Caring for hardwood floors

[lmbjer]

We are moving into a home with all hardwood floors....real wood, not laminate. I haven't the foggiest clue how to care for them. What kind of daily cleaning method, deep clean method, annual cleaning, etc., should I be doing? Cleaning products? Is there anything I should avoid or watch out for? Should I have something between the furniture and the floor to prevent scratches? 

Thanks!

[Lovesong]

What you want to do (and use) depends on what kind of finish you have on your floors. Are they oiled? Lacquered? Soaped? Painted?

Are they dark or light? (Light floors tend to need deep cleaning more often than dark floors in my experience, while dark floors tend to show scratches etc. easier).

Personally, I have a very lax approach to my lacquered floors. I don't really mind surface scratches, for instance, nor do I really care for a high shine. Generally I find most scratches tend to go away when I scrub the floor down anyhow, so no idea to spot treat unless they are really deep.

Lacquered floors I think is really one of the easiest floor surfaces to take care off. For weekly cleaning, all you really need to do is sweep or hoover the floors. Once a month, you will want to use a damp microfibre cloth (just water) to keep on top of dirt stains etc. Then, once a year, take a good scrubbing brush, fill a bucket with lukewarm water and some soap (Dr Bronners or the like) and scrub the floor down properly. Be sure to wipe with a cloth as you go. The floor should be almost as new after that.

[MaryMarg]

I had this same question too--we just moved to a home with hardwoods (light colored).  They don't have a high gloss but we were told they have a little coating (or whatever you put on them) on them.  Don't know if these will work for your floors, but it's been suggested we simply use vinegar and water (ah, good old vinegar!).  Also, someone said Murphy's Oil soap is mostly a natural vegetable product and could be used in a spray bottle with warm water.

[Imakcerka]

Wet dusting is the best way to go.  Spray bottle and a good clothe mop.  Maybe throw some wax on it once a year. 

[hildare]

vinegar water, with a very very well wrung mop (or mop like apparatus).  getting them too wet is very bad.  most soap that i've tried leaves a film or else shows weird footprints when you walk.

murphy's oil works ok for us, just regular mop-like situation with a sponge mop, too. 

we've also resorted to a swifter plus the swifter mop thing in a pinch but it stinks to me. 

[chel]

I sweep or vacuum (without rotators off) daily.  Spot clean as needed with bona in a spray bottle and a microfiber pad mop.

i put felt pads on kitchen chairs and table.

[Imakcerka]

trying the vinegar tomorrow.  I hate the smudge marks on my high gloss wood floors!
 

Originally Posted by hildare 

vinegar water, with a very very well wrung mop (or mop like apparatus).  getting them too wet is very bad.  most soap that i've tried leaves a film or else shows weird footprints when you walk.

murphy's oil works ok for us, just regular mop-like situation with a sponge mop, too. 

we've also resorted to a swifter plus the swifter mop thing in a pinch but it stinks to me.