I vacuum or swifter almost every day (lots of dust shows up on dark hardwoods) and use Bona twice a month with a mop dedicated just for the hardwood floors. That way, I know that other cleaners that I use for mopping bathroom tiles, don't get on the wood.

I recently had installed 3/4" maple hardwood floors, but they have an acrylic (?) finish that Lumber Liquidators says lasts 100 years ! Unfortunately, I'm stuck with them and wish I had just installed a natural finish. That being said, I don't consider that I'm cleaning a 'wood' surface. So, my go to cleaner is my all-time cleaner of Glass-Plus. (no ammonia). I use a wet Swiffer pad, and spray the floor generously with the glass-plus.

First though, I also use my new pet friendly IRoomba since we have along haired kitty and cat litter :)

So far. so good.

I have tried many of the wood floor cleaners and have never been happy with any of them, having had wood flooring in my last 3 houses. I read in HOUZZ a short time ago about vinegar & water and I use a slightly damp string mop and have a fine mister bottle with vinegar and my floors look fabulous. I use this on my tile floors as well. And I also have lots of glass table tops which I use - you guessed it - vinegar and a microfibre cloth. As a matter of fact - this house is for sale, and everyone that comes in comments on how beautiful the floors look! So sorry to all the manufacturers of floor cleaners - I have not parted with any money to them as of late!

What would you use on a laminate floor, the same?

What are some of the cautions?

I would use vinegar and water on laminate with a string mop. Mop it often, as IME, laminate can get dingy fast.

I vacumn then swiffer (to get all animal hair up) then I use windex and vinegar mixed in the water and a string mop to clean. Will steam floors too once in a while.

I'm disappointed in Bona. It streaks on my wood floors. I use the Bona pads too. What am I doing wrong?

I have dark engineered hardwoods-- and use a Rumba to vacumn at least every other day. ( husband prone to spills and 3 white fur-babies). This leaves me the energy to mop high traffic areas with Bona weekly. You have to really dry it to prevent streaking-- some muscle power needed!

I have about 3000/sf of 3/4" cherrywood, nailed in place in 2007. My wood guy (old-school craftsman) told me not to use any of the cleaning products on the market and to simply use hot water ... so I listened to him and use a wood floor mop from Home Depot (about 15" X 6") and buy the cloth refills when needed. I run a dry mop around daily on those areas where dust tends to settle (not allot but it's dark wood), I vacuum once a week and then give things a double wash with the large wood floor mop every other week or so ... depends on house traffic and weather. We have ceiling fans in every room and I put the fans on high to dry them quickly. I have rugs inside every door and we take our shoes off inside the house ("that" took some retraining) and even the dog gets her feet cleaned when she comes in the house. This has worked well and the floors still look beautiful.

Hola todos,me gustan los pisos de madera, pero no los plastifico, los mantengo a la vieja usanza. 1_limpio con trapo mojado en agua caliente y disán previo pasado de aspiradora 2_paso franela con abundante cera incolora. 3_paso franela o enceradora listo

have been reading all of this hoping that someone else would have experienced my problem. When I use ANY cleaner (including Bona) and try to spread it, my mop seems to really drag and stick. It's done this since day 1 when we moved in. Therefore I soon pitched the Bona, and changed to Pledge for hardwood. Now I also find that when the grandkids remove their shoes coming in, and walk across the floor in sweaty feet it leaves dull foot prints. What can I do to get back to square one? Please help.

I have laminate floors and I have the same problem as martae. No matter what I use, the floors streak and show foot prints. Very frustrating.

I use vinegar, alcohol, a couple drops of mint are lemon extract, little hot water and a drop of dish soap.....Floors are super shinny and I know the vinegar is strong at first but it does go away. I just use this instead of chemicals because I have a little one crawling on the floor. the same thing minus the soap is awesome at cleaning glass too.

I used hot water and mop with microfiber mop every alternate day, i use Cobra No wax polish on my floors. It is true that Vinegar does dull your wooden floors after a period- the trick with vinegar is not to use very often- once every 6 months is good. Alcohol not matter how much you use is bad. I have my nieces and nephew- tots, who crawl and they are very sensitive- i veer clear of this. I am not sure what Bona is- from the comments- it sounds awesome. I have been in my house with wooden floors for 40 years- but my house is 150 years old. I was told not to ever use Vinegar or alcohol. If you have polish build up- use bicarb and soda and steel wool to remove or the expensive way- sand it down and have a light layer of polish put over it to keep the texture in. Hope this helps

We just had our filthy 30-year old carpeting removed from our condo. Although we cleaned it professionally twice, old stains would reappear in a few days, and it was frustrating. Now we have refinished hardwood floors (highest quality white oak) on the main floor and 2 adjoining staircases. Wow! The house feels clean, and climbing the bare staircases has helped exercise my leg muscles. I highly recommend it.

