I’ve got a question that’s burning in my brain. How do you clean the hard floors in your house? The tile, hardwood, linoleum, what-have-you?
We’ve lived in our new house for nearly 2 years now and I still haven’t settled on a process that I love. The entire 1st floor is hardwood, but I can’t decide how to clean it. Usually, it’s a combo of vacuuming to pick up truckload of dirt and crumbs that land on the floor on a daily basis followed by old-school mopping with Murphy’s Oil Soap.
Note: At what point do I have to start calling this our “new house”?
I’m dying to try one of the new steam mops. I think they must work like fairy-dust and miracle soap. Do you have one? Do you love it?
So spill it (and then clean it up) and tell us how you clean your floors. And I’d love to hear more so leave a comment if you have more to say!
photo: swgrlimited
{ 97 comments }
We had hardwoods installed in our home 4 years ago and I still do just what the installer said. I pick up dirt with a broom and dust pan daily, vacuum often and wash the floors with orange glow hardwood cleaner It has no wax in it or oil or residue left after you are done. The installer said to use that or a small amount of water which you dry off immediately. I love the orange glow and my parents came to visit last week and commented on how well my floors have held up over the years.
vacuum and a sponge with bucket. once a week i use a mop and days in between get on my knees. i’m a little crazy.
Emily@remodelingthislife´s last blog ..Garden Glimpses
I just bought a steam mop…actually last weekend…and I do like it. It took a bit to get used to it, but I think that it cleans the floor better. I also noticed that it didn’t leave a filmy/sticky feeling on the tile like I sometimes feel after I mop. I washed the pads, and that was a really easy process. So far, so good, in my book!
I use vinegar and water with a rag on my hands and knees once every two months or so . I use a mop in between those times. I borrowed a steam mop from my friend becasue she loved it for her tile. It left my wood sticky and I had to wash them all over again. So I stick to my old school method and can’t wait until my children are old enough to help me without the contents of the bucket on the floor!
I use the mop from Norwex. I have had it for a little over a month now and I absolutely love it. Before that, I used what our floor installers told us too but it always left a film. Then I tried a steam mop and still wasn’t happy. It left the floor streaky.
I LOVE Norwex products! I haven’t tried the mop yet. Glad to hear a good review.
As for my current hardwood floor cleaning……every third mopping I use Murphys oil. The other times I just use hot water and vinegear.
We use the Norwex mop on our hardwood floors too. It works really well for us, and because it is just water and dries quickly, there is no residue left.
Broom and dustpan. Old fashioned mop and bucket. I use plain water on my hard wood. Some cleaners can leave a residue and when the time comes — you may have a hard time getting them refinished (or getting the refinish to look good). Okay that is what I was told and I think the plain ole hot water does a great job — so that is what I am sticking with!
Angie @ The Country Chic Cottage´s last blog ..What Would You Do With It Wednesday??
When I do break down and actually clean the stone (besides sweeping whenever needed) I use a bucket of hot water and Simple Green with a scrubby/sponge mop kind of thing. Sometimes I do get on my knees with a brush and the Spic and Span, but that is only when I’ve lost my sanity, so it happens infrequently! I’ve been coveting one of those power scrubber machines that does carpets and hard floors. But they are very heavy and clumsy. What I really want is someone to come clean the floors for me, every couple of months or so. That would be a dream!
Have a great week!
XO
Heidi – Heart and Home
Heidi – Heart and Home´s last blog ..Wednesday Gratitude #15 at Heart and Home: Calm Mornings
I am a real sucker for the latest technology in cleaning products. The more it promises to do, the better. I must say, though, that I remember helping my mom clean with the old-fashioned stuff – bleach, and ammonia and washing soda – absolute killers for the lungs and skin but nothing in the modern world could match their cleaning power! I suppose I am ruined, and will forever after be taken in by the promises of the latest cleaning gadget or product hoping it will take me back to the good old days of cleaning with mom.
Catherine Kerton-Johnson´s last blog ..A Kim and Aggie Makeover
Warning: Mixing bleach and ammonia could literally kill you if you did it in a closed up room like a bathroom. It could scar your lungs for life.
I agree — the mixture is a powerful stripper. My mother used to strip the finish right off furniture with this mixture! But she did it outside, and I look back and think it was a bit nuts.
Just be aware that the mixture is HIGHLY TOXIC.
Leila´s last blog ..Eggplant obsession.
Having survived a roommate’s accidental mixing of the two, I can concur that it’s highly toxic and not fun to recoup from. Be safe! =)
We have laminate, and I sweep (almost) daily, then use a Swiffer Wet Jet to wash the floor. I need to wash it more often, especially now that I will soon have a crawling baby.
