Can You Mop Wood Floors With Water?

If you have newly installed hardwood floors, one of your first questions is likely to be can you mop wood floors with water? There is a lot of fairly contradictory advice available in regards to this topic. Here we will attempt to sort out the fact and the fiction.

Can You Mop Wood Floors With Water?

Some people would advise that you never mop wood floors with water. This advice relates to the fact that moisture is very bad for wood. If, for example, too much water seeped between the floorboards it could cause them to warp and bend, even if your floor has been treated with a protective product. However, it is an exaggeration to say that you must never use water on wood floors. A slightly damp mop will not do the flooring any harm, as long as you are quick to clean up any puddles which develop and you dry the area straight afterwards. But it isn't necessarily the most effective way to clean your wood floors. Is It Safe To Use Vinegar? The problem with cleaning any surface with just water is that it isn't always effective at removing deeply ingrained dirt. To do that, some sort of soap or detergent needs to be added. This has led to some people promoting the use of water and vinegar as a floor cleaner. White vinegar is a highly effective natural cleaning agent, but this is bad advice. Vinegar is abrasive and will dull wood over time. So although your wood floors might look great in the short term, you are likely to reduce the length of time before you need to refinish and seal your flooring again. The Correct Way To Clean Wood Floors Before you mop your floor, sweep it with a microfiber dusting pad. This will remove larger debris and dirt which could scratch the delicate surface of the wood. After you have swept the debris into a corner of the room, use the dust attachment on your vacuum cleaner to clean it up. Next you will need to apply some specially formulated floor cleaner to particularly dirty areas. The best way to apply this is in a spray bottle, as you are less likely to over saturate the wood. It is fine to use plain water in areas where the dirt is less ingrained. Once you have misted the floor with your cleaning solution, use a microfiber pad (for wet use) to mop the area. Clean a small area of the floor at a time rather than spraying the whole room and mopping the floor afterwards, as you want to minimize the length of time which the floor is damp for. You will also get better results if you work with the grain of the wood. You should never use products such as Murphy's oil soap on hardwood flooring as it can ruin the finish. If you do not have dedicated floor products to hand, it is better to err on the side of caution and use plain water. The key to cleaning wood floors with water is to use it sparingly.

Can You Mop Wood Floors With Water?

Leave us a comment below on your experiences pro or con on the subject? Have you ever tried to mop wood floors with water? Did you have a good or not so good experience?