Cleaning Floors: The Good, Bad, and UGLY

Have you ever scratched your head while looking at your floors and though: What is the best way to clean this mess? What will happen if I use this cleaning product on my floor?

We get these questions on a daily basis, and the answer may be easier than you think! First, let's break down the cleaning method by the types of floors that you may have: Vinyl plank (LVP, SPC, WPC, etc.), Laminate flooring, hardwood flooring (urethane, or oiled). Depending on which floor type you have, there are different recommendations. However, one thing is true for all the floor types that we sell: NEVER, EVER, USE A STEAM MOP. And we mean NEVER! If you read through our warranty guide and probably 99% of warranties for floors, you will find out that a steam mop has enough heat and water to do serious damage to a floor! This damage is irreparable, and will void your warranty. So, whatever you do, no steam mop!

So let's get into it.

How do you clean vinyl plank/ SPC/ LVP floors?

1. Make sure to first sweep and/or use a product that is not abrasive to the floor to collect large debris such as rocks, wood chips, or metal, so that these items do not scratch your floors. 
2. If you have the time and energy, you can vacuum using a non-abrasive type vacuum. Most vacuums will do a great job.
3. If there is a lot of build-up of dirt on your floors, you can use a lightly damp mop (minimal water or well-wrung). The most important part of this step is you will want to make sure you don't scratch the floor, so vacuum and sweep before! Also, less water is better, since it will dry faster and you won't run the risk of water damage to other items such as baseboards. You do not want to drench your floors in water! The LVP will be fine, but other things may not, especially if the water seeps through to the subfloor.
4. Ta-da! You are done! If you have any built up messes, you can try a melamine foam sponge for removing scuffs and darker spots. Light pressure is best.

How do you clean laminate floors?

This one is fairly similar to cleaning vinyl plank floors, except even less water is better!

Again, you will want to sweep and vacuum your floors often to remove any debris that could scratch or dent the laminate. If you plan to mop, use very minimal water and wring out your mop very well! Laminate is a natural wood product, and it does have water proofing built in, but excess water that seeps into any cracks or gaps could cause it to swell, which we do not want, and would void the warranty.

How do you clean hardwood floors?

This one depends on the type of hardwood that you have. If it is urethane prefinished, such as our Wildwood Antique, Wildwood Nature, Wildwood Urban, etc., then you can start by sweeping and vacuuming. Make sure to clean up all spills instantly! Time is of the essence, since if you spill oil on this type of floor and it sits, the wood will naturally soak it up and it will penetrate the grain, making it impossible to remove later. If you do spill oil, take a lightly damp rag with some dish soap and wipe it away, makign sure to dry off the spot with a separate dry rag. If you like, you can also soak up the oil with some baking soda and vacuum it up. Do not let oil sit on the wood. It is also good practice to have an extra layer of protection on flooring that may be high traffic, such as in kitchens and entryways. Place water/spill proof rugs in these areas to catch the debris and spills. In the wintertime, water from boots or salt can easily damage the floors, so clean these spots right away!

For a floor that is oil finished, you can use a product to clean and refresh it such as our Olio Pro Natural Soap (alternative to other more expensive soaps, with better cleaning power and the same ingredients). This oil based soap will rejuvenate your oil-finished floors instantly and has a mild detergent with a pleasant scent to keep your floors looking refreshed. You must follow the same steps as above with pre-finished hardwood.

What should I use to clean hardwood floors?

• Natural oiled floors should use an oil-based soap such as Olio Pro Natural Soap (alternative to Woca natural soap).

What should I use to clean lvp flooring? What should I use to clean laminate flooring?

-Any all-purpose cleaner will do, but neutral cleaners are better.

And finally, if there is one thing that you never do, it's to clean your flooring with a steam mop. These mops may be better suited for ceramic tile cleaning or outdoors. The heat from these mops is high enough to seriously damage floors by opening the wood grain and exposing it to high heat and temperature, which will cause your floors to quickly swell, absorb water (bad!) and will damage the finish of your floors, leading to very expensive repairs that are not covered by the floor warranty.