The Secret to Cleaning Wood Floors

This is my first foray into tips for cleaning, but it's a very practical one, and one I just used this past weekend. My dearest friend Krista asked me to pick up some wood floor cleaner for her while I was at the store this weekend, and that's when I decided to share with her the secret I've been using to clean my hardwood floors for nearly 10 years.

It's clear, it's cheap and it's probably in your kitchen right now...it's water! Ta-dah!

Okay, I'm kidding. Partially. It's water, but the secret ingredient is vinegar.



Vinegar: it's not just for dyeing Easter eggs any more.



After lots of online research, here's the best article I found with the rationale, details and directions for using white vinegar to give your wood floors a scrub.

http://cleaning.lovetoknow.com/Vinegar_to_Clean_Hardwood_Floors

And, if you want to get straight to the details now, here it goes: make a cleaning solution with 1/2 cup white vinegar and a gallon of warm water. It's recommended you sweep up loose dirt and dust before mopping with this solution to get the maximum benefit.

The result? Hardwood floors that will last the test of time. Don't be surprised if your first go at it doesn't produce a diamond-like shine...the truth is many of the manufactured floor cleaners that do this are using a wax to give this effect, but over time, those waxes will dull the natural luster of your wood. A close second to this all-natural vinegar solution is Murphy's Oil Soap, which uses a vegetable oil base in lieu of chemicals. But, after experience with both, and after comparing the cost of materials, I prefer vinegar. Many agree.

Okay, Cinderella...blog reading time is over. Get to scrubbing. Your floors will thank you!