How to Clean Hardwood Floors with Vinegar
It’s estimated that Americans spend $600 per year on cleaning supplies to tidy up our floors, windows, bathrooms, and dusty surfaces. If spending $600 annually on cleaning supplies doesn’t appeal to your budget, then you may want to look into some cheaper cleaning solution alternatives, like vinegar. Not only is using vinegar to clean your home much more inexpensive than using name brand cleaning supplies, but it’s also more environmentally friendly and safer for households that have small children and pets.
So, why vinegar exactly? Vinegar is such an effective cleaning agent because it is naturally acidic, which helps to eliminate a buildup of grime, debris, or food particles throughout the home. Vinegar can be used to clean nearly all surfaces, including hardwood floors.
Are your hardwood floors looking a little dingy or dusty? Vinegar can completely revive, sanitize, and get them sparkling clean once again. Here’s how to clean your hardwood floors with vinegar.
First, Choose the Right Vinegar
There are many different types of vinegar out there—like red wine, rice, and apple cider—but the best one for cleaning purposes is white vinegar. White vinegar has no color and will not leave any stains or film behind on the surfaces of your home, and if you’re cleaning your hardwood floors with it you want to ensure that you don’t get any staining or color bleeding. A big bonus is that white vinegar is often the cheapest type of vinegar and comes in bottles with large amounts, meaning you won’t have to purchase it very often.
Clean Hardwood Floors with Vinegar: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you know what type of vinegar to use to clean your hardwood floors, here’s how to use it get them sparkling clean once again:
1. Clear the floor of clutter. Before you begin cleaning your hardwood floors with vinegar, you’ll need to remove items from the floor like baskets, rugs, and toys to get them out of the way.
2. Vacuum or sweep the hardwood floors. Begin the cleaning process with completely dust- and lint-free flooring. Vacuum or sweep your hardwood floors to eliminate debris.
3. Mix a solution. Find a bucket and mix a solution of ½ cup of vinegar to one gallon of warm water.
4. Mop the floor: Now, using the solution, mop the floor in the direction of the boards while rinsing the mop out periodically. If the water starts to look too dirty, pour it out and then mix a new solution to continue mopping.
5. Let it dry. Before you bring the rugs and other items back into the room, let the floors completely air dry.
Need Professional Hardwood Floor Cleaning? Call KIWI
If your floors need more than just a routine clean, you’re going to need to call in the pros. Kiwi Services has been cleaning hardwood floors for over 30 years and offers efficient, eco-friendly and exceptional services to our customers.
Interested in getting your hardwood floors cleaned? Call KIWI today to get a free quote or to set up a service!