I am a big fan of steaming. Steam mops - which I have not used - seem to have a limited life span based on threads on the Cleaning Forum, and they don't get the water as hot as the better canister models. But a good canister type with a stainless steel boiler will cost several hundred dollars. I have an old Vapor Clean steamer. It is probably 15 years old. There is a lot of good info here: Vapor Clean

When we first moved into our house, I used a damp mop several times on hardwood floors. I think several boards warped a teensy bit as result. Now I use a spray cleaner and a cloth swiffer type thing.

I also use a Bona mop, the dispenser is attached to the device, refill it when needed. Or you could buy just the small mop device and use the spray bottle which would be a separate purchase. My entire first floor is hardwood except laundry room and master bath.

Bona. That’s what I use.

I hear such conflicting things about hardwood but I can say that for tile, the steam mop ( I have Shark Steam Mop- the version that is about $50 or so) is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not only does it clean but the floor dries so quickly . When I used to use a sponge mop or any other kind, the problem was I could not stop the dog and or DH from somehow stepping on the damp floor . This is dry in way under a minute. I get extra mop heads on amazon because truth be told, I do wash them but they sure don't stay white.

I can't see a brand name on my mop, but it is the type that has a microfiber bonnet. I have six bonnets. My flooring guy said that vinegar will dull the polyurethane finish on my wood floors, so I mix 90% alcohol into the water at about a 30/70 ratio instead. It disinfects and dries quickly. I soak all five bonnets in the solution, then wring them out as much as possible because I want the least amount of moisture on my floors as possible. I have a bucket with two sections. Clean bonnets go in one side, dirty bonnets in the other side. I can clean all of the wood floors and stone floors, then dump the dirty bonnets into the wash.

This is probably more information than you need...lol.

ETA: If someone reading this has weak hand strength, a tip is to wring out your mopping cloths by using the spin only cycle on your washing machine.

Another Bona user here. I vacuum and mop the floor twice a week. One time I do a thoroughly good job, the second time I just do a so-so job to keep things from getting out of hand. I look forward to having my cleaning ladies take care of the once a week thorough cleaning again.

I bought this one and I really like it. It wrings out almost dry.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D8VWS70/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

ETA: It was recommended on another thread last year.

We have hard wood everywhere but bathrooms. I use the Bona mop but not the Bona cleaner. I either use a very diluted vinegar and water in a spray bottle (spray an area, mop, back up, repeat) or a very diluted Mrs Meyers general cleaner in the same way. I LOVE the Lemon Verbena and I am not a scent person at all, preferring no scent in most things. But this to me (in a dilute form) smells fresh, is light enough (and also dissipates in a couple of hours) and just makes my house smell clean. I also use it on a microfiber cloth for dusting - spray cloth till damp then dust.

We have all wood throughout both our houses and we use this product. So easy peasy to use and the outcome is great. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Bona-Single-Nozzle-34-fl-oz-Spray-Mop/1000375811

Another Bona fan here. We installed Mirage maple floors in one home and Mirage white oak in the other. Both installers recommended Bona products. I use the Bona mop with the microfiber dusting pad for regular dusting and once a week or when needed I use the microfiber cleaning pad with the spray Bona cleaner. My cleaning person uses them when she comes.

I bought Oreck steamers for my tile floors in both houses and I really like it. I've had it for 5 years and it works well. It heats quickly, has a decent sized chamber, a long cord and has never leaked even when I lift the head up. You can use the cloth bonnets that come with the steamer but I like using regular microfiber cloths. If you have hard water you'll need distilled water. It does a great job on the tile floors and they dry quickly without streaks. Some ads state that a steamer disinfects and sanitizes the surface - steam can kill 99% of germs but it has to be hot enough and you have it leave it on the surface for 3 minutes - not exactly the way I mop.

My niece bought a Bissell Steam Mop (believe this is the one), loved it, so my sister bought one. Loves it and uses it on her Australian Cypress hardwood floors. I have hardwoods throughout, except kitchen/baths and sealed mine when we first moved in. I've used both Method and Bona for hardwoods. With area rugs, only exposed areas get foot traffic. We have very hard water so to use a steam mop requires me to get distilled water which is not convenient.

We have a Haan steam cleaner and have had it many years. It was recommended on GW(maybe by Badgergal) I am very satisfied with it. It is lightweight easy to maneuver and has a nice long cord. I bought a stack of extra microfiber cleaning pads and they all go into the washer.

