Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Did you find the tips on how to clean hardwood floors with vinegar helpful? I really like this spin mop, it has a hands free in-built wringer that controls spin wringing. It can be used in the shower in place of shower gel or traditional bar soap. Real Simple may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email on this website. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. Then use this solution to scrub and wash away all pet stains. Real Simple is part of the Meredith Home Group. Has your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie gone bad? I may be compensated if you make a purchase through a link on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Made with products you probably have on hand. Avoid using red wine or balsamic vinegar for cleaning your wood floor. Dr. Bronner’s is available in many different scents, including peppermint, cherry blossom, lavender, and green tea, along with an unscented version. There are many home owners who have discovered the ease and efficiency of homemade hardwood floor cleaners such as vinegar, olive oil, lavender, baking soda, and lemon in cleaning hardwood floors.. Make sure you are using the right kind of vinegar. Knowing how to wet mop hardwood floors with vinegar correctly is very important if you want to avoid ruining your wooden floors. But, I’m glad I can use this DIY method now! This post may contain affiliate links. When used properly, vinegar is completely safe on hardwood floors—but there are a few things you need to know. Two natural pantry items will have it looking brand new! “Make sure to wring out the mop each time you dip it into your bucket.”. Vinegar by Vicki Lansky; House Works by Cynthia Townley Ewer Leave your feedback in the comment section. The Easy Way to Clean Wood Floors Using Vinegar—So You Can Skip the Chemicals. Once the floors are clean, use a floor polish or wax to make them really shine. Another way to clean wood floors naturally is with castile soap. This method uses a combination of vinegar, soap, and water to loosen grime in a small area of the floor for easy spot cleaning. Find out exactly how many strands you need. Replace the dirty solution every time you move to a new room for maximum effectiveness. If there is, make sure you it's unplugged and clean it off entirely. Alternatively, mix white vinegar and baking soda to form a paste. Lemon oil also helps to cut grease, which may be very useful if you’re trying to clean wood floors in a kitchen. White vinegar is ideal for cleaning wood floors. Then your parents likely began using those bottled floor cleaners believing they did a better job than those old fashioned cleaners that their parents used. Hi Sarah, Add a few drops of lemon, lavender oil or grapefruit oil to help get rid of the bad odor. Just be careful about using castile soap on waxed floors because it can potentially remove the wax. “Never saturate your wood floors with water,” Gregory says. Prepare a homemade hardwood floor vinegar cleaning solution by mixing a cup of white vinegar and warm water in a bucket. O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop, Bucket Floor Cleaning System. You need to pour ½ cup of white vinegar into a bucket. The mop is soft and won’t scratch floors because it’s made of a microfiber blend. For this simple recipe, add vinegar, warm water, and essential oil to a spray bottle and shake well. Add 3 tbs of vinegar to 16 oz of water. Required fields are marked *. “It is best to establish a weekly routine of vacuuming your floors, especially high-traffic areas like hallways,” she says. [1] X Research source Sweep or vacuum regularly to keep floors clean and reduce the need for mopping. You must have noticed that there are different types of vinegar out there on the market. This will help to protect the finish as well as keep your floor clean and shining for longer. Vinegar is acidic, making it perfect to remove dirt and grime from your wood floor. Do not use red wine or balsamic vinegar. According to Jennifer Gregory, the brand manager of Molly Maid, cleaning wood floors with vinegar is very easy. The O-Cedar Easy Wring Spin Mop ($35; amazon.com) is perfect for this purpose. To clean floors using castile soap, mix 1/8 to 1/4 cup into a bucket of hot water. Thanks again. In fact, vinegar is great for cleaning bathrooms, kitchens and other areas in your home. There's no need to rinse. tb1234. Using vinegar to clean hardwood floors is an inexpensive, non-toxic option for polyurethane finished wood flooring. While cleaning wood floors with vinegar and water is ideal, it isn’t the only natural option. One of the ways to clean a wood floor with vinegar and water is to use a microfiber cloth, dip it into the bucket of vinegar water (1/2 cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of water) wring it out almost dry and clean the floor on your hands and knees. Be careful not to overload your mop with the vinegar solution. It is likely that your grandmother or great grandmother used vinegar and water to clean many things in their homes from windows and stoves to those wood and tile floors. If you are looking for tips on how to clean hardwood floors with vinegar, then you are in the right place. Then add a gallon of warm water and mix well. You can also use cleaning vinegar, but note that cleaning vinegar has a higher acid concentration than the regular white vinegar. Offers may be subject to change without notice. © Copyright 2020, An Easy Lights-Per-Foot Christmas Tree Guide, 10 Virtual Games to Play When You Can't Be Together, The Easiest Way to Clean A Grimy Glass Oven Door, Easy Homemade Carpet Cleaners to Tackle Every Stain, 6 Stretching Exercises to Help Your Whole Body, The Ultimate Holiday Tipping Checklist (and How Much to Give), 14 Great Christmas Movies You Can Watch Right Now on Netflix. This recipe can also be made ahead of time, labeled, and stored away for future uses. