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Can You Use Vinegar To Clean Hardwood Floors?

We love our hardwood floors and we want to make sure we are taking the best care of them possible. That is why we want to make sure it is okay to use vinegar before we wash our floors.

The acidity in vinegar is lowered considerably when you dilute it with water. This makes it a very good option for cleaning your hardwood floors on a routine basis. As long as you don’t use straight vinegar, the hardwood floor will stand up nicely.

Woman cleaning hardwood floor

As far as the mixture is concerned, there is a general recommendation of using 1/2 cup of white vinegar in every gallon of water. That should cut the acidity enough so that it will not etch the hardwood floor and damage it.

At the same time, however, you need to consider the type of vinegar you are using. Some types of vinegar are more acidic than others, such as white vinegar. That is why many people use vinegar that is lower acidity, such as apple cider vinegar.

In any case, vinegar is an excellent cleanser that can easily lift dirt and remove oil and other deposits that dull the hardwood floor and make it less attractive.

At the same time, however, there is some consideration for using commercial cleaners on occasion as well. They do a better job than vinegar in most cases, but they are not often preferred by the homeowner.

Let’s take a look closer at some of the options available for cleaning hardwood floors and how you can make sure you are maintaining them properly so you don’t have to wash them quite so often.

Can You Use Vinegar To Clean Hardwood Floors?

First of all, it’s important to recognize that white vinegar is a natural solution that is preferred by many homeowners. In fact, any type of vinegar will do a good job at cleaning your floor, provided you dilute it with enough water.

As we mentioned before, it is also a good idea to look into the possibility of using some commercial cleaners. Commercial cleaners are pH balanced and made specifically for hardwood, so they can lift the dirt off of it and will not damage the floor if you use them as directed.

For the most part, you will be able to use vinegar and if you follow our instructions below, the number of times you will have to actually wash the hardwood floor will be considerably minimized. If at all possible, it’s best to avoid putting water on the floor in the first place but if it is needed, vinegar diluted in water may be an option to consider.

The routine maintenance of your hardwood floor is the most important aspect of keeping it clean. If you maintain it properly with a dry mop and vacuum, the amount of wet mopping you will have to do is going to be lowered.

First of all, a daily dry mop is going to be beneficial in many different ways. Not only will it lift much of the dirt off the floor and keep it from staying in place, it will also help to save the finish by keeping the small scratches from occurring.

Make sure that you have a high-quality dust mop and wash it on a regular basis to ensure that it is also clean. After all, you wouldn’t want to use a dirty dust mop that could scratch the floor in the process of cleaning it.

Every week, you should vacuum the hardwood floor and make sure that you get underneath all of the furniture. A dust mop will do a good job on a daily basis but the weekly vacuum will help to lift some of the particles that may get stuck in small cracks and grooves in the floor.

When it is necessary to wash your hardwood floor, you should do so with a mop that has been wrung out almost dry. Never use a wet mop and allow standing water in vinegar to be on the floor for any length of time.

Not only will water damage the hardwood floor, the vinegar can also etch the floor so it is just a bad idea, altogether. By all means, use the diluted vinegar to wash the floor but make sure the mop is as dry as possible by wringing it out thoroughly.

That should help you keep your hardwood floor nice looking. You may still need to refinish the floor on a rare occasion, but that will also be limited by routine maintenance.

Let’s take a look at some of the different types of vinegar and see what is best for use on your hardwood floor.

Can You Use White Vinegar To Clean Hardwood Floors?

Hand wiping hardwood floor with cloth

If you take a look in your kitchen cupboard, you will probably see a bottle of white vinegar. Is that the right choice for cleaning your hardwood floors?

White vinegar is an optimal choice for cleaning hardwood floors because it has the right level of acidity. It is also less expensive, so you can clean hardwood floors for many months and it will only spend pennies every time you do so.

White vinegar is made from grain alcohol that is similar to vodka. When it is exposed to the open air, bacteria will grow inside of it and it will turn into a type of vinegar.