I have the Shark steam mop (It's several years old) which has 3 different heads, large rectangle, smaller rectangle, and small triangle. I love it. The triangle head does get behind the toilets and into small spaces. My only complaint with it: I haven't been able to find replacement microfiber covers, so I only use it only in bathrooms. I have many covers for the medium head, lots of tile, and use it often, sometimes carrying a bottle of spray cleaner to spray on the floor as an added boost to the steam. It gets quite hot!

I have infrequently used the largest head, with the smallest amount of steam (3 settings) on my wood floors. It doesn't get very wet.

I'm cleaning my own place too, and although I do like the satisfaction of getting everything fresh and sparkling I sure don't like the 4-5 hours it takes me to do it. Plus the fact that in the same time frame as my housecleaner I STILL am not getting everything done that she accomplishes!

I"m not sure about using this on hardwood since we have tile floors but I'm obsessed with my Cuban mop. I hadn't ever used ours so it's been a revelation. Once I figured how to fold the attachment piece (down here along with the stick you buy this fabric rectangle with a precut and trimmed out hole in the middle) it's actually been lots of fun to use. So easy to maneuver, gets everything clean and the low tech dip in/out of the cleaning solution bucket is fast and simple too. Love it.

Although honesty compels me to add I don't love it enough that I will have any qualms when I pass it back to my wonderful cleaning person once life gets back to normal!

My favorite for hardwoods is my Bona mop that has a refillable chamber for the Bona hardwood cleaner. I use it about every two weeks on the areas we use the most (kitchen, hallways, bedroom). I also use a Swiffer for under the sofa and our bed, as we don’t have carpet or rugs under those or under most chairs.

I love ths steam mop for the tile. I feel like it gets up all the gunk. The one I have is a Shark and I use distilled water in it.

I was told I shouldn’t use vinegar on hardwoods as it strips the finish. Maybe you have some other finish on yours.

I wash our high traffic hardwood areas about once a week or as needed (this includes kitchen). The other areas are done about once every few months or whenever I can tell they need it (I vacuum/dust them regularly).

I use a bit of vinegar and warm water, and wash them the old-fashioned way--with a few rags, on my hands and knees. Getting up and down to rinse the rags, using my arms across the floors... it's a great workout, and I feel like they get cleaner this way. It's not for everyone, but it's what I do.

Our bathrooms and laundry closet have tile floors; the main level is hardwood. Much of the basement is in some kind of vinyl plank that I hate, but it's a basement.

I have a large, wonderful McCulloch steamer that I've never used in this house. We remodelled the bathrooms, so regular maintenance keeps the tile just fine. It would be different if I had a large family and it was great when I was working with old tile and grout. I consider my steamer a must for detailing the interior of my vehicle.

I use a large flat-head mop with a barely damp microfiber cover weekly after vacuuming the wood floors. It's mainly to dust. I don't use a mop for actual cleaning. I do it the old-fashioned way with a cloth and my hands. That way I can get into corners and my head is close enough to see any place that needs extra attention. Against all recommendations to the contrary, if the wood floor is dirty, I use soap and water on the area. Not sopping wet, of course, and I rinse, rinse, rinse to be sure there is no residue, then buff them dry.

I'm older than dirt and hand mopping keeps me flexible.

I've used most all the recommended products above but once I tried the Norwex system, there was no going back. The dust (yellow) pad picks up every bit of dust and leaves the floor so clean that I often don't need to follow with the wet pad. But, when I do use the wet pad, my floors are left squeaky clean. A friend of mine only uses Bona and when she tried the Norwex, she discovered the cleaner build up had to be removed for optimal results (I never used the Bona cleaner because I feared build-up but did use the pad). There is also a tile floor pad available which is used for our kitchen. I purchased my products through a friend who passes on her discount to her customers but my cleaning lady is also a rep which is great because our house isn't left with lingering cleaning product odors as with former cleaning people.

https://shopus.norwex.biz/en_US/customer/shop/product-detail/545405?categoryName=Floor

Our hardwood floors are not finished with poly, but with an oil and varnish mix. Not sure, but thought this was similar to the finish on Carlisle floors. Love this product, and the almond smell is lovely. I thin it with a little water, just because I’m cheap :) but full strength on the wood island . As I recall, my childhood home was was all wood floors that were only rarely cleaned with water, and waxed now and then. I’m beginning to think any wet cleaning needs doing only once a month. No help on mops, I’m looking, too.

Thanks so much, all of you, for all of your input. it really helped !!!

