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The Easiest Way to Keep Wood Floors Clean

Reported by POPSUGAR:

Not sure of the best way to clean your wood floors without damaging them? Dana Miller from House*Tweaking shows us how to get the job done quickly!

One housekeeping-related question that pops up in my inbox frequently (even more so than this globe light question) is “How do you clean your floors?” I try to clean them thoroughly every week, but sometimes it’s more like every other week. Here’s what I do . . .

1. Vacuum Excess Dirt

First I vacuum up loose dirt, dust, and debris. I use a Shark Navigator that I bought 2+ years ago when our horrible 10-year-old vacuum finally died. At the time, I was *this close* to splurging on a Dyson. Then I found the Shark. It was affordable and had stellar reviews so I gave it a try. I LOVE this vacuum. It does what it’s supposed to do and is versatile and super easy to maneuver. I use it with the brush turned off on the wood floors. I also use it on all the rugs in our home. For shorter pile rugs, I turn the brush on. For the shag and jute rugs, I turn the brush off. The attachments are great for upholstery and reaching dust bunnies up high, in corners, and under furniture. If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly vacuum that works well on hard and soft surfaces, I can’t say enough good things about this one.

2. Mop

After all the crumbs and dust bunnies are cleared, I use a Bona spray mop to condition the wood and give it that clean floor sheen. A hand trigger makes mopping quick and painless. For our medium toned floors, I prefer the shaggier dusting pad. It does a better job of attracting dust and cat hair than the lower pile cleaning pad. I just throw the dusting pad in the wash (no fabric softener!) and let it air dry. The cartridge is refillable. I keep a large jug of Bona cleaner on hand for refills. It’s odorless, non-toxic, and doesn’t leave any residue. Our floors have a satin-like finish (as opposed to a high gloss finish) and this cleaner is perfect for them. Bonus — I also use the Bona cleaner in a spray bottle to dust the lower wood cabinets in the kitchen. So many uses!

3. Use a Handheld Vacuum

I use a smaller Eureka handheld vacuum for quick cleanups in between the more thorough cleanings. I’ve only owned this vacuum a month (it was a Christmas gift and had been on my wish list forever), but I’m really happy with it so far. It’s great for the inevitable crumb messes after every meal and for our cat Cheetah’s fur balls. Before, I was dragging out the upright a few times a day. It did the job well, but the handheld is much more convenient. We don’t have stairs, but I’ve heard it’s great for that application, too.

So there’s everything you’ve (n)ever wanted to know about my floor cleaning routine. We take our shoes off at the door which helps keep dirt to a minimum. And I’ve noticed a HUGE difference since the new driveway was installed. One more thing to keep in mind . . . my floors always look cleaner in photographs. If you were visiting right now, you would notice stray popcorn pieces under the stools at the kitchen island. That area is my nemesis.

Any floor cleaning products you swear by?

Source:POPSUGAR

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