Six Things You Should Always Do When You Clean Your Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors are a beautiful asset to any home. However, they need to be cleaned properly to maintain their appearance over time. There are a few things you should always do when it comes to cleaning your hardwood floors for the best possible results.

The following are six things you should always do when you clean your hardwood floors. 

Squeeze out the mop before putting it down on your hardwood

A lot of homeowners make the mistake of squeezing a full mop-load of water right onto their hardwood floors. This can cause problems because it will get too much moisture on your hardwood. All the excess water could soak down to the subfloor and even cause water damage. 

Your mopping will be most effective if you give your mop a good squeeze and get rid of all that excess water before touching the floor. Ideally, your mop should be damp rather than drenched. 

Be vigilant

Probably the best thing you can do to develop an effective hardwood floor cleaning regime is always react quickly to spills or damage to your hardwood floor. The sooner you take care of the problem, the less severe its consequences will be.

Make sure you don't let yourself get into the bad habit of procrastinating before cleaning a spill or attempting to remove a new stain that you've noticed. Such problems are only likely to get worse if you don't tackle them right away. 

Inspect for scratches and stains

Simply cleaning your flooring isn't enough. You should inspect your hardwood floor each time you clean it. This is important because it keeps you in tune with the condition of your hardwood floor and helps you to notice damage or stains that you might have otherwise overlooked. 

Put an attachment on your vacuum before vacuuming

You should vacuum your hardwood flooring on a regular basis to remove any debris from your floors. However, you need to use a vacuum attachment that is designed to be used on hard floor surfaces. Vacuuming without such an attachment could cause damage to your hardwood. 

Make sure that any cleaning solutions you use don't contain harsh chemicals

Be careful about what types of cleaning solutions you use on hardwood. Ideally, you should use a cleaner that was specifically designed for hardwood. At the very least, make sure that you don't use a cleaner that contains harsh chemicals such as ammonia. 

Dilute cleaning products with water in a bucket

When you're in a hurry to get a cleaning job done, it can be tempting to pour cleaning products directly onto your floors. However, this can do more harm than good.

You don't want pure cleaning products to soak into your hardwood floors because the cleaners could alter their stain. Also, you'll probably have an easier time clearing away any suds from soap products if you mix them with water in a bucket beforehand rather than pouring them directly onto hardwood flooring.