How to Clean Wood Floors With Vinegar

Nothing ruins the look of beautiful hardwood floors more than a dull, dirty finish. Although there are many commercial products available that clean wood floors, few are as natural as vinegar. If you want to learn how to clean wood floors with vinegar, follow a few simple suggestions.

Use the right type. There are many different types of vinegars, and they include red wine, balsamic, raspberry and herbed vinegar. White vinegar is the type of vinegar that you use when coloring Easter eggs and cleaning wood floors. In fact, white vinegar is the only type of vinegar that is recommended by certain manufacturers of flooring and hard wood. When you clean floors with vinegar, do not worry about the odor. The vinegar smell will dissipate after a few hours, leaving only a fresh clean scent behind.

Get your ratios right. Although white vinegar is an excellent cleaner and deodorizer, you don't want to put too much into your water when you clean your hardwood floors. For an effective cleaner, combine one-half cup of white vinegar to every gallon of warm or hot water in a bucket. There is no need to physically stir the mixture, as the warm water will cause the vinegar to dissipate throughout the water.

Use a clean sponge mop. Dip your clean sponge mop into your vinegar and water solution and wring out the excess. Using slight pressure, mop your wood floor in a back and forth motion, making sure you don't over-saturate your floors. In addition, before you start mopping, vacuum or sweep up any loose dirt and debris from your floor. You will find that when you clean wood floors with vinegar, you'll end up with clean, film-free and fresh smelling floors.