Jo @ To a Pretty LIfe´s last blog ..Blue Dress and Some Chicago Blackhawks Fans
I’ve had both a floor mate and a steam mop. The both pooped out on me. The steam mop didn’t even last a year! Too bad because I loved that thing, but I don’t want to spend another $80 to have it break down again quickly. I have all tile and laminate in all but 2 bedrooms and a hallway, so a lot to mop. I HATE IT! the mopping that is.
we just put hardwood floors in our upstairs a few months ago, and have tile downstairs now. I use a steam mop on the hardwood and I love it. No chemical cleaners needed. It doesn’t get the wood too wet and dries in a minute I think. Plus the pads wash easily in the washing machine, then I just let them air dry. I use the mop on the tile too, but because that’s the kids area and lots of dirty footprints end up down there I do mop the tile on occasion.
Cynthia´s last blog ..Project update
This is how I clean my floors, laminate flooring- Vacuum(Kenmore Progressive-just bought a few days ago) and then go behind that with a Shark Steam Mop (I like the crispy clean feeling the floors have after). Also, I found some multi-purpose Pledge cleaner and I use that once in awhile. I just get on hands and knees, spray in small area and wipe. House smells amazing after using this product to.
My slate I’m still trying to find the best way to clean.
When I lived in a house with slate in the kitchen I would go around and spray areas that had stuck on food or marks with some sort of cleaner, not even floor cleaner, just whatever I had on hand. I would let the little spray dots sit for a few minutes and then go over the whole floor with my Shark Steam Mop, it worked great, sometimes I had to scrub the stuck on food. That was before I found Shaklee and Basic H, wish I had the Shaklee stuff back then, it would have been a breeze. Also, if you seal the slate more often, stuff doesn’t stick to it as easily. I know because I didn’t get to seal it as often as I wanted and stuff always stuck to it but when I did get around to resealing it once, food didn’t seem to stick as much.
Hi, I found your blog via The Lettered Cottage. I love this post because I am always interested in other people’s cleaning methods. I have mainly hardwood floors. I vacuum and then mop with a small amount of water. Sometimes I spot clean with a rag (like under the highchair.) I hear the steam mop is great for hardwoods.
Taylor Galen´s last blog ..Meg Ryan & Martha’s Vineyard
Totally old school here and get on my hands and knees. I find that I can see the dirt better. And really get to scrubbing.
I fill the sink w/ hot soapy water (maybe add a little simple green-not too much I’ve taken the finish a floor using it strait up). And then alternate between 2 mircofiber cloths. One soaking while I’m using the other. And since I have a LO I dry as I’m going so no one slips.
I sweep on a daily basis… DH likes to use the shopvac (to my chagrin) he vacuums off all the counters and table too w/ it.
Hardwoods: I use Murphy’s oil soap, I use this once every 2 weeks. Nightly I use the basic broom and dust pan
Porcelain / Ceramic: doesn’t smell to refreshing but plain hot water and ammonia, it cuts the grease quickly { I only use this when I am doing a deep clean} Each night, after everyone is gone to bed. I sweep and mop the kitchen floor using Method’s Floor Care French Lavender scent.
Those gadgets look and work well on the infomercials, they get you hooked and you get it home and doesn’t work nothing like that. I can’t tell you how many cleaning gadgets I’ve seen at Goodwill. I think that the old basics work just as well.
I’m dying for a steam mop for my kitchen floor (slate), but I’ve had terrible luck with all other steam cleaners (Shark, steam press), so I haven’t bought one yet. For the hard wood, I use the Bona system, it seems to be working pretty well. Oh, and I sweep every darn day-two kids under 6.
elz´s last blog ..Door Decor
I mop my tile floors with a steam cleaner and a microfiber pad that I throw in the washing machine. It isn’t a steam mop, it is a steam cleaner with a “mop” attachment (McCulloch Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner). I like that I can use it to get into the grout (with the concentrater attachment), clean the microwave, and stuff in the bathroom; not just floors. I sweep daily, but I really hate every broom/dry mop I’ve tried (and I have tried a lot). I tried one stick vacuum but it was awful. I want to try a more expensive one, but I’m afraid to invest the money into a “good” stick vacuum and have it die on me again (I want to try the Hoover Linx Platinum, but for just a little more I can have a “real” vacuum. The problem with a real vacuum is that they are heavy and I worry about scratching the floors).
Our first house was all wood floors and I started with Murphy’s then found Method brand wood cleaner… I love the smell… LOVE! I use it in our current apartment to dust everything. (I even clean our leather sofa with it – Method does not recommend this application – but I love the way it smells) And it is a great cleaner.
