right away and make them feel tacky or sticky. If you put vinegar on unsealed wood floors it will begin to warp them and sink in to the wood itself, eventually dissolving the top layers and making them look awful. You can use vinegar, but carefully.

What you want to do is make sure that your floors are swept up well then mix one tablespoon of vinegar per liter of hot water. You can mop with this, or spray it on and wipe, but do not use more than the recommended portions. After you wash with this you will want to mop up the vinegar, BECAUSE if you leave it on it will start to slowly eat at the finish on those floors. This is true for all materials you put vinegar on, it will slowly over time destroy it. If you think about it, vinegar eats away at hard water spots, what it is doing to the floors?

I recommend Bona or Murphey's Soap Oil for wood floors. Bona is expensive, but it is a conditioner and will keep your floors nice and pretty. You do not have to use much of it at all either. You will want to mop the floor first with clean water, then spray the Bona on and mop it on with a rag, or a clean damp mop. 

Murphey's Soap Oil is fantastic too for anything wood. It is expensive as well but you only need one teaspoon per liter of water. Some people don't like the smell, but personally I do like it. You can also use it on wood chairs, cabinets, furniture, and paneling. 

Pine Sol is a cheaper alternative to either of these, and can be used for most types of floors or counters, just use the recommended doses on the bottle. It smells wonderful too :)

Thanks for reading! Good luck! 

Tiffany