Floor Care
How Do I Clean Wood Floors With Essential Oils?
Hardwood floors are elegant and timeless. They are rich and classy, yet warm and inviting at the same time. Keeping them looking their best, however, does take some time and effort. With over 30 years of experience in the cleaning and maintenance industry, I can tell you that when it comes to floors, there is no such thing as a no maintenance floor.
Wood floors are easier to clean than other types of flooring, such as carpet, which requires special machinery and chemicals to remove dirt and grime. Wood floors, on the other hand, can be cleaned with items you have around the house. The key is using a product that will clean-up the many messes of life without ruining the finish on the floor.
There are great products on the market you may want to try, one of our favorites is Murphy Oil Soap. However, if you want to make a great DIY cleaning solution, while spreading some aroma therapy around your house at the same time, try this essential oil recipe:
Wood Floor Cleaner
½ cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water
30 drops Lemon oil
20 drops Cedarwood oil OR Arborvitae oil.
Wood floors are easier to clean than other types of flooring, such as carpet, which requires special machinery and chemicals to remove dirt and grime. Wood floors, on the other hand, can be cleaned with items you have around the house. The key is using a product that will clean-up the many messes of life without ruining the finish on the floor.
There are great products on the market you may want to try, one of our favorites is Murphy Oil Soap. However, if you want to make a great DIY cleaning solution, while spreading some aroma therapy around your house at the same time, try this essential oil recipe:
Wood Floor Cleaner
½ cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water
30 drops Lemon oil
20 drops Cedarwood oil OR Arborvitae oil.
Step 1: Sweep or vacuum your hardwood floor before mopping. Even before you get your cleaning solution ready, make sure you have removed all the grit, sand, and debri, like pet hair, from the floor. Left alone, grit, sand and dirt will scratch the floor causing dull spots.
Step 2: Place ingredients in a bucket or wringer pail. Only fill your pail 3/4 full so you do not overflow when dipping in your mop.
Step 3: Choose an appropriate mop for your cleaning project. For residential cleaning, sponge mops, light-duty string mops, or microfiber mops are the best choices. For a detailed look at which mop is best, see our article How Do I Choose a Mop: A Buyer’s Guide.
Step 4: Dip your mop into the cleaning solution; then wring it out as tight as you can. When cleaning wood floors, it is generally accepted that less is more. Ideally, the amount of water you place on the floor should be enough to clean the floor, while drying in just a few minutes. If your floor is still wet 20 minutes after mopping, you are using a mop that is too wet.
Step 5: Use overlapping strokes as you mop. Mopping a floor in a figure eight pattern allows for easy overlapping, which means every inch of your floor is getting cleaned. See our article, How Do I Clean a Floor with a Mop, for extra cleaning tips!
Tips:
Step 2: Place ingredients in a bucket or wringer pail. Only fill your pail 3/4 full so you do not overflow when dipping in your mop.
Step 3: Choose an appropriate mop for your cleaning project. For residential cleaning, sponge mops, light-duty string mops, or microfiber mops are the best choices. For a detailed look at which mop is best, see our article How Do I Choose a Mop: A Buyer’s Guide.
Step 4: Dip your mop into the cleaning solution; then wring it out as tight as you can. When cleaning wood floors, it is generally accepted that less is more. Ideally, the amount of water you place on the floor should be enough to clean the floor, while drying in just a few minutes. If your floor is still wet 20 minutes after mopping, you are using a mop that is too wet.
Step 5: Use overlapping strokes as you mop. Mopping a floor in a figure eight pattern allows for easy overlapping, which means every inch of your floor is getting cleaned. See our article, How Do I Clean a Floor with a Mop, for extra cleaning tips!
Tips:
- When cleaning wood floors, use the least amount of moisture possible.
- Do not use on unfinished wood floors.
View this profile on InstagramHowDoICleanThat (@howdoicleanthat) • Instagram photos and videos