How to Clean Wood Floors

Urethane-Coated Floors

• Dusting: When you walk on or apply pressure to surface dirt on a urethane finish, the dirt etches the finish, making it dull and decreasing the protection it offers the wood below. Remove surface dirt and dust from floors weekly, using a dry dust mop, a soft-bristled broom, or a vacuum cleaner. Dust more often in frequently walked-on floors or if you have a large family, and use doormats to trap dirt at entryways.
• Mopping: Urethane finishes provide wood floors some protection against water. Mop wood floors weekly or monthly depending on how much use they get, using a mild soap designed for cleaning wood floors. Wash with a mop that’s only slightly damp, and allow floors to dry. Buffing with a soft cloth will help floors dry more completely and leave them looking shiny and clean.
• Maintaining: Urethane- coated floors should not be waxed—waxing can interfere with refinishing. Instead, do a quick pass with a buffing cloth or an electric floor buffer to restore the floor’s luster. Remove scratches with a touch-up kit purchased from your floor’s manufacturer or a wood flooring retailer.
   
  
• Removing stains: Purchase a spot cleaner or stain remover from a wood flooring retailer, and use it according to the manufacturer’s instructions as soon as you notice any stains, spots, or scuff marks. You can also remove many stains and scuffs by rubbing them along the grain with a soft cloth and a small amount of mineral spirits, a solvent available at hardware stores.

Wood Floors with Waxed Finishes

• Dusting: As with urethane-coated floors, prompt removal of dirt and dust offers the best protection. Vacuum all wood floors frequently, or dust with a dry dust mop or soft-bristled broom.
• Mopping: Never use a wet mop on waxed wood floors. Instead, clean with a slightly damp (but nearly dry) mop and plain water.
• Waxing: Wax wood floors with a solvent-based paste wax about every six months. First, remove dirt and old wax with mineral spirits or a specialty wood cleaner purchased from a flooring dealer. Then, apply paste wax with a soft cloth, going with the grain of the wood. Buff floors by hand with a soft cloth, or use an electric buffing machine.
• Removing stains: To remove most stains from waxed wood floors, rub the stain lightly with grade #000 steel wool until the stain is no longer visible, then rewax. You can remove oil spots by saturating a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide and applying it to the spot for a few minutes, then repeating with a cotton ball soaked in ammonia. Rub with steel wool if needed, and rewax.

Bamboo Floors

Cork and Linoleum

• Durable (unwaxed) finishes: Many cork and linoleum floors have a durable finish. Treat these floors as urethane-covered wood floors, keeping them dry and free from dirt and damp-mopping when necessary.
• Waxed finishes: Waxed cork and linoleum have a more natural look, but require more maintenance. Care for these floors according to the manufacturer’s instructions, or treat them as waxed wood floors.