Too often, as we scroll through social media, we cringe looking at all the different home remedies and ideas we see for cleaning wood floors.

And just so there is no confusion, we want to make sure we are loud and clear on one thing in particular.

Water and hardwood floors are not friends! In fact, water, especially boiling water, can do pretty devastating damage to wood floors.

Take a look at our tips below for making sure you get your beautiful hardwoods in top shape, the safe way. 

Tip #1: Stay away from Pinterest or TikTok floor cleaner recipes. 

Let’s face it. The fact of the matter is, companies making floor cleaning products have a good grasp on what works and why.

It is tempting to follow a trend because of photos and videos that you see online. Just remember that in general, people only show the highlight reel of something. In other words, they’re not going to show you the failures and disasters.

Tip #2 Just because it says it’s for wood, doesn’t mean it’s for your hardwood floors. 

We’ve all been tempted to go for that shiny wood floor look. But, trust us when we say that we speak from experience. Using the wrong products on your floor can make them treacherously slick. 

We are looking at you, furniture polish. 

The last thing you want is someone breaking a hip on your overly polished wood floors. 

Tip #3 Don’t skip steps. 

We totally get it, it would be so much easier if you didn’t have to get the broom and dustpan out first before cleaning your floors. But, sadly that just isn’t the reality. 

The most obvious reason being that you don’t want to push around dirt with your cleaning tools. But there are other reasons, too.

Think about it, your floor likely has little pieces of gravel, rocks, or other hard bits you may not even see at first glance. That dirt can cause scuffs, scratches, and dull the beautiful hardwood floor you work hard to care for. So, remember, never underestimate dry sweeping FIRST to remove all the tiny sand, gravel, and other particles that can cause those scratches. Your floors will thank you!

How to correctly clean wood floors: 

Choose and use the correct cleaner. At River City Flooring, we recommend Bona products. Did you know that River City Flooring customers who purchase hardwoods from us get Bona products for life? Dry clean your floors first. Use an old fashioned broom and dust pan, pull out your dust mop or any other tools that you use for dry cleaning your floors.

Follow the directions on your cleaning products (preferably Bona!) often the instructions will and get to work. Enjoy your properly cleaned and beautiful wood floors!

Want to learn more about how River City Flooring can help you achieve your dream floors? Contact us today, we’d love to chat!