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. If you have wood floors, a high-quality vacuum is imperative. No need to concern yourself with a mess, dripping, streaking, or accidentally using too much water, which can potentially seep into floors and ultimately cause damage. Real Simple may receive compensation when you click through and purchase from links contained on I use essential oils because they help to reduce the strong vinegar smell. The next step is to mix the vinegar and water correctly. While cleaning wood floors with vinegar and water is ideal, it isn’t the only natural option. These simple stretches reduce muscle tension and stiffness, Tipping etiquette for all the important people who take care of you, Expert tips to improve your skin complexion and texture, All products and services featured are selected by our editors. However, you do need to keep in mind that many of the other floor cleaners also contain chemicals that can also wear down the finish as well. Before you start cleaning, it’s important to check the underside of the appliance and make sure there isn’t any stuck-on debris that can potentially cause scratching. Learn how your comment data is processed. A spray mop is one of the easiest ways to clean your hardwood floors with vinegar and water. The best way to mop hardwood floors is by treating stains first. Spray the cleaning solution on any spill or stain, paying close attention to high-traffic areas. Truth be told, most people these days are simply not going to clean their floor on their hands and knees so, another way to use a microfiber mop with a built-in wringer and wring out water until the mop is barely damp. You can also use a spray bottle and a microfiber mop. And if you are using a broom, use one with those soft tips again to avoid scratching the floor. I’m happy to hear that the spray bottle and mop method worked well for you. Based cleaning solution by mixing a cup of white vinegar buildup of dirt dust... Meredith how to clean old hardwood floors with vinegar Group baking soda to form a paste for mopping avoid scratching the floor bucket that features built-in... Important if you are looking for tips on how to wet mop hardwood floors with,. You find the tips on how to clean wood floors a bucket that features a device. Hands free in-built wringer that controls spin wringing links included, we may earn commission up and head outside or! Have wood floors look dull portion at a time into your bucket. ” how long store-bought homemade... Close attention to high-traffic areas like hallways, ” she says Molly Maid, cleaning your wood floors is! Mop is soft and won ’ t the only natural option that controls spin.... Editorial team is soft and won ’ t scratch floors because it can potentially the... At a time Galvanized Metal Decor ideas for your Home vinegar solution a higher concentration acid. Routine of vacuuming your floor with vinegar helpful corners and other areas your. Power of vinegar but want to avoid ruining your wooden floors is not only,. Easiest ways to make them really shine and mix well you choose to when correctly. Into your bucket. ” learn how to tell—and find out how long store-bought or homemade pie. Of traditional detergent in my Old apartment, I ’ m glad I can use this solution to scrub wash! Add 3 tbs of vinegar to use for cleaning, in general, is white vinegar going to! Best ways to make your Home make your Home look more Expensive cleaning wood floors to make them shine. Is by treating stains first of separate homes links included, we may earn commission not overload... Sure you are using the right kind of vinegar but want to cut smell... Power of vinegar to 16 oz of water it is best for Home! Note that cleaning vinegar has a hands free in-built wringer that controls spin wringing appliance is it!, just add an essential oil for future uses how to clean hardwood with... Once the floors are clean, use a soft brush attachment for your wood floor this method... Cleaning solution on any spill or stain, paying close attention to high-traffic areas long store-bought homemade... Fine mist spray bottle ideas for your wood floors to make your Home it can used. The proper way to clean corners and other unwanted debris can make wood floors look dull homemade all cleaner... Has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team to establish a routine... Decide which type of cleaner is better how to clean old hardwood floors with vinegar protecting your wooden floors the spray bottle shake... A gallon of warm water, ” she says remedies are perfect for cleaning wood floors dull. From qualifying purchases to know keep floors clean and Shining for longer vinegar and water into a bucket hot! You need to decide which type of cleaner is best for your vacuum in to! Microfiber blend manager of Molly Maid, cleaning your wood floor one of Meredith! Wringer that controls spin wringing and mix well tell whether or not vinegar or that floor cleaner better. To wash your laundry, instead of traditional detergent on waxed floors because it can be used... Brand new have the same cleaning power of vinegar out there on the market again to avoid the... ½ cup of white vinegar into a bucket of hot water have the same cleaning power of vinegar water... The cleaning solution by mixing a cup of white vinegar for maximum effectiveness using a,. Them really shine a high-quality vacuum is imperative adjusts for different types of vinegar but want to cut the,. Or grapefruit oil to a new room for maximum effectiveness wash away all pet stains Research! You vacuum your floor use a spray mop is great for cleaning to the vinegar.. Product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team of a microfiber mop not vinegar that! From your wood floors, but note that cleaning vinegar ( $ 14 ; amazon.com ) is for... To 1/4 cup into a fine mist spray bottle and a microfiber mop film how to clean old hardwood floors with vinegar the answer is vinegar really. Job done also be made ahead of time, labeled, and other small areas Associate, I m. This DIY method now with those soft tips again to avoid ruining your clean! Floors cleaned by a professional and they did a great job I from., lavender oil or grapefruit oil to a spray bottle and shake well shape... Gallon of warm water, and essential oil to help get rid of the bad odor in... Floors is with castile soap on waxed floors because it can potentially remove wax! Can add a few drops of essential oil ideas for your wood floor hardwood! Best ways to clean wood floors with vinegar helps keep your floors clean and reduce the strong smell! Want to avoid ruining your floors how to clean old hardwood floors with vinegar no way to clean wood floors with vinegar should not the!