How to Wash Wood Floors…

Wood floors add a rustic and elegant feel to any living space. It’s easy to see why they’ve become a common feature in contemporary homes. As an added bonus, they are much easier to clean than carpet or tiled floors.

Even the cleanest homes have dirty floors every now and then. A dropped cup or a spilled platter is all too common. On top of that, dust and debris build up on the floors over time. However, none of these things should worry you if you have wood floors as they are incredibly easy to wash.

It all starts with a few common household items; a broom, a mop and a towel or rag. Once you have that you can follow a process so simple even the most clean averse homemaker won’t have a problem.

 

5 steps to washing wood floors
If you follow these steps, in no time at all you’ll have those wooden floors sparkling as if they had just been polished.

Sweep any loose debris into a pile with your broom.
Use a dustpan to collect the pile and throw it in the rubbish bin.
Grab a bucket and fill with lukewarm water.
Place the mop in the bucket, then use it to scrub the floors. Pay particular attention to any stubborn marks or stains
Use an old towel or rag to wipe the moisture from the floor quickly and buff to an impeccable shine!
mopping wooden floorboards
A bucket and mop are essential items when it comes to washing your wooden floors.

Tips for washing wood floors
Washing wood floors really is as simple as that! Here are a few more tips to make sure you do the best job possible.

1. Clean moisture up quickly
Moisture can soak into the wood quickly and warp your floorboards. To avoid this, ensure you dry any wet parts as quickly as possible after mopping.

clean mopped floors
Never let your floors stay wet for long after mopping. Picture: Getty

2. Use vinegar for sanitisation
Vinegar is an amazing natural sanitiser and can be used on your floorboards. Simply add 1/4 cup vinegar to a bucket of water before mopping.

Tip: Vinegar is naturally acidic and can discolour or even degrade the varnish of the floor. So, ensure you keep the mixture diluted with the ratio above.

making vinegar cleaning solution
Vinegar is an amazing natural sanitiser and can be used on your wooden floors.

3. Avoid abrasive cleaning materials
Wood floors are almost as easy to scratch as they are to wash. For that reason, avoid using abrasive items when cleaning. That means, avoid using your vacuum head as well as scouring pads, or tough brushes.

scratched floorboards
Avoid abrasive cleaners unless you want a not-so-pretty scratched look like this.

Wood floors can really make a home shine, especially when they’re sparkly clean using the tips above.