How Do I Clean My Hardwood Floors?

Most hardwood purchased in the last 30 years has an aluminum oxide finish that will not ?come off? and is very low maintenance.? For that I recommend the dry Swiffer- you change the dryer sheet-like slip on the bottom and easily pick up daily dust with no residue.? The Swiffer Wet Jet, in my opinion, have too much water!? Water breaks down the chemical compounds in finish and actually take it off!? I have seen very thirsty looking floors where people just used too much water too often and they are completely devoid of finish.? This leaves them susceptible to get dirt ground into the grain of the wood; then the only way to get that out is sanding.? So, for light daily dusting use the Swiffer, use a broom for more debris, and use BONA for occasional wet cleaning.? Bona sells a microfiber mop head kit that you can Velcro off and machine wash.? I suggest using a light spritz on the floor and mop when dirty feet have tracked in mud on a rainy day or there is spaghetti sauce left on the floor in the kitchen.? Oils and waxes are not appropriate for this kind of floor!? Make sure your cleaner is water based.? And vinegar is an acid, so its best to not use that home cleaning remedy on your floors.

Recently white oak styles have brought back the trend of oiled floors!? The great thing about this is that scratches can be buffed out!? But they do require maintenance so that they don?t dry out and take on dirt in the grain where there is no oil; which needs to be sanded out if it can or it just looks dirty.? Oils have different longevity depending on manufacturer, and it is not clear what maintenance is going to be required.? Some companies said 10 years UV Cured and are now taking that back.? There is no warranty for the finish saying how often it needs to be applied, so you must use your best judgement.? When your floor is getting extra traffic, or looking dry it is time to protect it with more oil.? Once you get dirt in the grain there is no way to clean it out. ??Look for the recommended cleaner by your flooring Manufacture that will have a more diluted mix of oil; and they usually have a more concentrated option for infrequent use to upkeep.