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I haven’t settled, either. I have a Bissell Steam Mop, but I got it right before it was discontinued, several years ago, and I don’t love it. The pads slip around, it’s not as quick to use as I thought it would be, etc.
I don’t know what the best solution is!
Aimee @ In THIS Life´s last blog ..RTT: Napping and Knees
For Mother’s Day I begged my hubby to buy me a Shark Steam Pocket Mop. I use it on our tile floors. I don’t use any cleaner products with it per directions. The water temperature gets hot enough to sanitize the floors without any cleaner. It definetely works better than any regular mop I’ve ever used. The floors don’t feel sticky afterward and dry very quickly. I’ve been pleased with my purchase and don’t feel like it’s a hassel to mop anymore.
I LOVE my shark steam mop for my tile floors! It works great.
For our hardwood floors (real hardwood, not laminate or engineered) I first vacuum without the beater brush. Next I use a dry swiffer. After the dry swiffer I get a thin washcloth barely damp with just water, attach that to the swiffer mop head and run that over the floor. Since it is just damp it dries immediately and doesn’t streak, but does pick up the last little bits that the swiffer and vacuum didn’t. I use no chemicals on my floor.
Be careful with the steam cleaners on hard wood. I’ve read many horror stories. I just use hot water and a microfiber mop. Sometimes I get crazy and add a little vinegar
With real wood I think less is more!
Oh, my floor woes are unending as well as completely uninteresting.
In our previous house, I had a Hoover Floormate. It was good for “middle of the floor” jobs, but it couldn’t get in those little nooks under cabinets and low furniture.
I switched to a Libman Wonder Mop, but there are definitely more steps involved (rinse, mop, rinse, mop).
Then I switched to a Swiffer Wet Jet. I liked it, but I hated that I HAD to use their solution. I prefer to mop my floors with just water and vinegar.
Now we’re in a place with stained concrete floors. And I’m back to the Libman. I haven’t found cleaning solutions that you can use on concrete, so it’s just plain water for me.
Sturgmom´s last blog ..I can hear summer calling my name
I didn’t vote because we do a mixture- in our kitchen we have linoleum. we sweep it, mop it and use the steamer depending on the amount of dirt. for a while we were ust using the steamer, but we found that that dirties up the washable pads- which you have to replace eventually… by mopping first, we get the bulk of the ‘easy’ dirt and save our $10 mop pads a bit each time…
leslie´s last blog ..Peg People
I did a whole a blog post on my process – if you’re interested, check it out. I do a combination of the Bona mop and a steam mop.
http://cleanmama.blogspot.com/2010/04/thursday-of-my-weekly-docket.html
I use a bucket and an old rag. I always put too much water down using mops. I use water and vinegar or water and a little Murphy’s soap for cleaning. Would love to try a steam mop!
Mary Ellen
The Working Home Keeper´s last blog ..Zucchini Bread
My Mom LOVES her shark mop. She’s always cleaning something. She’s practically giddy about it! Ha. I vacuum our floors with the Dyson & use Bruce hardwood floor cleaner from Home Depot and a swiffer. Works like a dream and you don’t have to mess with the mop bucket.
Brittney´s last blog ..Etsy Love
I caved and purchased a steam mop about a month ago, and it was the best purchase I have made in a long time. I do a combo sweep/steam, and it works like a dream. Like a previous poster said, though, I would proceed with caution on hard woods. For tile and linoleum, though, I will never use anything else ever again! I love that my kiddos can play on the floors right after I clean them. It’s such a green, sensible option.
Amy @ Positively Splendid´s last blog ..A naptime project: fun outdoor placemats
On hardwood we vacuum and follow by mopping with a dry mop and Windex. My husband and his family owned a flooring company for 20 years and they will all tell you that there is NO need to waste your money on $$ hardwood cleaners…..Oils are not good for your hardwood and neither is water or steam….BEWARE of steam cleaners, they can ruin your hardwood floors due to water moisture……..as for the tile, vacuum and mop with your preferred cleaner….and if you want to try out the steam mop, the tile is a GREAT place to do that!
In the kitchen/bathrooms of our house we have this awful textured linoleum. It’s a neutral color, but it has these little dimples all over it, perfect for trapping dirt and grime. For the past 4 years, I was on my hands and knees with a scrub brush, a towel and a bucket of cleaner scrubbing each little dimple so that our floors didn’t look neutral with a punch of dirt. Recently, I bought the Shark Steam Mop on sale at Target for about $70 and it’s the BEST $70 I’ve ever spent!! I got the bottom of the line version of this mop, but it works SOOOOO well!! It heats up quickly, holds a good amount of water, doesn’t leak, allows my floors to be chemical free and dries in about a minute. I TOTALLY recommend the steam mop!!