My Carlisle floors do not have any poly on them, which is probably why they say use water with vinegar only. Good to learn that the issue with steam mops on most hardwood is not just water but heat.

Anyway, the Cedar spin mop looked great but somewhat bulky, and I've never seen my cleaning person use a bucket on the floors, so I don't think she uses much water at all on the hardwood. I opted for the Bona spray mop (I will switch out the cleaning solution for vinegar and water.)

For the bathrooms/tile floors, I chose a steam mop. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073X45SRV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use a Swiffer dust mop with some microfiber towels that I got at the big box store. My first floor is only 500sf so the main floor gets all the traffic all day, every day, and so I use a spray hardwood floor cleaner and the Swiffer regularly . I vacuum in between those cleaning twice a week. The kitchen floor is also wood, but needs to be cleaned more often from drips and splatters - I will sometimes use a sponge dampened with dish detergent solution in the worst areas (like around the stove) then rinse and dry.

The lone bath is likewise small so its vinyl floor gets sprayed with lysol cleaner and wiped up by hand with a sponge Takes less than 10 minutes, if that long.

On a related topic, I used my Hoover carpet cleaner to do my tile floors the other day and it worked really well. The cleaner is a bit unwieldy so it wouldn't work in a bath but in my open kitchen and hall, it worked really well.

I just used hot water because I wasn't sure if it would work. The cleaner sucked up a surprising amount of soap from the cleaning lady's prior mopping.

deegw, I believe the instructions even suggest to do a final sweep with water only. Love my Hoover carpet cleaner!

I use a Bissel on my area rugs, and only use water (sometimes pretreat with Folex if pet stains are involved). Never use soap.

I burned my feet and it’s all your fault!;) My kitchen floor was filthy. This thread reminded me of my Haan steam cleaner so I brought that up from the basement. My floor is porcelain tile. I hate it but that is another story. So I fill the steamer with water and let it warm up. Cleaned the floor and it looks great but I decided to go over it again with a clean pad because it had been so filthy. I refill with water and walk away to let the pad get damp and the water to get hot. I took off my shoes after the first go round so I didn’t get the floor dirty again. Go back to the kitchen and start cleaning. Then I stepped barefoot on the spot where the steamer had been sitting to warm up. Holy hot floor, Batman. Wow, did I jump. The bottom of my feet are still a little sore.

I haven't read any replies but surely someone mentioned Bona which I've been using for ten years. Same mop poles

What I use:

2 mop poles, one for dry dusting and one for wet mopping. You'll be surprised how often you need to dry dust. I keep a dry duster hidden in the LR which seems to need it the most.

Extra dry dusting pads

Extra wet mopping pads.

I have a big bottle of Bona wood cleaner and instead of using the bottle that comes on some mops, it's easier to pour the cleaner in a medium spray bottle and spray areas as I go.

Low traffic areas rarely need a wet mop.

For two good size areas of porcelain tile, I use a steam mop or Swiffer wet mop. Steam mopping takes longer and I use it for dirtier areas. Never on wood.

I need a picture of you cleaning. :)

Here's Bona's dry dusting supplies. They get under anything. I even used it today on a lower end table shelf so I didn't have to bend over. They come in handy for those upper dusty walls!

Oh no, Ded, I hope your feet are better. That would be a total PITA to have sore feet bottoms!

Haha, Oakley, everyone I know wants a picture of me cleaning. And I am not just cleaning, I am really into it. Trying all sorts of products, doing special projects. I took down the lights in my shower, took them apart, windexed the glass, and then for the metal portions, i used a spray to remove water spots, then a paste and then a polish. I actually had blisters.

And when I was all done, it looked about like it did when I started. : ( I guess I should be happy my maid was doing a good job.

Mopping floors sure has changed since I last did it ... in college. At night, cleaning the offices (and .....shudder... men's rooms) in a small industrial park. So yeah, I am totally spoiled now but hey I earned it.

I'd really like to avoid a mop with a bucket. I love the Bona spray mop. It does a great job. It came prefilled w a spray for hardwood floors which I may as well use but I am switching to water/vinegar when it runs out since that is what Carlisle suggests.

My Bissell steam mop, IDK. I did DH's bathroom today. I was expecting a more dramatic before and after. I'm contemplating whether I need a steam mop at all. My bathroom is all wood, but DH's is tile, and so is the girl's Jack and Jill and my son's. All three of those are white hex matte porcelain. None of them are bad, but I notice the grout in the shower is lighter than the grout on the floor. They are all 10 years old. The other bathrooms are slate, travertine, and concrete (the pool one). Those don't really show any dirt.

