Best Basic Products For Cleaning Hardwood Floors

Why Buy Special Products? 

Hardwood floors can last a lifetime! One of the most significant parts of maintaining your floors is having them refinished every seven to ten years. With proper care, you can go longer intervals between having them refinished. However, if the floors are neglected, they will get damaged and need to be refinished more frequently. Giving your hardwood floors proper care will not only prolong their life but also save you money and time on keeping them in great shape. 

This article will look at a couple of must-have products for caring for your hardwood floors.

How Often Should I Be Cleaning My Hardwood Floors? 

Every situation and home will be different. However, there are some general guidelines for cleaning your hardwood floors. Floors that experience moderate to heavy traffic should be swept or dry mopped with a microfiber dust mop daily. The floors should be vacuumed weekly and cleaned with a professional quality floor cleaner once a month. 

Cleaning solution

There are many cleaning solutions on the market, with new and updated products coming out each month. However, there has been one cleaner that has stood the test of time. Murphy Oil Soap Concentrated Wood Cleaner. This product has been on the market for over 100 years for a reason. What we like about it is that it doesn't leave a heavy residue behind after being used. It is also an affordable product that is easy to acquire. Sure, there are "fancier" and more involved products, but Murphy Oil Soap does the job without damaging the integrity of the floor's finishing. 

The only downside to Murphy Oil Soap is that not everyone likes the smell. This isn't the biggest deal, but it should be noted. Also, the product must be mixed since it comes as a concentrate. 

Mops 

For an all-around, workhorse dry mop for daily dusting, it's hard to beat the Mr. Signa Professional Microfiber Mop. It's not a fancy-looking piece of equipment, but it does the job as good or better than anything close to its price range. It also comes with multiple mop pads, so all you have to make is one purchase for the mop and the microfiber pads. 

What's even better about the Mr. Signa Professional Microfiber Mop is that it also doubles as a wet mop for your monthly use of cleaning solution. Just add your cleaning product to the microfiber cloth and attach it to the mop, and you're good to go.  

Swiffer makes some decent sweeping and mopping kits, but we're not crazy about the integrity of the mop handle or the quality of the solution they use for the damp cloths. However, these will work in a pinch, but we highly suggest the small investment of time and effort to buy a professional cleaning solution and a microfiber mop. 

Rugs

Finally, let's talk about rugs. This might sound like an obvious suggestion, but you would be surprised at how effective rugs are in protecting and extending the life of your hardwood floors in high-traffic areas. We don't have any specific suggestions here, but area rugs and runners should be a consideration as you look to preserve and protect your hardwood floors. 

Even with the best care and maintenance of hardwood floors, they will need to be refinished and sometimes repaired by a flooring professional. If you would like a free estimate for hardwood flooring repair or refinishing, we would love to be able to assist you. We are currently serving Florida as well as Westchester Country, NY. For questions or quotes, please reach out to us today!