There are many different types of hardwood floors, including parquet flooring, vinyl, laminate, and engineered. They are a great addition to any home thanks to their durability and look.
However, hardwood flooring is a more expensive option. That’s why you must discover the best way to clean and shine the floors naturally.
Microfiber
The first thing you should do is to use a microfiber cloth to wipe the floor. You can actually get brushes where the bristles are made from microfibers. These attract dust, allowing you to sweep the floor without risk of scratching it. At the same time, you’ll be picking up and eliminating all the dust.
That’s an important first step and something you should be doing every day.
Vacuum
Every few days you can run a vacuum over your hardwood floors, this will eliminate any dirt that your microfiber brush has missed
Of course, if you’re using a vacuum you should have a hardwood floor attachment. These are designed not to scratch the floor. You’ll need to check that dragging your vacuum around doesn’t cause marks either.
Mop
It’s a good idea to mop your floor after brushing it. However, because you’re dealing with real wood you don’t want to get it wet. Your mop should only be damp and moved quickly across the floor.
To help it dry quickly make sure the space has plenty of ventilation, the faster it dries the less likely it is you’ll have lingering patches which can ruin the look of your floor.
Don’t forget that a damaged wood floor can be saved by re-sanding it. Sanding removes the topcoat which eliminates scratches and scuffs. Once they are gone the floor will need to be polished and sealed. This will ensure it remains protected.
Hardwood floors can be sanded many times, a distinct advantage over laminate floor coatings.
The Shine
The above tips will help you to keep your hardwood floor clean daily. However, you also want to be able to restore the shine and help them to stay protected for the future. There are several natural options you can choose from:
- Lemons
Lemons are antiseptic and antibacterial because they are acidic. They are also very effective at removing scuff marks from your floors and returning the shine.
Simply put half a cup of lemon juice into a gallon of water and then lightly mop your floor as usual. The results will be instant.
- White Vinegar
This is very good at removing odors and mildew from your hardwood floor. However, in some instances, it can actually dull the shine of the floor. It’s a good idea to do a test in a small area before you do the whole floor.
Add a quarter of a cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water and lightly mop as usual. If the vinegar smell bothers you it is possible to add a few drops of essential oils to the mix.
If you add a little olive oil as well you’ll be impressed with the shine it gives you.