Wood floors add natural beauty to the home, especially to the home interiors. However, their maintenance can be a daunting task, especially if you do not clean them using the right solution. Floors are exposed to lots of wear since they are the surface we walk on to carry out daily activities. While we execute these tasks, spills, scuffs, or other kinds of mishaps are inevitable and can cause your hardwood floor to be disfigured or stained. When either of these happens, we are concerned about cleaning that spot to bring back the same clean look as the rest of the floor.
In this post, we at FastKlean will be exploring various natural solutions by which you can clean your hardwood floors. There is no need to buy various chemical blend products with natural cleaning solutions that mostly have strong scents, are toxic, and likely contain allergens. Besides, natural methods are almost always readily available to you at a cost-friendly price.
If you clean using an unrecommended solution, you may not achieve the desired look, regardless of the amount of pressure applied. Many homeowners opt for natural, easy solutions to help their hardwood floor primarily because they need to protect their homes, kids, pets, loved ones, and themselves from harmful chemicals. Natural solutions are also a great way to achieve effective cleaning, and they also help prevent the need for chemical contents that are dangerous to the environment.
Natural solutions to clean your hardwood floor
The following natural cleaning solutions are remedies to assist you in cleaning your hardwood floor. They are alternatives to toxic and harsh cleaning solutions. Fortunately, you don’t even have to worry as you have all these materials for production at your disposal.
Vegetable oil and vinegar
Other than cooking most of your sumptuous meals, vegetable oil has other uses, including giving a shiny look to your wood floor. Woods often react most times when liquid is applied to them. When an excess amount of water is applied to a wood surface, swelling or shrinking can occur. Also, if you apply a little quantity of water and it dries quickly, the same thing may happen. This is a result of the warping effect. However, the mixture of cleaning vinegar and vegetable oil is a better and more effective way to clean a wood floor. Alternatively, you can combine these two solutions in a spray bottle and apply them to the stained part on your wood floor. Scrub gently until the stain goes off. This process comes with no chemicals involved, which guarantees the safety of use.
Baking soda
Baking soda isn’t just helpful in baking; it’s also a great tool for cleaning hardwood floors. Its alkaline characteristics are so powerful that it can get rid of all kinds of household stains. They are most effective when they are applied to grease on the floor. When mixed with water, it dissolves grease and other kinds of dirt. You can dissolve it completely by putting it in a spray bottle filled with water. Apply it to the stained part on the wood floor and scrub. This solution is so effective that it can eliminate the most stubborn hardwood stains by deodorizing them.
Black tea
Other than the regular breakfast accompaniment, the black tea offers a wide range of benefits. One of which is the ability to clean your hardwood floor. By nature, tea is a water-based substance. Considering its colour, you may wonder if it won’t just add more stain to your floor, but this isn’t the case. Black tea has tannic acid, which assists in dissolving and getting rid of dirt, leaving a glimmering shine on anywhere it is applied.
You can start with soaking three bags of black tea in 4 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes. Once you remove the black tea bags, soak a cotton cloth in the water. Alternatively, you can use a mop pad depending on the size of the container, submerge it and apply pressure on the stained area to clean the dirt.
Castile soap
This is an effective tool for cleaning hardwood floors. Castile soaps do not emit chemicals into the environment as they are produced from coconut oils mixed with sodium carbonate and other natural solutions and ingredients. To use this solution, you should add a teaspoon of pure Castile soap to four water cups. You should include five to ten drops of essential oil. Stir it together and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray directly to the stained spot. You should, however, avoid applying it to a large portion of the floor at the same time. If you clean and spritz in a small portion, you will not have excessive water sitting on the floor for the wood to absorb. Start applying it by using a piece of microfiber cloth. Alternatively, you can use a dry mop and make sure the cleaned area is about to dry before applying your solution to another section of the floor.
Vinegar and water
This doesn’t sound strange as it is a common solution many people apply in homes to clean surfaces. Vinegar is an effective and natural cleaning tool that exhibits no chemicals while in use. You should, however, avoid using balsamic vinegar or those with flavorful ingredients. Use only white vinegar and distilled vinegar. Combining this ingredient with warm water is so effective that it can dissolve and clean any kind of dirt, including grime, even from the driest floor made of wood.
While woods are not generally friendly with liquids, accurate measurement among the ingredients for cleaning the wood floor can be very effective. From the above natural solutions, you can choose the most suitable for your wood floor to effectively clean your floor. Thank you for reading till the end. If you liked the article, explore our other topics. Here at FastKlean are always available to offer services, advice, and recommendations if you need any for your cleaning needs.
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Recommended books for further reading:
- Clean My Space: The Secret to Cleaning Better, Faster, and Loving Your Home Every Day
- Natural Living Style: Inspirational ideas for a beautiful and sustainable home
- The Naturally Clean Home: 150 Super Easy Herbal Formulas for Green Cleaning
- The Easy Life: Quick ways to clean and manage your home all year round
- Minimal: How to simplify your life and live sustainably