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Sweeping hardwood floors is sometimes not enough to get a clean, shiny, polished floor. So what's the best and safest way to clean your hardwood floor? Well, this guide is meant to help you learn how to properly use bleach on your hardwood floors without damaging them.
Can wooden floors be cleaned with bleach?Yes, but only if it is used correctly and the solution is mixed in the proper proportion. A small amount of bleach, properly diluted with water, is an excellent and safe solution for cleaning hardwood floors. But, of course, it all depends on how you use it.
Using the wrong cleaning productsscrub your hardwood floors(see my mop reviews) can do more harm than good. But all you need to do is understand the proper and safe technique for scrubbing hardwood floors. With bleach, you can easily remove all dirt, mold, stains and grime from your parquet floor. Read on to find out how...
How to Scrub Hardwood Floors with Bleach
There are a number of benefits to cleaning hardwood floors with diluted bleach. With bleach, you can disinfect your floors and keep them clean at the same time. Stubborn stains and dirty floors can be easily removed with the right kind of solution.
Bleach can help you restore your hardwood floor's original color and finish without damaging it. Cleaning the floor with bleach is safe, but how you do it is very important. If you decide to use this method to clean your wooden floors, you should carefully follow these 7 simple steps:
What will you need
- Dry with a microfiber cloth or mop (see my comments above)
- bleaching
- Bucket
- 1 gallon of water
- Broom
- a pair of gloves
Step 1:Clean the floor with a completely dry mop or broom. This helps remove surface dirt and other large dirt particles, such as sand, that can scratch the floor during the cleaning process. Sweeping hardwood floors is an important step in removing scratches and dust from the floor.
Step 2:Take 1 gallon of water, go ahead and add 1/2 cup of bleach. Put on a pair of gloves. Mix the solution well in a bucket until the bleach is completely diluted. The goal is to clean the floor without damaging it, so bleach should be kept to a minimum depending on the type of hardwood floor you have.
It is important to ensure that the bleach is well diluted before each subsequent step. After mixing your solution, you now have your lye water ready.
Step 3:Dampen your microfiber clothor wipe and drain well until almost dry. Your mop should not be soaked in bleach or soaked. It should be slightly damp and almost dry. You can spray your microfiber cloth or mop with bleach, in which case you must first fill a spray bottle with bleach.
Wring out the mop or cloth as best you can until it is slightly damp. It's important to make sure your mop or cloth doesn't drip with bleach so you don't flood the floor. Hardwood floors should not be exposed to excessive moisture, so a well-wrung mop or cloth is important.
Stage 4:Test by wiping your mop or rag in a corner of the floor or in a small, hard-to-notice area. This test will help you to know if the solution can affect your hardwood floors. Start scrubbing in smaller sections to remove dirt and stains from your hardwood floor.
If there are stains or mold, try scrubbing the area with the mop or cloth. After finishing all sections of the hardwood floor, soak it in bleach for 10 minutes to remove stains, mold and dirt from the hardwood floor.
Step 5:Rinse the microfiber cloth or rub it well in water to remove the bleach. Wring out the mop or cloth well until almost dry. You can use a different microfiber cloth or mop for this step.
Step 6:Use your nearly dry mop or cloth to remove moisture from the hardwood floor and bleach with water. Scrub the floor thoroughly until there is no moisture or bleach left on the floor.
Stage 7:Air dry your hardwood floors. Make sure the area is well ventilated by opening all windows and doors. Keep your pets or other people away from the hardwood floor until it is completely dry.
What to do and what not to do when cleaning hardwood floors
What to do;
- Put on a pair of protective gloves to make sure your skin is safe, especially if you're allergic to bleach.
- Use the correct proportion of solvent for your hardwood floors. Bleach must not be present in excess. Never splash or rinse the wooden floor with water. Avoid saturating your hardwood floors with water. This will help minimize moisture on your hardwood floors. Moisture can seep into the panels, causing them to swell and expand at the edges.
- First, follow the flooring manufacturer's recommended cleaning method.
what not to do;
- Do not use undiluted bleach on your hardwood floors. Dilute the bleach first to make sure it doesn't damage hardwood floors.
- Do not use a soaked or dripping mop on hardwood floors. Your mop or cloth should be almost dry or slightly damp. This measure is important to prevent moisture or water from infiltrating and kneading or staining the floor. Moisture can penetrate the panels.
- Do not use a hard broom to sweep. Hard bristles can scratch hardwood floors. Always use a broom with soft bristles.
Tips for cleaning your hardwood floor
- Determine the type of finish you will have on your hardwood floors before proceeding with stain removal. Unsealed parquet floors absorb water more easily than finished parquet floors. Contact the manufacturer for information on how to properly clean your hardwood floor based on the type of finish.
- Use distilled water to avoid streaking or residue after cleaning hardwood floors.
- Minimize sand, high heels and gravel as they can damage hardwood floors.
- You can use a water sprayer to spray the bleach onto your mop or cloth for easier cleaning. But don't spray directly onto the floor, just spray onto the mop or cloth.
- If you likeUse a vacuum cleaner to remove dust (see comments)Remember to check the vacuum to make sure there are no metal items that could scratch the hardwood floor surface.
- Sweep the floor with a broom to remove any sand or dirt that may scratch the floor during the cleaning process.
- After mopping, keep the area well ventilated to ensure the hardwood floor is completely dry. Leave your fans running and windows open to dry properly.
- When keeping pets off the floor, remember to allow the hardwood floor to air dry for at least 24 hours.
- Use a rug or mat on the floor, especially in high-traffic areas when you are expecting guests. This helps protect your hardwood floors from high heels.
- Always remember to take off your shoes and trim yours.Pet Claws (Here's How to Protect Hardwood Floors from Dogs).
- Remove dust or dirt by sweeping before scrubbing.
Related questions
Q: How can I clean my parquet floor without leaving streaks or residue on the floor?
A:Use distilled water while scrubbing hardwood floors and rinse the mop before the final cleaning. Polishing and rinsing the floor will also help prevent scratches. When mopping the floor, use an almost-dry, well-wrung, bleach-free mop.
Q: Can bleach damage hardwood floors?
A:Yes, if not applied and diluted correctly. It is not recommended to use full strength bleach on hardwood floors, full strength is tough on your floors. You should always dilute bleach before applying it to hardwood floors. Therefore, it is advisable to use bleach water to thoroughly clean wooden floors.
The solution must be mixed in the proper proportions to obtain excellent and safe results. Depending on your surface, always test on a small section, e.g. B. in the corner of your floor to ensure the solution is suitable for your floor.
Q: How often should I use bleach on my hardwood floors?
A:Bleach is the best solution when it comes to deep cleaning. You can use bleach twice a month during your deep cleaning session. But if you want to remove stains or mold or oil stuck to the floor, you can use bleach water, you don't have to wait for a deep cleaning.
Diploma
Bleach is the best cleaner when you want to deep clean your hardwood floor. But, if not used correctly, bleach can also damage hardwood floors. To avoid damage to our floors, please read carefully and follow the 7 steps above.
Get your solution correct. If you use the correct thinner and follow the above steps carefully, your floors will be safe. Say goodbye to discolored hardwood floors by following our guide to cleaning hardwood floors with bleach!