DH and I cleaned the house today since the kids are coming over for lunch. Well, let's put it this way - DH cleaned his study and bathroom and I did everything else. But he does get points for brushing the dog, making pulled pork for tomorrow's luncheon and surprising me with lobster tails for dinner tonight.

I don't mind cleaning and I do a much better job than my cleaning lady. The only part I really don't like is the staircase - wiping the baseboards and the exposed wood on either side of the stair runner, dusting between each baluster, getting the dog hair from the crevice where the tread and riser meet and then vacuuming both the tread and the riser. DH happened to walk down the stairs while I was doing this and stared in amazement at all the black Labrador retriever hair that I vacuumed. It really didn't take that long but the whole time I was mentally calculating how many more times I'll have to do this.

But now everything is clean and I if we do a simple buffet the 6 of us can be together and maintain proper distancing. I'm glad we removed the partial wall between the kitchen/breakfast room and the family room because we'll be able to spread out and still see each other.

Kswl, that's hilarious! Maybe you should add "Call NOW; operators are standing by, because they haven't gone out of the house in weeks so you know it will be safe for you to come work here"

Lol! I just have to hit on the right tone between desperate and upbeat, trying to avoid desperately upbeat 😅

Thank goodness my kids all do their own laundry, and they do a very good job. They separate colors, use the right amount of detergent, etc. And I am especially impressed with their folding. I always said that the cleaning lady folded things so perfectly they could be for sale at the GAP. My kids have learned to do that too, and to fold them right from the dryer and smooth them out so they look ironed. Now ironing, we still don't do much! (read: at all) And no matter what I cannot fold a fitted sheet the way the cleaning lady does. I fold them half-azzed and then I put them in their own sterilite bin, with a lid. Problem solved.

Yow! ded, your story reminded me of the time I was home alone...DH was away on business... and I decided to fire up the hibachi for dinner. Of course I was barefoot. I had it on the patio and when I lifted the chimney, I didn't realize a hot brickette had dropped onto the patio and I stepped on it. It burned right to the bottom of my foot and I had to pry it off. Oh that hurt!

oh Annie! OMG.

Do you know I do not know how to grill? Not even a simple gas grill. Never learned, never paid attention and have zero interest. It is one area where I happily perpetuate the fragile female stereotype.

mtnrd, I'm surprised at you...you usually embrace all things cooking. I love grilling as it's so fast easy and healthy. And this way, it's DH's charge to clean the darn thing!

With my foot, what I ended up doing was buying a pair of rubber flip flops and cutting a hole in the bottom of one where my foot was burned. Didn't make attractive footwear for work, but it was effective. Once I told my bosses why I was wearing what I was, they gave me no pushback! Though I did get a lot of cringy faces when I told them.

Mtn, I have wide pine (white pine) floors. White pine (like Carlisle) is soft wood, not hardwood.

It might be best to phone them and ask about care. I think it would be a mistake to use any type of heat, steam or (wet) water.

A damp mop (say a strip mod, rung out well from a solution of just a bit of chlorinated bleach and a very small amount of soap in a water solution. You only want to “damp” mop. It is highly unlikely any errant coronavirus particles are going to find their way onto your pine floors or remain active (capable) if they do.

Just vacuum and then wipe with a lightly damp “mop.”

Below, white pine flooring by Carlisle. Mine were custom milled and laid (ship lapped joints) and look much like this.

Water and steam or harsh chemicals are not indicated. Easy does it.

Hi,

There are a lot of posts to read, but to be clear 1) my steam mop inquiry was at no time related to hardwood floor,s regardless of what anyone suggests; i am using the steam mop only on tile. 2) The only cleaning product i've ever used on my hardwood floors is water w vinegar, which is per Carlisle instructions.

Back again. I've become a little obsessed.

I have decided to send back the Bissell Steam Mop. I used on DH's bathroom floor, and it seemed fine but it was not dramatically cleaner (of course it was not terribly dirty to begin with.)

Then I used the grout cleaning attachment (the handle comes off the mop so it is handheld). That made a big difference in the grout, but essentially it is one step up from scrubbing one inch hex tile grout lines by hand. I was kind of impressed by the job it did on my grout, but ergonomically it was awful to use for that purpose.

I decided to send it back. Here's why/ Using the steam mop as directed, it appeared to clean my floor. But based on the dirt i was able to get out of the grout, it plainly did not clean my floor. So adios to the whole thing. I'm sending it back.

