Cleaning Hardwood Floors With Ammonia

Although many cleaning product manufacturers will promote their merchandise as good for wood floors we ve had to refinish a substantial number of floors that were routinely cleaned with such products.

Cleaning hardwood floors with ammonia.

Whatever cleaner you choose the process for how to clean wood floors and how to clean engineered hardwood floors is the same. Follow directions when diluting the product with water to create your cleaning solution. But also like vinegar ammonia is bad news for your hardwood floors. The best way to clean hardwood floors get hardworking hardwood spic and span with these safe solutions for dusting deep cleaning and stain removal.

Wring it out thoroughly so the mop is damp not wet. Steam cleaners are bad news you should only use steam cleaners on carpets and other surfaces that they are designed for. Don t rely on lemon juice or a vinegar and water solution to clean hardwood floors. Unlike vinegar however ammonia is a base with a ph around 11 similar to household bleach.

They ll dull or scratch the finish. Avoid ammonia ammonia will discolor deteriorate and dull the finish. Although you should normally avoid ammonia when cleaning hardwood floors removal of the residue from oil soap is a special case. Saturate a rag or sponge mop in your cleaning solution.

The acid from vinegar or ammonia even if diluted can dull the floor s finish due to etching. The best way to clean hardwood floors is by using a damp mop along with a cleaning product made specifically to maintain wood. After searching and searching online for any answer i could find and the more desperate i got the more i was willing to try. Don t use straight ammonia alkaline products or abrasive cleaners.

Ammonia is not widely recommended as a cleaner for wood flooring because it has a very acidic ph that can eat into and lead to dulling of the floor finish or even bleaching of the surface. Compounds like vinegar are acidic and will etch into the finish and create dulling. Using a steam cleaner on a hardwood floor can cause peeling cracking and cloudiness in the finish. Mix a cleaning solution consisting of 1 2 cup of ammonia per.

Using ammonia to clean a wood floor will take years off of its life. Mop the floor with the cleaner being careful to not put too much liquid on the floor. Ammonia is harsh and can discolor the wood. Ammonia is really not suited for this purpose.

There are dozens of better options that clean and protect your flooring.