What products do you use to keep your hardwood floor clean?

[ChefGirl]

Hi ladies,
Our entire house is covered with hardwood floor. You can only imagine how dusty the house gets with two toddlers running aorund the house all the time.

I'm just curious how you ladies keep your hardwood floor clean and "dust free". Well, maybe the frequency of cleaning will help. We currently don't have any cleaning service. DH and I squeeze in time on Sunday morning trying to do a semi-deep clean for the week.

I was just curious to see what products you gals use for your hardwood. Thanks a bunch.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Swiffer, sweep (either with broom or The Shark) and mop with Murphy's Oil Soap.

Beth

[masha12]

I vacuum the floors on a regular basis. It was recommended to us by the instructor in the hardwood floor refinishing class we took, but it took me a couple of years to give up sweeping and dustmopping. I'd never go back to the broom/dustmop. Sweepin and dust mopping does not get rid of all the dirt; there is always a little left. With vacuuming, the dirt is removed completely and more quickly.

For cleaning, I used to use Murphy's Oil, and I really like it, but I have switched to amonia and water because I think it gives a better clean.

[ChefGirl]

>I vacuum the floors on a regular basis.

What vaccum cleaner do you use? I actually do vaccum as well. I typically use the hand held on a daily basis. We have an Eureka vaccum cleaner. I'm just afraid it will scratch the wood. Thanks again.

[Marisa6826]

Swiffer and Murphy's Oil Soap diluted with water. LOVE the smell of it.

Just make sure that the mop is hardly damp. You may also want to go over it with a dry microfiber rag (I just attach it to the Swiffer thing). You don't want to leave a wooden floor too damp, otherwise it can get warped.

-m

[LarsMal]

I use our Dyson on our hardwood floors, and it gets all of the dust and dirt up. I also have one of those Hoover mop-vac things. I've only used it a couple times and it does a decent job cleaning. I think I might try the Murphy's oil and microfiber rags, though, since that seems to be a popular rec.

[JBaxter]

I used a dirtdevil stick vac to vacuum. We try to be as chemical free as possible here with cleaning products so I use only vinegar and water on my floors. Its great leaves them clean and shiney I typically use a cup& 1/2 to my scrub bucket. Heinz white distilled vinegar has the least vinegar smell.

[dcmom2b3]

I'm in the same situation -- all hardwood, lots of dust. I swiffer occasionally for cat hair, but to get the floors really clean I use my Hoover hard floor cleaner. I'm not one for household equipment/gadgets, but the Hoover was worth every dime. It has two modes, wet and dry. In the dry mode it vacuums up the dust and dirt, then you switch to wet mode, in which it lays down cleaning solution, scrubs the floor, and sucks up the dirty water. Floors dry quickly and are sooooooo clean afterwards. Instead of the special solution that comes with the machine, I just use water and ammonia -- works better IMO & cheaper too.

[pb&j]

Swiffer, daily or more (we have 2 cats). And when I get a chance, down on hands and needs with rags and a spray bottle of vinegar/water. Nothing works better than that! It's labor intensive, but I just did mine this weekend (for the first time since before DS was born, ack) and they are sparkling. I simply can't get them this clean just by mopping.

-Ry,
mom to Max the one year old
and my girl in heaven

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/37124.gif

[mum1day]

I vacuum with a Dyson every other day and once a week use a solution of white vinegar and water with a damn mop on all of my floors. No chemicals and cleans wonderfully!

[Radosti]

We use the Dyson to vacuum and Bruce Hardwood Cleaner (our floors are made by Bruce). They have a special mop thing that looks a lot like the swiffer, but it's a plastic mophead and you put the cloth cover on it. Then, spray the floor with the Bruce cleaner and wipe with the mop. It works great. I buy the cleaner at Costco, but Home Depot carries it as well. The flooring place that installed our hardwood (also throughout the house) recommended that we stick with this cleaner and I haven't regretted it yet.

[C99]

I have hardwood all over and I don't think it gets that dusty. I use hot water and vinegar to clean it. Applied sparingly and wiped immediately. Occasionally, about 1-2 times/year, I'll use hot water and Murphy's Oil Soap, using the same application. I've also had good luck with vaccuming often and/or using Swiffer dry.

[jenjenfirenjen]

I vacuum nearly daily with a Dirt Devil stick vac and then not nearly enough I mop. I have rigged up a Swiffer Wet Jet-I fill the solution bottle with my own solution of vinegar, water and Peppermint EO which makes it smell oh so yummy. And then I cover the Swiffer mop head with a cloth diaper. Afterwards, my floors are so shiny!

[kjezierski]

We use the dry Swiffer or the cordless Shark each day(we have a black lab) and Bona Hardwood Cleaner every two weeks.

Kathleen
Mommy to Alex
04/29/04

[Chris Johnson]

You really should vacuum first then use a cleaner like Murphy.

Dyson is coming out with a new and improved canister this week called the DC21

http://www.futureshop.ca/multimedia/products/large/10084985.jpg

[squimp]

Vaccuming is the way to go with hardwoods IMO. And it's important to get the corners. So much of the dust (and in our case, cat hair) accumulates on the edges and in the corners, so I use just the hose or hose with the brush attachment to clean there.

Every other week, we mop with microfiber and diluted white vinegar. Looks good, and no buildup. I do this more often in the kitchen, since that floor gets filthy so quickly.

[Dee150]

Please tell me how you rigged up the Wetjet bottle to hold your own solution. I thought I'd do it, but really, short of a turkey baster-type thingy, I couldn't figure out how! :-)

On our hardwood floors, I sweep (broom) daily, and mop (usually once a week) using Murphy's wood oil soap. I use the Swiffer Wetjet for quick cleanups around the table (usually have some mess from DS's mealtimes) or when company's coming and I don't have the time/energy to mop.