If you have or are considering getting a hardwood floor, proper cleaning and maintenance is probably on your mind.After all, one of the cool things about hardwood is how good it looks and feels!Cleaning hardwood floors is different from cleaning other types of floors because wood responds differently to cleaning agents and equipment compared to stone , concrete, carpeting or synthetic materials like vinyl.If you look around the internet or ask people, you’ll probably find opposing viewpoints on whether it’s a good idea to steam clean hardwood floors, or not. As with most things, it’s a good idea to learn some of the facts first before you go out and buy yourself a brand new hardwood floor steam cleaner.Hardwood flooring consists of several panels of wood. The wood is usually treated and coated with some type of chemical finish (wax, polyurethane or polyacrylic) to make it hard and water-resistant. The wood panels are placed together and the joints are sealed to make the floor complete.

The surface is polished to fill in any gaps and to make it look its best.Use of vinegar, ammonia or abrasive cleaners can strip the polish or wood coating. Wood sprays used for furniture can leave a slippery or waxy residue on the flooring. This will remove dust, stains and especially dirt particles, which can scratch the floor over time. kirby vacuum cleaners corporate officeUsing microfiber material to clean will help attract more dust and reach into floor pores as well. industrial vacuum cleaner sydneyAcidic or alkaline cleaning products should be avoided.harga vacuum cleaner untuk laptopWater-based polishes are preferred, because they will not leave residues or strip the surface of your floor.

Overall, water-based cleaning is therefore considered the safest for hardwood floors. Of course, this is for dirt and stains that cannot be removed by dry wiping. Remember that the simplest way to keep your floor clean is to prevent dust and dirt, and to clean any dust or dirt by wiping with a dry cloth promptly after a spill happens.As you probably know, steam cleaners clean by making steam (by boiling water in a heater compartment), and releasing it onto the dirty surface. The steam loosens the dirt, which is then cleaned either by a mop surface or vacuum suction, depending on the type.The thing to remember is that excessive exposure to water, steam (and therefore heat) may cause hardwood floors to warp, crack or splinter over time. Steam is also very light and thin compared to water and can penetrate thin gaps in between wood panels or within the wood surface itself.Another important consideration should be whether steam cleaning is covered under your floor manufacturer’s warranty.

If it voids the warranty, you should clearly avoid either the steam cleaning or the manufacturer!These types of cleaners come in several varieties. Based on the requirements for hardwood, the following 2 types will work the best:You may hear this term when people talk about vinyl. Vinyl is synthetic, kind of like plastic. It can be used for flooring and can be made to look exactly like hardwood! This type of ‘hardwood’ flooring is water-proof and can be easily cleaned with steam cleaners without worrying about any damage.To summarize, here are the pros and cons of buying a steam cleaner for your hardwood.We have all seen the commercials on TV showing Steam Cleaners or Steam Mops being used on Hardwood, Laminate, and Vinyl floors. Consumers have bought into these TV ads and are only setting themselves up for a major disappointment should their flooring fail or they have a maintenance issue. I have been in flooring stores and heard consumers say that the Steam Cleaner manufacturer says they can be used on all kinds of flooring.

My response is, “are they going to cover the flooring warranty when your floor fails?” Of course they are telling consumers this. They want to sell their Steam Cleaners. I have contacted our Hardwood, Laminate, Luxury Vinyl Tile, and Vinyl flooring manufacturers about this topic and the answer is always no, do not use Steam Cleaners on our floors. I have researched warranties on these flooring product categories and was shocked that only one manufacturer had a statement on do not use Steam Cleaners. But, all manufacturers did have some kind of the following statement; This warranty does not cover damage caused by improper installation, negligence, water erosion, abrasion, extreme heat or temperature, cleaning care or maintenance contrary to written instructions provided. In other words, your warranty is voided if you use a Steam Cleaner. I have looked into what some of the Steam Cleaner manufacturers say you may use these products on. This is what Shark says; Engineered for premium performance exclusively on hard floor surfaces.