This is part of the distillation process and it is the same principle that causes wine to turn to vinegar if it is not kept properly during the time it is fermenting. When white vinegar is made, it is relatively high in acidity, which makes it an excellent cleanser.

White vinegar should be diluted before you put it on a hardwood floor. If you were to use it on hardwood straight, it would eventually etch the floor and can ruin the finish.

By diluting white vinegar at 1/2 cup of vinegar per gallon of lukewarm water, you will have an effective means of cleaning the floor that will wipe away dirt, lift oil, and remove much of the grime that has built up on the floor since the last time you cleaned it.

Can You Use Baking Soda And Vinegar To Clean Hardwood Floors?

Glass bowl of baking soda

If you feel the need to take your floor cleaning to the next level, you might consider using baking soda with vinegar. Is this a good idea or will it ruin your hardwood floor?

Combining baking soda and vinegar is an excellent way to wash the hardwood floor and eliminate much of the damage that could occur as a result of the acidity in the vinegar. Baking soda will neutralize the pH, making it a very effective cleanser that can be used without having to worry about the damage that will be left behind.

That doesn’t mean, however, that you can simply use it without any concern. You need to be careful about the way that it is mixed as well as the way it is applied.

Generally speaking, you will use 1/2 cup of water, the same amount of a liquid detergent, such as Dawn, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 2 cups of baking soda.

When you mix baking soda and vinegar, there will be a slight reaction that occurs. You can see this if you mix those two ingredients together first and the baking soda will begin to foam.

Don’t worry about the foaming action, it just means that the combination is working and preparing itself for maximum cleaning power. Mixing it in with water and adding some detergent helps to add to the cleaning ability.

Although you are reducing the acidity of the vinegar when adding baking soda, you still need to be careful about not applying too much moisture to the hardwood floor. Use it sparingly but use enough so that it will wash away dirt and lift oil from the floor.

Can You Use Apple Cider Vinegar To Clean Hardwood Floors?

Glass jar of apple cider vinegar and a pile of apples

Apple cider vinegar is a very popular product. Many people use it for health reasons but can you use it for cleaning your hardwood floor?

You can use apple cider vinegar to clean a hardwood floor and it will do a good job at neutralizing the dirt and grime that is on the surface. Some people also appreciate the smell that is left behind after using apple cider vinegar, as it is more pleasant than white vinegar.

Although it is certainly possible to use apple cider vinegar, there are some considerations before you do so.

1. Cost – When you compare the cost of apple cider vinegar with white vinegar, you will see that apple cider vinegar is much more expensive. If it is your personal choice to use it, that is fine but you will spend more on the cleaning process.

2. Acidity – Apple cider vinegar is made from the fermentation of apples, so it is not going to have the same acidity level as white vinegar. You may find that you are using slightly more apple cider vinegar in the solution to have the same effect.

3. Color – Although it is not going to make a difference in the cleanliness of the floor, you will find that the water is slightly brown when you first start, compared to clear when you use white vinegar.

Can You Use Oil And Vinegar To Clean Hardwood Floors?

Cooking oil being poured out

Would you like to shine your hardwood floors while cleaning them? Many people wonder if they can use oil to do so.

A combination of oil and vinegar can be used to clean hardwood floors and leave behind a nice shine. It’s a natural solution that is less expensive than many commercial products that achieve the same purpose.

You may also want to use some essential oil, which won’t necessarily shine the floor but will leave behind a fantastic scent rather than the strong smell of vinegar.

Most people prefer a citrus smell, such as orange or lemon essential oil. Putting a few drops in a bucket along with 1/2 cup of white vinegar and a gallon of water will work wonders when you want a room that smells like you just cleaned it.

If you are using oil to shine the floor, you will need to use some type of cooking oil. This is where people tend to differ, but almost any type of cooking oil is going to achieve the same purpose.

Some of the more popular options include olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and avocado oil. For the most part, however, you can use almost any type of cooking oil you have in your cupboard.

As far as the mixture is concerned, use the typical 1/2 cup of white vinegar in a gallon of lukewarm water and then add 1/4 cup of the oil of your choice. Your floors will look great.

