Can You Use Vinegar On Wood Floors

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There are a lot of commercial floor cleaners out there, simply sometimes the best product is one you lot already accept in your pantry or store cupboard. Yes, we're talking about vinegar, the not-then-clandestine ingredient for many household cleaning tasks. You lot can use this acidic liquid to create a sparkling finish on a number of surfaces in your abode.

Hither's how to clean wood floors with vinegar, according to experts.

Become Prepped

Before you lot start with the vinegar, information technology'southward important to prep your floor. Jennifer Gregory, the brand manager of Molly Maid, told Real Simple that the first step is to vacuum. "It is best to constitute a weekly routine of vacuuming your floors, particularly high-traffic areas like hallways," she said. Another skilful addiction is to bank check the underside of your vacuum cleaner before every utilize, simply to make sure in that location's no debris that could scratch your wood floor.

Amend Homes & Gardens recommends doing a patch test on your flooring in an camouflaged identify before using vinegar to make clean information technology for the first time.

Woman walking barefoot on hard wood floor — Adobe

Brand Sure You've Got The Right Vinegar

Vinegar comes in many varieties. For cleaning your wood floors, you want white vinegar. You can also get cleaning vinegar, which tends to have a college concentration of acid than the regular sort. But if you don't have either of these, apple tree cider vinegar works, too. Simply go along the balsamic and cherry wine vinegar for cooking.

It's also important to accept the correct type of mop. Better Homes & Gardens recommends one with a microfiber head, as this cloth is designed to trap grit and grime.

Bottle of white vinegar for cleaning floors — Adobe

How To Make clean Wood Floors With Vinegar

The cleaning process itself couldn't exist easier. Ameliorate Homes & Gardens recommends adding one/ii cup of vinegar to a gallon of lukewarm water. Then drop a sponge or rag mop in the mixture, wring it until it's almost dry (it should experience damp to the bear on), and mop your floor. Always pay attention and then you don't have whatever standing water on the floor.

Gregory suggests using an "S" motion with your mop, making sure to lead with the same side each time to pick up all dirt and debris. Every time you motility to a new room, supplant the dirty solution.

When y'all're finished cleaning with the vinegar-and-water mixture, rinse the whole floor with a clean map, wiping up all excess liquid equally you go.

When y'all've finished, yous could utilise a floor polish or wax to achieve a loftier smooth — but this is optional!

Other Natural Alternatives For Cleaning Wood Floors

If you lot don't accept vinegar, or would similar to endeavour other natural floor cleaning options, you lot might consider lemon essential oil, which volition add a pleasant, fresh scent and cut through any grease. It'southward also a good choice if you take pets, equally it's a neat natural disinfectant.

Castile soap is also a pop choice. It smells good (many brands have different scent options, such every bit lavander and peppermint), and when you know how to make clean wood floors with vinegar, you just take to tweak the process slightly. Existent Simple recommends mixing one/eight to i/4 cup of Castile lather to a bucket of water (hot this fourth dimension, not lukewarm) and mopping as per the directions above. Yous don't need to rinse with Castile soap, but it'southward probably best not to utilise it on waxed floors every bit in that location'southward a risk of removing the wax.