Oh, and I clean 2 other houses, both with hardwood floors and use a Shark Steam Mop on those as well. Seems to work really well and never leaves a residue!
Steam mop. My life saver!
Our house is over 60 years old & has all of the original hardwood floors in over half the house. I find that we get A LOT of dust bunnies all.over.the.place though. I usually dry swiffer sweep the floors & then use the Shark steam mop on the floors to get the grime up. I feel it cleans much better than usuing chemicals on such old floors.
Hope you find something that works for you!
When I had hardwood floors in my foyer, breakfast room and kitchen (all contiguous), I swiffered them every day. Once a week, I got down on my hands and knees and used a combination of white vinegar and water to wash them…and then dried them with an old towel. It was a lot of work but the floors looked great. My current flooring is laminate in the bath and I just zip over that nearly every day with a small dust cup type of vac and then wash them (hands and knees again!) with a microfiber rag and window washing fluid once a week. My kitchen floor is vinyl and I use vinegar and water on those as well.
I have hardwoods all over my house. The way I have come to be happy with cleaning them is to vacuum often and use a Haan steam mop. I am very happy with it. Cleans up all the spots on my floor (including doggie drool marks that never seemed to come off without scrubbing) and it is so easy to wash and change the cleaning pads (I have 6). I like the job it does on my tile floors too.
I tried the special floor cleaning systems (bona, special hardwood cleaner, swiffer) and never was happy with the results…too sticky or streaky and expensive.
I have tile, marble and sealed hardwoods. I use a vacuum and broom (we get very dusty very quickly) and a Bissell Steam Mop. I had a FloorMate that died a spectacular death (I loved it) and a Shark, but it finally died too. I LOVE the steam mops. It leaves all the floors so smooth and squeaky clean. I usually carry a mist bottle with vinegar and hot water to spray sticky or extra dirty spots before passing over them. If my wood floor gets particularly dirty and dusty (like under furniture that isn’t moved each and every time), I’ll vacuum and clean with the vinegar and hot water by hand so the microfiber mop heads don’t get super dirty in just one spot. I used to use wood floor cleaners and Wet Jet, but they all seem to leave a tacky feel. If you try a steamer and your floors are sticky after, it is old cleaner build-up – you just need to clean them a couple of times before that goes away.
You ask an excellent question! I would go one step further and for those of us that selected a MOP, what mop do people use? In ten years of mopping, I have yet to find one I like. I have “fake” tile flooring and there is dirt that gets in this flooring and does not come out….ever! One of the reasons I was attracted to this flooring (it’s called resiliant) is because it does hide the dirt but when your husband points out that there is black stuff on the floor that isn’t supposed to be there it really gets under your skin and you start to wonder what you are doing wrong!
-Desiree (Mopless in Denver)
Desiree´s last blog ..{Beachy} Bathroom Decorating
When our very large living room, entry and hallway was bamboo wood, I vacuumed first and then used my Shark Steam Mop! It was great because it didn’t leave any oil/wax residue for footprints to show up and I never saw a streak. Could have been the wood itself but I think it was the steam mop because I had used something like a swiffer wetjet on it and there were streaks all over the place. Now we’ve moved to a mostly carpeted house so I use my Shaklee Basic H2 for the tile and linoleum but I’m still not settled on whether I like using a sponge mop, classic hair mop or a large sponge on my hands and knees which does get the floor the cleanest.
Hi Kimba!
It sure looks like you’re getting a lot of responses, so hopefully you will find one that works best for you.
My parents own an antique store and do a lot of refinishing and carpentry. They’ve always told me to never use Murphy’s oil soap on anything that isn’t protected by a serious layer of polyeurathane because it will do more damage to the wood than you think. Especially if you use it a lot over time. It creates a wax build up that will make the wood appear dull and dirty. The only way to fix it from that point is to sand it off and refinish the wood. That can cost a pretty penny, especially on floors.
So, with that being said, they use Bruce cleaners to clean their hardwoods. It’s a product you can get at Lowes and comes with a mop and re-usable mop head that you throw into the wash. Very eco-friendly solution that dries fast and conditions the wood. They have 3 dogs (who love mud) and I’ve never seen stuff anything that cleans like this stuff. Whatever you decide, just make sure the product you get is SAFE for wood floors. The last thing you want is to have them refinished.
Between cleanings, just vacuum and dust. I hope this helps. I too get caught up in the newest and best cleaning.. most of the time to be sourly disappointed. Remember Kaboom bathroom cleaner?!? I’m pretty sure that stuff took off the inner lining of my lungs. Soooo… The simpler the better in my book.