My husband is stubborn and simply will not remove his shoes when he enters, so I have a thick rug in place downstairs for him to wipe his feet when he comes in. I vacuum this carpeted area frequently (as well as vacuuming our carpeted third floor) so dirt doesn't get dragged onto the hardwood.

I never vacuum the hardwood as dragging it across the floor may scratch the virgin floor, and I don't want to risk it. Also, why use a heavy vacuum and waste electricity? I use Swiffer once a week, getting under furniture so easily. But I never place a very wet pad on the floor. I'll damp mop a part of the kitchen tile floor until the pad is just moist. Then I'll use it on the hardwood. I use 2 pads, both sides of the pads, and I'm thrilled with the floors.

I've tried Murphy's and it seems to leave a film too. Once the dull footprints started showing up from sweaty little socks I concluded that I had a waxy oily buildup and the dampness off the socks caused the dull footprints. I'm trying just clear hot water applied with a spray bottle from the dollar store and it seems to have helped a little. I'm hoping over time, that oily buildup will wear off and I won't use anything but water (dampened cloth) on it afterwards. I can't imagine getting on all fours with steel wool and stripper-the area is too big. Call me lazy, I guess.

I have this dull, oily print problem from hands on our wood doors...

Mine have a shine finish to them and I tried everything but all products left a residue, I actually use a steam mop. The hot steam and the micro fiber pad, do the trick very quickly!

Steam will ruin your floors and void any wood flooring warranty. Oil soap or orange anything are only slightly behind steam in their ruinous nature. Vinegar isn't recommended either.

Dust mop, and then a microfiber cloth slightly dampened is all you need. Spot clean with microfiber, detergent and water. But not wet. Just damp.

Be careful to follow manufacturer's recommendations to protect your floors and keep your warranty in place.

DO: sweep, dust or vacuum frequently (use a hard floor setting or attachment for your vacuum - no beater bar) and clean as needed with a product specifically formulated for hardwood flooring (major flooring manufacturers like Shaw have their own, Bona is also recommended).

DON'T: wet mop, steam clean, or use vinegar, oil soap, wax, citrus or tung oil, silicon, or clean+polish products that have acrylic or urethane. Excess moisture can damage wood floors and most of these products will void your warranty.

Most manufacturers recommend spraying a fine mist of hardwood floor cleaner and wiping with a clean microfiber cloth - it picks up more moisture than a traditional mop.

As said above it's best to use the proper hardwood cleaner only and never steam or use soaps or vinegar. Bona is best for urethane lacquered floors but if your floor is an oiled finish, especially hard wax oil, you must use the correct product made for oiled finishes. Bona may dry it out and the oil cleaners generally have some wax solids that help to moisturize the floor. Not following proper cleaning can void finish warranty and over time you may notice the sheen changing or the finish wearing.

Sometimes if the wrong product has already been used, the finish may be damaged and cannot be fixed without re finishing.

There are many factors to consider, first of all are your floors waxed or poly? Always consult the person who did your floors first rather than asking a bunch of strangers. When in doubt have a well respected flooring installation company come out and look at your floors.

Evilfij, why do you hate poly? I'm curious because I think that's what I have. I have used the Bona, but I can't believe how much resistance the finish puts up when I am trying to push that mop. I can hardly move the mop along the floor it has so much resistance. I don't understand how this Bona can be so popular. Does anyone else experience this resistance? Is this poly finish the urethane lacquer???

Bona is not useful for every floor. Plenty of people have complained about the results they get with Bona. It is great with bona finish...anything else is suspect. Martae, contact the maker of your floor/finish to find out what you should be using. Almost everyone produces a cleaner that works with their products.

@Amanda...I just had to tell a client she has voided her warranty on both her hardwood and her cork floor (different maker than me, but same finish) because of Murphy's oil. She may never be able to refinish her hardwood nor her cork because of Murhpy's Oil Soap.

Please check with the flooring people whom you purchased from to ensure you are allowed to use Murphy's with your hardwood. It is probably too late if it is not allowed. But better late than never.

Here's a good article on the subject.

http://woodfloordoctor.com/_product_reviews/articles/cleaning_with_murphys_oil_soap.shtml

RE: mariannex

Good article here - & advice to NEVER use Murphy's oil soap - just fyi...

http://laurelberninteriors.com/2015/07/12/all-about-hardwood-flooring-the-common-cleaner-thatll-ruin-them/