Household Staples That Will Have Your Hardwood Floors Shining

For all their beauty and durability, hardwood floors become dull over time. Between dirt, grease, and scuff marks, wooden surfaces go through a lot. Even regular sweeping and vacuuming aren't enough to keep their glossy allure. If you don't like to use chemicals on your hardwood floors, you can replace commercial cleaning products with some ingredients from around your house. Some of these household staples are easy to apply on their own to clean and polish the floor, while others need to be mixed with other ingredients. Meanwhile, materials like baking soda should only be used in specific situations, such as when removing pet urine stains.

It's not always easy to keep your wood flooring looking like new. Before you apply your homemade solution, remove all the furniture and rugs, and sweep and vacuum the area. With a sponge or a microfiber cloth, apply the DIY polishing mixture starting from a corner of the room and work towards the door. Water can damage unsealed wooden floors and it leaves water stains on finished hardwood. So always watch out for damp spots and allow the floor to fully dry before bringing the furniture back. Read on to learn materials you can use on hardwood floors and how to apply them.

Beeswax is another natural ingredient you can use to give your hardwood floor a good polish and make it smooth and scented. It also acts as a protective finish that prevents scratches and water damage. To prepare this wax polish, put 6 tablespoons of beeswax and 3 cups of walnut oil in a container and place it on top of boiling water to melt. You can replace the walnut oil with any plant-based oil you have at home. Stir well to mix the melting wax evenly into the oil, then put it aside for at least 10 minutes to set. To apply the polish, dip a clean cloth in the wax and rub it into the wood in a back-and-forth motion to avoid swirl marks. Allow it to dry, then buff it with another clean cloth.

Beeswax polish not only gives the wooden flooring a shine, but it also nourishes the hardwood. The ingredients are eco-friendly and biodegradable. They also pose no health risks to your household. That said, this polish should only be used on closed-grain hardwood floors such as cherry, pine, or hickory. Don't apply it on open-grained woods such as oak since the wax fills up the grain and turns white. Also, keep in mind that this polish isn't very durable, so you would have to reapply it regularly.

Lemon juice is another ingredient to consider if your hardwood flooring is stained. But since the acidic juice can be too harsh for many wooden floors, you'll need the healing powers of olive oil to make this solution work. Together, the oil and the juice not only clean the floor but also make the hardwood shine. In a bucket full of 1 gallon of warm water, add a half cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and a three-quarter cup of olive oil. Stir well, then use a sponge mop to apply the cleaning mixture. To avoid getting the floor wet, wring the mop before using it on the wood surface. Work from one side of the room to the other, then switch to an up-and-down direction to cover every inch of the flooring.

Lemon juice contains citric acid, which is used in many cleaning products. Adding the olive oil protects the hardwood against any damage the citric acid might cause. Always make sure that the floor is not damp or that you have pools of moisture in some areas. Before you air-dry the clean flooring, use a dry duster to remove any lemon juice residue or excess oil.

Between dust, stains, and feet and paws padding around, hardwood floors lose their sheen quickly. Luckily, vegetable oil can nourish and restore the natural luster of the flooring. To give the recipe more oomph, add vinegar and essential oils to cleanse and deodorize the floor as well. You'll need 1 cup of vegetable oil, 1 cup of vinegar, and a few drops of essential oil. Fill a spray bottle with the ingredients and shake it well. Using a mop or a microfiber cloth, spray the mixture on the floor as you clean it. Work on the floor in small sections in the same direction as the wood grain until you're done. Since oil and vinegar don't mix well, you'll need to give the bottle a few shakes every time you spritz the floor. After cleaning the floor, use another cloth to buff the hardwood.

Besides its triple effect on the wood, there's another advantage to this recipe. It doesn't use water which spares your hardwood flooring the damage excess moisture can cause. On the other hand, you're using undiluted vinegar on the finished floor which could damage the finish of the hardwood. To preserve the integrity of the wood and reduce this risk, always mix equal amounts of vegetable oil and vinegar.

Plant-based liquid soaps, such as castile soap, are another option to clean hardwood floors. They're usually gentle on the flooring, don't leave residue, and won't damage the floor finish. To prepare the cleaning solution, fill a spray bottle with 1 teaspoon of unscented castile soap and 4 cups of warm water. If you want to give the floor a nice odor, add 10 drops of essential oil. Shake well, then spray it lightly on the floor. With a clean microfiber cloth work on the hardwood to remove any stains or odors. Every five minutes or so, stop cleaning and dry the treated parts of the floor with a clean cloth. Finally, rinse the floor with warm water using a mop.

Plant-based liquid soaps contain plant oils such as olive, hemp, or castor oil. These oils moisturize the hardwood and enrich the finish. Potassium hydroxide is the cleaning agent in the soap, and it helps soften stains on the wood. Always test the soapy water on a part of the floor to make sure it won't damage the wood. If the spray takes 30 minutes or more to dry, then it's too concentrated. Adding more water to the spray bottle should dilute the solution.

When you eat an orange, don't throw away the peel. You can make an efficient cleaning solution for your hardwood flooring with the rinds. Unlike other homemade wood cleaners, this one takes time to prepare. After peeling the orange, cut the peel into small pieces. In a glass jar, add the rinds, three drops of orange essential oil, and 1 cup of any vegetable oil you have at home. Pushing the rinds to the bottom and making sure they're well covered with the oil, place the lid on the jar. Keep it aside for a few days for the oils in the orange peel to release in the mixture. To use the liquid, apply a few drops to a clean cloth and buff the floor.

Orange peel contains volatile oils, including ethyl acetate, octanal, acetaldehyde, and ethanol, among others. These chemicals break down grime and grease stains on the wood and make it easy to clean the floor. Adding vegetable oil to the recipe gives the hardwood a good shine as well. If you don't have vegetable oil at hand, boil one orange rind in 1 cup of water. After it cools down, fill a spray bottle with the liquid and use it to clean the wooden floor.

Black tea is that kitchen staple that will perfectly clean your hardwood floors. And it's as easy as making a cup of tea. Fill a bucket with a gallon of warm water and drop three black tea bags in it. To protect the hardwood finish and give the solution polishing qualities, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Let the tea bags steep for 10 minutes before taking them out and disposing of them. Apply the solution to the wooden floor using a mop or cloth dampened into the liquid. Finally, wipe off any excess liquid on the wood and air dry it.

Although acidic, black tea is gentler on the wood than vinegar. It also contains astringent chemicals such as theaflavin, thearubigins, and caffeine, which dissolve oil stains and give the wooden floor a thorough cleaning. Moreover, theaflavin is antibacterial, so applying this brew will rid the floor of bacteria and pathogens. However, you shouldn't use this black tea solution on laminate wood floors. And since tea naturally stains, avoid applying it to light wood finishes. Don't spray the tea brew or let it sit on the floor since that would strip the wood finish and damage the sealant.