We have laminate wood floors, and I use vinegar and essential oils, when I scrub on hands and knees. But I also have a steam mop that I like too!
Cara@HomepsunKitchen´s last blog ..This Is What It’s All About
I lived in a condo last year that had hardwood floors. The dog already scratched them up enough so we didn’t want to add vacuum traffic to that. We just swept it with a regular broom and then used the Method wood floor cleaner (it smells amazing). You simply use a swiffer with a micro fiber pad (it is so easy to make your own- just cut a microfiber rag to fit your swiffer – http://www.theiheartblog.com/2010/04/going-green-baby-steps/) and then your floors will shine!!!!!!!! Our entire first floor was hardwood and the entire cleaning process maybe took 20 minutes start to finish.
Bec´s last blog ..K+J
I have hardwood for my entire house. I vacuum the floors with a dyson and then use my Haan on the floors to steam clean them. The Haan is freaking amazing! It just uses water and this microfiber pads that you can wash over and over. I love the way it makes my floor look and how there’s no chemicals to make it clean.
p.s. Swiffer cleaning products (wet jet/mop pads) are not the safest product for pets and small children who are crawling on surfaces. I recommend looking into organic or natural cleaners if you have either- or even if you don’t!
Bec´s last blog ..K+J
I have a steam mop and I LOVE IT!!!!! But I have tile throughout. BE CAREFUL WITH WOOD FLOORS! My husband loaned our steam mop to my in-laws to use on their wood floors and the super hot steam took the finish off their floors. Granted, their floors are 13 years old and never been refinished, but it really made them look splotchy and dull. So be careful with a steam mop!
I was just going back reading other comments and noticed that some people couldn’t find a vacuum they like. I got a Dyson and is very light and compact. It’s awesome with it’s ease of use with attachments and you can go from hard floors to carpet and right over your rugs with out getting them up in the roller. The roller turns off with the push of a button for hard floors. It’s awesome. It’s one of the smaller more affordable models. It is totally worth it! I vacuum then mop with my shark steam pocket mop. It makes it almost fun.
I go with the vacuum/Clorox Wetmop combo. I wish I had a wet vac, but that’s just wishing.
I’d love to have your input on my Decorating Dilemma if you have a moment. 
That’s easy. And I use it to clean ALL my floors, not just the hardwood floors. The Shark Steam Mop.
Kimberly @ Attempting Creative´s last blog ..Scrumptious Squash
Love my shark steam mop. My first one died. Found this last one at a garage sale for $10 from a sweet lady who didn’t use it. It’s great! You can feel the clean when you walk across the floor and NO chemicals!
I have a lot of ceramic tile in my house. I finally splurged and got a steam mop. I actually did a lot of research and found that the best steam mop that I could afford at the moment was a “MONSTER” Steam Booster. I actually found one at Big Lots for about $65, which is a great deal. It comes with 2 machine washable pads. I only add water. It really deodorizes and cleans great. The cord is long enough too. I just wish there was a way to really clean the grout. The steam loosens the dirt, but you still have to lean down and wipe up excess dirty water that might settle in the grout lines. Doesn’t happen too often, just if there is a really dirty spot on tile. But I still love it!
For my ceramic tile floors I use white vinegar & water (the cheapest vinegar you can find will work great). I also use white vinegar for my laminate floors as it prevents streaks (with a little Murphy’s oil soap when needed).
, so that makes a difference.
For hardwood floors – use the least amount of water you can, as water is the real enemy of hardwood. I always sweep, vac, just wipe up spots when necessary and only wash wood floors a couple of times of year. Of course, I have no kiddos running around
I sweep daily (most of the time). I have laminate floors and HATED cleaning them because I’d have to crawl around and dry them afterwards, so I got a Eureka EnviroSteam steam mop and LOVE it! The floors dry super fast. Very happy with the purchase!
I use Holloway House floor cleaner and polish. You can use it to clean any floor surface. I love that you don’t need a bucket to use. The cleaner works great and the polish makes my hardwoods look like shiny new floors without being slippery. I buy it at Publix (you can get at Walmart, CVS, etc) and pay about $10.00 for both.
The woman that we bought our house from was a decorative painter and she had stained the hardwood floors on the first floor in a diamond pattern – stunning – I really should take some pictures. Anyway, I use Halloway House – floor cleaner & then the shine – the results are amazing. I cannot imagine using anything else.
I don’t think I ever would have bought it myself, but my mother-in-law bought me a steam mop for my birthday and I LOVE it. We clean our floors once a week or so now whereas before we’d clean it only when it was gettin really bad.
