Your hardwood floors are easily susceptible to dents, scratches, warping, peeling, stripping, and even water damage that many cleaning products can cause. Harsh chemicals and even fragrances have the power to wear down the finish of your wood floor's natural shine and value.
When choosing a cleaning method for your hardwood floors be sure to avoid:
Vinegar and Ammonia: Cleaning products that have a base of vinegar or ammonia eat away at the dirt on your floor - and also the floor's finish itself. Overtime, the acid will wear down your hardwood, leaving you with splotchy patches that are difficult to revive. You really want to look for a pH neutral cleaner like our Zr Clean™!
Oil Soap: Cleaners with an oil component are great at making your floor appear shiny, but they often just trap dust and dirt on top of the varnish, leaving your flooring to fade overtime. This residue can actually re-attract soil and cause dulling and even permanent damage over time.
Excess Water: It may seem like a good idea to grab a mop and go to town on your hardwood floors with a bucket of water, but if you use too much water, the liquid can start to absorb into the wood, causing it to swell, and potentially crack at the seams. This creates a devastating mess that can very difficult to repair and may even need to be replaced. Just a few spritzes of liquid and a dry mop should be enough.
However, just because some products harm hardwood does not mean that you should skip cleaning your floors altogether. Instead of using those certain cleaning products that can damage your flooring, have a professional like Zerorez tend to your floors, or if you want to do it yourself in the interim, try using Zr Clean™ on a soft cloth or dry mop instead. This will keep your floors sparkling, and living up to their beautiful potential.