How to Clean and Maintain Hardwood Floors

How to Clean and Maintain Hardwood Flooring.

Hardwood floors are gorgeous when they’re clean. I love it when either natural light or ambient light shows just how stylish they are.

Hardwood floors add a touch of elegance to a home, don’t you think? Hardwoods are a great option as they are durable, they come in different colors and a variety of styles, and they are easy to clean and maintain.



Sweeping the Floors

Cleaning hardwood floors is a pretty basic task when done on a regular basis. If you use something like a Swiffer sweeper to sweep your floors, this simple task will keep the floors shiny and dust free.

I particularly like microfiber sweepers like the Swiffer. They are lightweight and the materials are designed to attract and trap dust particles, which is so much nicer than in the old days of brooms which just pushed the dirt around.

Sweeping the floors is also an easy task to put on the kids chore list, especially the younger ones. They’ll get a kick out of watching the dust bunnies stick to the Swiffer.

For large messes on the floor that can’t be easily cleaned by sweeping, you can use a vacuum or a shop vac. If you vacuum you can use an attachment hose or a vacuum where the rollers can be turned off so you don’t scratch the floor.

General Cleaning


When it comes to general cleaning, which is pretty much all you’ll need to do if you keep spills wiped up and sweep the floors regularly, plain water is all you need. All you need is a damp mop and off you go.

I say damp mop, make sure you don’t use too much water or you can damage hardwood floors. Dry the floor when you’re finished mopping.

Don’t forget to sweep the floors before washing them.

Deep Cleaning


Every now and then you may need to do more than just sweeping and a general clean. Especially in the summer months when everyone seems to walk through the house in their bare toots and we tend to have more social gatherings. If you have pets, they can add to the grim that can lead to dirty floors.

For most wood floors: Swedish finish, pergo floors, and old wood floors, you can safely clean with white vinegar and water. Simply add 1/ 4 cup white vinegar to 1 gallon warm water. Again, only use a damp mop, rinse the mop often and dry the floor when you’re finished.

If you are unsure of the type of floor you have, take a picture and go to a local flooring shop or a Home store and ask a professional.

Maintaining Hardwood Floors


  • Use felt pads for legs of chairs and tables to keep them from scratching the floor.
  • Use throw rugs at entrances.
  • Take shoes off when entering the home especially high heels, cleats, etc.
  • Clean up spills as soon as they happen.

Enjoy your clean hardwood floors, Wipe up spills, sweep regularly, damp mop and dry, and they’ll last you years.

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