I sweep and vacuum, and then mop the floors with Black Diamond Cleaners Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner and the super awesome mop thingy that came with the system. Disclosure: They are my blog sponsors, however I LOVE them!! I love the cleaner, and I really, really love the super sturdy mop.
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BONA!!!!
I vacuum the floor regularly with our built in vacuum duster attachment……but, BONA is the only way to go.
Our builder and the flooring installers/designers recommended it and I love it. No streaking, no sticky build-up. Just spritz, spritz and use the microfiber mop to clean it up. You do not need a lot at all.
You can get the large size at Costco and I just saw a tv commercial today showing that they have a mop out that looks just like a swiffer wet-jet.
Be VERY careful with what you use on your hardwoods.
I have a shark steam mop. I can’t say i’m IN LOVE with it, I do like it, it works well. It’s just something about how hot it gets that worries me. I have a swifter and I use old rags on it and good ole water and vinegar! Works very well and then I throw the rags in a bleach wash. These a hard wood floors. I am not big on chemicals on the floor because we have a crawler.
Upstairs we have high end carpet so I simply use baking soda to freshen it up and then vacuum it up.
BONA!!!!
I vacuum the floor regularly with our dyson all floor vac……but, BONA is the only way to go.
Our builder and the flooring installers/designers recommended it and I love it. No streaking, no sticky build-up. It is wonderful and smells good too
We have lived in two houses with hardwood and I can tell you that depending on the color of the hardwood depends on how you clean it. In our old house we had medium color hardwood, I think it was called Gunstock or something. We could use the Shark steamer on it and it worked great. Then we moved into this house that has dark wood floors and the steamer leaves streaks on it so we have found that only the pledge floor cleaner and a mop work on this floor. Good luck figuring out!
We have laminate floors everywhere but the bedroom. I hardly ever sweep, because I feel like I never really pick up everything. My husband is an infomercial junkie, so we bought the shark navigator vac and shark steam mop as a package deal. I LOVE both of them. I think I may love the mop a tiny bit better because it took years of swiffer residue off my floors! They looked so much brighter right away with no streaks.
As a side note, we later also bought the shark portable steam pocket cleaner – and I haven’t found it to be nearly as good at cleaning my counters or shower as plain old vinegar and water.
Hattie´s last blog ..27
Love my steam mop Kimba! Makes mopping fun! LOL–well sorta.
I do a combination of all of the above depending on how ambitious I’m feeling. The BEST way to clean floors though, is to have somebody else do it!
Kelly
Kelly@TearingUpHouses´s last blog ..All About Andrew
I have a good ‘ol steam mop and a hand help steam cleaner too. I love them both, no chemicals involved, money saved there, cant beat that!
I sweep and then use my Bissell Steam Mop. I LOVE it! One of my best purchases EVER. So easy and cleans the floors so well. After I mop I do have the kids dry the floors with towels to prevent streaking and such. They turn out beautiful.
Well, Kimba, it looks like you’ve gotten LOTS of good advice, but of course, I have to get my two cents in!
I have a steam mop, and use it on my tile floors, but I’m not thrilled with it. I love that it leaves no sticky residue, and it dries quickly, but I find that if the floors are dirty with stuck on food, or a spill that it is difficult clean those. I guess it’s because the mop never really gets very wet, so when I have a spot of food, I use a spray cleaner (love Method brand), scrub the spot, then mop.
Kimm at REINVENTED´s last blog ..Trash to Treasure Tuesday
I have tile in the kitchen and I use vinegar and water, I also add some eucalyptus oil into the water. I have heard that steam mops are not a good idea on hardwood floors, because of the amount of water (steam) it puts on them .
Hardwood: I dust the floors a couple of times a week with a dry microfiber dustcloth. I would love to be able to use a vacuum cleaner and call it good, but I can’t get over it. And I never use a mop. I have to get on my hands and knees with a pail of water/Murphy Oil soap and mop away with a rag. I always feel my floors get the cleanest that way.
I have a steam cleaner and love it on my tile floors. It gets them so clean! We are having hardwoods installed(meaning my husband is doing it) and we were told never use the steam cleaner on them. The steam can cause all kinds of damage that might not show up at first. So, they recommend Bona system,so I guess we will try that.
Kimba use apple cider vinegar mixed with warm water on your hardwoods. It is truly amazing! They gleam. Love the stuff.
Blessings, ~Melissa
BEWARE of steam mops on wood floors. Actually the floor guys said “NO WAY!” when I mentioned to him. He said over time they are bad news on the floors.
We recently had our floors re-done due to some water damage and floor guy said most products out there are bad ( I previously used Orange Glow too =/ ). He only recommended a product called Bona. You can buy it at Lowe’s in a kit and online.
Just my 2 cents. Thanks!
I use a mop when I’m in a hurry, but I don’t think it gets the floors all that clean. If I really want the floors to be clean, I get down on my hands and knees and scrub.
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We bought a shark steam mop early this year and I love it! It really makes everything clean, and without chemicals! It’s safe for pets, kids, and the environment.
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Oh girl, I could literally sit and talk about this very subject for hours. I question every cleaning device I use. However, on my hardwoods I use
Our floor guy gave us a starter pack when we first built our house, and it’s the only cleaner that I will NEVER stop using. It’s simply spectacular. I buy it at Bed Bath and Beyond now with a 20% off coupon. You can check the products out here. http://www.mybonahome.com/Home.aspx I simply use a micofiber mop for in-between cleanings, and I get down on my hands and knees to clean it every couple of months.
BONA!!! BONA!!! BONA!!!
I repeated it for impact.
As for my ceramic tile….I’m reading everything that everyone else is saying. Right now I use Shaklee, and I love it. However, I’m reeeaaaally contemplating a steam mop! Sounds fun!
I have hardwood and ceramic tile. I sweep with a broom and dustpan, and then use my steam mop. I LOVE my steam mop!!! Once a week, I will use some other cleaner like orange glow to spiff up my hardwoods.
Happy Cleaning!
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After spending my high school years cleaning HARDWOOD FLOORS in a GROOMING SHOP (yeesh), and then stained concrete and vinyl in a boarding facility, I can tell you that in households with pets, the good old-fashioned DUST MOP is your friend! You know, the big ones that janitors use. They just glide over the floor like nobody’s business and they pick up the big stuff AND the little stuff, unlike those thin microfiber cloths. Those + vacuuming occasionally then mopping with your mix of choice shows dirt you mean business!
After years of the regular mop, sponge mops, Swiffer, etc. I have been using a Lysol Steam Mop that I found on Craigslist for $10- LOVE IT!!! My floors never felt cleaner- Armstrong vinyl, laminate wood floors and tile! Sadly it has just died after 2 wonderful years
I am beside myself ;0 I am already on the search for another affordable one…I have my eye on a Bissell steam mop on Craiglist…Until then, I used my second favorite find- the LARGE O-Cedar flat head mop that has thick washable cloths that I get wet with warm water and vinegar. I then carry a squirt bottle of vinegar water around with me and mist the floor on any sticky spots, etc. The only place that I have ever found the large O-Cedar mops are at Kmart! Off to search for another steam mop…
I have old, old hardwood floors and laminate in my kitchen. The hardwood floors don’t have much finish on them, but I loved them so much better than the carpet that was on top of them, so I decided to live with them until I could afford to re–finish them. They’ve held up pretty well so far. For all my hard floors I do the same thing: Dust mop, (sweep in the kitchen) and then a light mop with Murphy’s Oil Soap. I do a hands and knees scrub two or three times a year.
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I have the Shark Steam Mop and I LOVE IT! It’s fabulous! I’ll never go back to that messy swiffer or regular mop again.
We have hardwoods and I also use a steam mop (mine is a Bissel). It’s great because it cleans and sanitizes the floors, plus it only requires water, so you don’t have the cost or fumes of floor cleaner. I love it!
I sweep with a broom to clean up dirt and dog fur tumbleweeds. I have a Pekingese and I think they are part Wookie. Sometimes I send the Roomba to do the dirty work. It’s good for in between sweeps but doesn’t do well in corners or baseboards. My Roomba is an early model so they might have changed that by now.
For wet mopping I use a combination of vinegar, water, and a sploosh of dish soap to cut through tracked in dirt in a Hoover automatic floor cleaner because I kept breaking the Swiffer type mops. I think that cleans a little better than my steam canister mop.
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Someone may have already said this, but I use Orange Glo hardwood floor cleaner, in the green bottle. I bought a spongemop, it has a brown sponge head (from Walmart), and I squirt some cleaner on the floor after I sweep it and it looks amazing! My parents use the Shark steam vacuum on their hardwoods and it works great!
I just bought a Eureka EnviroSteamer and I LOVE IT!! I had a Shark before the Eureka and it was not nearly as nice. Anyway, I sweep almost every day, then mop about once a week or once every other week – whenever the floors get so icky I can’t stand it anymore. The steam mop is much faster than using a regular mop, plus it’s not leaving any kind of a residue. I tried all the other cleaning methods for my hardwood floors, and nothing really felt clean. The spray-on cleaners leave a residue, water and vinegar or just plain water left streaks. I love my steam mop and would recommend it to anyone.