I liked the way my Bona works, and I understand I can get a different head/product for my tile floors. It'd be nice to cut down on the gadget count. How do you feel about tile floor cleaners that you don't actually wipe up? can't get my head around it, though Bona's tile floor cleaner get very good reviews

https://www.thespruce.com/best-tile-floor-cleaners-4159149

I think the issue with the steam mop, and any mop head for that matter, is that the surface of the tile and the grout are not precisely on the same plane. Close but still off. So you are not making the same level of contact with the grout as you are with the tile itself. I decided to clean the grout at our lake house last year, and was STUNNED at my results. I used this amazing tool, which attached to my cordless drill, and ZEP grout cleaner. I didn't even break a sweat -this tool did it all. I can't imagine needing to do this more than once a year, but I'm glad I have the tool now, ready to whip out when I need it. Brush Head for Drill

I've been using the Method Lemon floor cleaner and I like it...leaves floors clean and no residue. Have used Bona in past but don't remember results. Good product though. Cleaning the grout is another whole matter it seems.

Thanks, Arapaho. I've used a lot of Method products and i like that brand; will have to take a look!

I love Method's Eucalyptus Mint bathroom products, but I don't think they have a floor cleaner in that scent. I have grout issues. Actually, I hate grout LOL. I do, however, love my steam mop. I have a small Hahns steam cleaner (someone mentioned one earlier) but it doesn't have a floor attachment. I also have some kind of motorized scrubbing brush (I use it probably monthly on the MB shower) that can be used on floors (long handle), but I've never tried it on floors. It has a couple different brush heads.

Hi Mtn- I thought you had mentioned having the Stanley Steamer do the grout? I was looking forward to your thoughts on it. (Maybe it was another thread; I do remember it was quite pricey but I have been curious to see follow up). I still like my steam mop but yes I guess it really does nothing for the grout.

Salonva,

But here is my thought. If the steam mop does nothing for the grout (and we are talking a 1" hex floor, so there is a lot of grout), then how can i view it as cleaning the floor? If I get down and use a wet brush on the grout lines, I get dirty water. How can I then conclude that my floor was cleaned, much less sanitized? I like the unit, its' easy to use, and I like the concept, and maybe it is fine for other flooring, but it is not cleaning mine. That was when I decide to return it.

I did have Stanley Steemer out yesterday to do 3 bathroom floors, all white hex. I will defer to the people who live here and do not have a bias or vested interest in feeling good about their transaction. 4 out of 5 residents surveyed here were "disappointed" and didn't see any "significant difference." I was disappointed but I think it does look better. I have now looked more closely at these hex tiles then anyone, and I realize that some of the difference in coloration i see is settlement cracks. Those cracks follow grout lines and make them more prominent and hence they appear darker. No amount of cleaning changes that.

All in all, it wasn't perfect but it gave me what I see as a good head start. Now I will just obsessively go after any grout dirt i see with a hand held brush. I think I will put it on string and wear it around my waist. : )

I will post some b&a photos on the grout thread.

If the grout was not sealed (or sealant had worn off), your grout could be stained, not dirty. As much as I like my steam mop, I am really not worried about my floors being "sanitized". I don't have children playing on my floors, etc. Floors are not going to stay sanitized as we walk on them. I really do have grout issues (I hate it) and that is why we no longer have tile in our bathrooms or kitchen (floors).

Tina,

But I would not call the grout "stained", because if you scrub with a grout brush and just about any kind of cleanser or really even just water, it comes right up.

I don't need sanitized floors either, but the steam mops all advertise that. Again, I am concluding that a product that leaves dirt in grout lines is not a product that can claim it cleaned my floors, much less sanitized them. Probably the truth is the only true clean tile floor is one where someone was on their hands and knees with a scrub brush.

You know what's ironic? My own personal bathroom does not have tile. It is wide plank hardwood. When I put it in, a lot of people though it was unwise. But here it is 10 years later and my wood floor has held up perfectly.

Isn't there a difference between cleaning and sanitizing? I think of cleaning as being free from dirt and sanitizing as being clean of germs...bacteria, viruses and such. So you can have sanitized dirt on your floor, or you can have dirt-free floors that still have germs.

Nice try parsing, Annie. I would say, and Oxford Dictionary agrees, that sanitize means to "make clean and hygienic; disinfect."

Note the "and." Especially with floors, I think most people value the first quality over the second!