How To Clean Hardwood Floors With Vinegar?

A man and a woman confused

Do you want to clean your hardwood floors with vinegar? There is a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it.

This content is owned by Wabi Sabi Group and was first published on Apr 28, 2022..

The best way to clean your hardwood floors with vinegar is to dilute the vinegar in plenty of water. Generally speaking, you would use 1/2 cup vinegar with 1 gallon of lukewarm water. This will cut the acidity of the vinegar to an acceptable level.

Even with the acidity knocked down considerably, vinegar will still be an effective cleanser. It will lift away much of the dirt, oil, and grime that was left since the last time you cleaned it.

The one thing you do not want to do is clean the hardwood floor with straight vinegar. You may get away with it once or twice for a heavy-duty stain, but it will eventually wear away the surface and damage the floor.

It’s always better to dilute vinegar in water.

How To Clean Hardwood Floors With Vinegar With Water?

A female pointing fingers up

When you are ready to clean your hardwood floors with vinegar and water, it’s important to do so properly. Follow these steps to make sure you are doing it in the right way.

1. Dry mop – One of the most important steps in mopping your floor is to dry mop it. This should be done first to take away much of the dirt and debris that may have built up on the floor since the last time you swept it. You can also vacuum the floor.

2. Mix – Take 1/2 cup of the vinegar of your choice (white vinegar preferred) and mix it into 1 gallon of lukewarm water. You can add a few drops of essential oil to make the room smell nice.

3. Prepare mop – Don’t simply mop the floor as wet as you can. It’s important to wring out the mop thoroughly so that it is almost dry. Leave just enough moisture so that it will wash away the dirt and grime.

4. Dry – Drying the floor as quickly as possible is important. You can allow it to air dry if it is just lightly damp but it may also benefit from turning on a ceiling fan or perhaps running a portable fan to dry the floor quickly.

How To Clean Hardwood Floors With Vinegar With Oil (Olive/Vegetable)?

A female pointing one finger up

If you are ready to clean your hardwood floors and you want to do so with vinegar and oil, follow these steps.

Many homeowners add olive or vegetable oil to the cleaning solution so the floor shines. It’s a great way to put a natural sign on the hardwood floor that is less expensive than using a commercial product. Here’s how to do it.

1. Dry mop – Run a dry mop over the floor to remove as much dirt and debris as possible.

2. Mix – Combine 1/2 cup of vinegar in a gallon of lukewarm water and add 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil. You can add a few drops of essential oil as well.

3. Mop – Thoroughly wring out the mop so that it is almost dry. You want just enough water on the mop so that it will remove dirt but not so much that it will leave standing water on the floor.

4. Dry – Turn on the ceiling fan or use a portable fan to dry the floor quickly.

This article was first published on Apr 28, 2022 by Wabi Sabi Group..

How To Clean Hardwood Floors With Vinegar With Baking Soda?

A female pointing one finger up

The combination of vinegar and baking soda is an excellent cleaning solution. Both are effective cleansers but the baking soda cuts the pH of the vinegar.

Use the following steps when you want to clean your hardwood floor with vinegar and baking soda. This is best for smaller areas and stains but it can be used for larger areas as well.

1. Mop – Run a dry mop over the floor or use a vacuum. Make sure you get into out-of-the-way areas, such as under the furniture.

2. Mix – make a solution in 1 gallon of lukewarm water that includes 1/2 cup of vinegar, 2 cups of baking soda, and 1/4 cup of Dawn detergent.

3. Wet Mop – Make sure that you wring out the mop as thoroughly as possible so you don’t leave any standing water on the floor. Mop the area that needs cleaned and then dry it using a fan, such as the ceiling fan.

Vinegar is an excellent choice for cleaning hardwood floors. It’s budget friendly, environmentally friendly, and does an excellent job at washing away dirt and grime. When used monthly, it helps to keep the floor in tip-top shape.

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WabiSabi Group is the owner of this article and was published on Apr 28, 2022 and last modified on .

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