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All of my first floor is hard wood or tile and I LOVE LOVE LOVE my steam mop! You have to get one, it makes life so simple!!
i am a vinegar and water girl. and i have to physically touch every square inch.
I’m always a sucker for new cleaning products, but then we moved into a home with 90% hardwood floors and I learned that simple is better. I bought a Bona “mop” that has two different interchangeable pads that attach using velcro – one is like a static cling dust mop, and one is a microfiber. First I use the dust mop (sometimes I’ll vacuum if things are especially dirty) and then I go back through with the microfiber and use either water and vinegar in such a way that the pad is almost dry, or I use Murphy’s Oil.
For linoleum, I sweep and then use an awesome mop I found that has a scrub brush on one side. I usually do water and vinegar with some essential oils.
I’m still figuring out bathroom tile – we’re a bit scent sensitive in our house, so most pre-made products irritate us. So far, I’ve settled on a scrub with baking soda and water with soap that’s like a paste, and then I rinse that off, and if I want to freshen things up, I’ll spray with a water, vinegar, essential oil and tea tree soap mix.
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I use my Bissell steam mop everyday, we have laminate wood everywhere and I always had the hardest time keeping my floors clean and this has definitely worked the best for me. It’s easy to use, no chemicals, and washable pads. I love it because I know my floors are getting a good cleaning everyday. It gets EVERYTHING up too. I love that the steam mop doesn’t leave my floors soaked as obviously you can’t have that with laminate or wood even. It leaves little to no water and what it does leave dries super fast. It’s Awesome!
I do go through once every couple of weeks ( ok maybe longer ) and do a good old fashioned cleaning on my hands and knees around the edges and baseboards with vinegar and water.
I am an infomercial sucker and have been wanting a steam mop for some time. However, I tear up every mop I try (hubby says I apply too much pressure), so I don’t want to make the investment and just ruin it. That said, I am also a sweeper and hands-and-knees scrubber. I use Bruce’s Hardwood Floor Cleaner (although I just saw an ad for the orange stuff somebody mentioned – gotta try it!) cut with a little water. I wash on with a big sponge, then dry off with a rag. Just like Karate Kid
I’m getting into this conversation late and didn’t have time to read through 92 previous comments, but here is my tried and true method. We have had hardwood floors for the past (almost) 10 years and I’ve tried it all.
The best result that is also easy and doesn’t cause a build up is ZEP hardwood floor cleaner from Home Depot. I spray it on and mop off with a mop with a washable terry cloth cover that goes in the washer when I’m done. I get on my hands and knees to get the corners and baseboards good using ZEP ever month (or two or three) and a rag.
I’ve turned several people onto this cleaner and they have all converted!
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i’m jumpin’ in a little late, too.
on my hardwood floors – wipe up as necessary with damp towel, only use a vacuum to sweep & mop with mop & bucket & murphy’s oil soap.
on my tile floors – wipe up as necessary, only use a vacuum & mop with mop & bucket & OXI-CLEAN (diluted in HOT water). the oxi-clean keeps the grout snowy white & the tile sparkling.
only using a vacuum means that crud isn’t swept into the crevices of the hardwood or grout. i want to keep them looking great for a long time.
now – true confession time – my dear sweet hubby is the one who usually does the sweeping & mopping. yeah, i know, i’m spoiled (& blessed).
i’ve been “mia for awhile. hoping to get back to blogging & commenting regularly.
peace -
I have the shark steam vac and I love it! I’ve sold about three more since I’ve owned mine because I’ve shown it to several friends and loaned it out a couple times. Everyone loves it that I know. I particularly love that all it requires is water – no chemicals at all! And it gets everything up on my gross floors. I have three young kids who are excessively messy so this thing gets a workout. I highly recommend it.
Bought mine at Kohls when I had a 30% coupon and had it delivered with their free shipping.
(http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/electronicsgames/brandsforhomecare/shark/PRD~473068/Shark+Steam+Pocket+Mop.jsp)
We live in a rental with laminate floors. Cleaning floors is definitely a 3 step process here in the desert with Army boots walking on them: traditional broom and dustpan, then dry Swiffer, then a good mopping. The Swiffer gets up the hair my broom misses plus a good portion of the dust.
I have 3 kinds of mops and still haven’t decided which I prefer. Sponge mop is the least hands-on because you can squeeze it out with the built in handle, and scrubs well. Our German mop has a washable cloth that you have to wring out by hand every 5 square feet or so – I like that I can wash it, but dislike all the wringing out and then reattaching. If I weren’t 5 months pregnant I’d be getting down on my hands and knees with the bucket of warm water and Mr. Clean and two rags! Sometimes I just turn on the music and dance around with the rags under my feet…