Cleaning Hardwood Floors

[AshRae]

What's the actual right way to clean hardwood floors? I don't think I am getting them clean and am worried that if I use anything strong I will ruin them. What is the go to for cleaning them? Is it vinegar, hot water, what?

Thanks in advance!

[floorman]

Depends what finish is on them but assume polyurethane unless you know otherwise. Skip anything with vinegar, ammonia, or wax — vinegar's acidic and eats the finish over time, wax builds up and gets slippery.

Use a microfiber mop, barely damp, with a cleaner actually labeled for hardwood (Bona is fine, don't need anything fancy). Never wet-mop, standing water gets in the seams and swells the boards. Vacuum or dry-sweep first so you're not grinding grit into the finish. That's it, nothing complicated about it.

This is the kind of mop head:



Bona Hardwood Cleaner: