You love your hardwood floors. They’re beautiful and durable and they compliment your décor perfectly. They look new now, but without the proper care, they can really start to look worn. They’ll go from beautiful to ugly rather quickly. What you need is some tips on the best way to clean hardwood floors.

In order to make your floors looking beautiful and like new, you need to take care of them. This includes doing some preventative work, some daily floor care, and cleaning it more thoroughly at least once a month, more if needed.

The best way to clean hardwood floors is the method that you’ll not only stick with, but the one that compliments your level of use and the type of hardwood flooring you have. Here are some tips.

Preventative Care

One of the steps involved in the best way to clean hardwood floors is to do some preventative care. Basic preventative care in its purest form involves putting some sort of a coating on the floor. Some floors get waxed and others receive a coat of polyurethane or other material. Most modern floors get a coat of clear polyurethane.

Another step for preventative care is to wear socks or slippers indoors. Dirt, grime, and pebbles tracked in from outside can cause scuff marks and dirt and grind the finish off of the flooring. Another thing you can do is put down area rugs in the sections of the flooring that receive a lot of traffic. These include by any doors, the path to the kitchen and other popular rooms, and by the kitchen sink.

Daily Care

The best way to clean hardwood floors lies in how much cleaning you do throughout the day on the floor. Daily floor care includes sweeping or vacuuming daily, picking up after any spills as they occur (wood floors can’t remain wet), and getting rid of any dirt smudges or scuff marks. It is best to do this in the evening, after dinner. You can use a broom, a vacuum, or a dry microfiber mop on a daily basis.

Thorough Cleaning

Every so often, it is a good idea to do a more thorough cleaning. This may involve using cleaning solution and polisher as well as a small amount of water to do some light mopping. Here is some advice on things you can do to thoroughly clean your hardwood flooring. The best way to clean hardwood floors will depend on the type of wood flooring you have.

A damp rag – One of the best ways to clean a wood floor is also the simplest. This involves dampening a soft rag with a little bit of warm water and giving the floor the once over. The small amount of moisture will pick up any debris. Just make sure to go back through and dry the water with a dry rag after you are done. If you leave water on the flooring, it can damage it. You can also add a small amount of white vinegar in addition to the water for a gentle cleaner.

Contact the manufacturer – Some manufacturers have product recommendations when it comes to their flooring. They may have a special product line that is designed to compliment the flooring, the wood, and its finish.

Buy a kit – There are also plenty of wood floor care kits out on the market. These usually include a special mop, cleaning solution, and polisher. Make sure you buy a system that has a good reputation. Some companies may actually be selling programs that have ingredients that will be harmful to your floor.​​​