It can be used on all sealed hard floor surfaces – including sealed hardwood, linoleum, ceramic tile, or marble and other stone floors. Note that we do not suggest use of this product on unsealed surfaces, such as unfinished hardwood, unglazed ceramic floors, or unsealed stone floors. On surfaces that have been treated with wax or some no wax floors, the sheen may be removed by the heat and steam action. We recommend testing an isolated area of the surface to be cleaned before proceeding. We recommend that you check the use and care instructions from the floor manufacturer. I read this as; If your floor fails, the Steam Cleaners are not picking up your flooring warranty either. Since the Steam Cleaner recommends that you check the use and care instructions from the flooring manufacturer, I have contacted the flooring manufacturers and got their response;Never wet-mop, damp-mop, or clean your Anderson Hardwood floor with water or other products. This can severely damage the flooring and will void the warranties.

Do not use hardwood floor cleaning machines or steam cleaners. Armstrong/Bruce Hardwood & Laminate Flooring; NEVER CLEAN WITH STEAM CLEANERS. This may permanently damage the floor. Armstrong Alterna, LUXE, and Sheet flooring & Tile; If you choose to use a non-Armstrong maintenance or cleaning product and you have an issue, we recommend contacting the manufacturer of that product for recommendations on how to resolve it. Floors damaged by excessive moisture are not covered by warranty. Avaire Floating Porcelain Tile; Avaire does Not Recommend the use of steam cleaners. The high heat associated with steam may temporarily soften grout lines. We do not recommend repeated softening and hardening of the grout lines. Additionally, any dirt not removed from the grout lines and left on softened grout may become hardened into the grout line when cooled.We do not recommend steam cleaners on our flooring. Columbia Hardwood & Laminate; WET MAINTENANCE IS ENTIRELY FORBIDDEN! Never wet mop or use wet or steam cleaners on your floor.

We do not allow steam cleaners on DuChateau Floors.LM’s stance on steam cleaners is “DO NOT USE THEM”. We have found that they cause all kinds of problems with engineered floors.Does not warrant the use of steam cleaners on any of our products. Engage, Konecto and Starloc Flooring; “DO NOT USE THEM”. They are not recommended.Steam cleaners are not recommended for use on Mirage floors. Mirage floors are created by installing a number of individually sealed boards. Moisture from the cleaning machine could potentially get between the boards and damage the floor. Tarkett Laminate and Vinyl Flooring; Tarkett is not responsible for damage caused by extreme heat or temperatures from cleaning care or maintenance.Wood, water, and Steam are not a good combination.This will void product warranty.Moisture problems such as wet mopping, and Steam Cleaning will void product warranty. National Wood Floor Association (NWFA); NWFA Technical Publication No. C100 Maintenance and Recoating of Hardwood Floors 2010, states on page 5, 7th point,” Using steam or excessive water may damage a wood floor”.

National Laminate Flooring Association (NLFA); Does not endorse the use of Steam Cleaning machines on Laminate flooring. World Floor Covering Association (WFCA); We cannot find a manufacturer of either laminate flooring or hardwood flooring that will recommend the use of Steam Cleaning equipment on their floors. To clean and maintain your hardwood or laminate flooring, sweeping and/or using a vacuum cleaner (without the beater bar used for vacuuming carpet) should be sufficient. Occasionally clean with a mop (micro-fiber or terrycloth hooded for laminate floors) slightly moistened with a cleaning product recommended by the flooring manufacturer. I also contacted several of our Ceramic suppliers. Ceramic Tile is the only flooring category where the manufacturer says the use of Steam Cleaners is acceptable. However, I was warned that if the grout has a sealer on it, extended use of a Steam Cleaner may remove the grout sealer.Some Steam Cleaners are pressurized, and can reach pressures up to 70 PSI.

This pressure is injecting a hot water solution onto and into any joints of your flooring, which is not recommended. The use of a Swiffer Cleaner on your floors is also not a recommended cleaning product by flooring manufacturers. Most manufacturers have or recommend a specific cleaner for their products. They have tested these products and know how they will perform with their products. The Swiffer WetJet now has a cleaning agent with the cleaning power of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser which has 2 times the cleaning power. Possibly even more damaging to the flooring finish. All manufacturers have some kind of statement to cover themselves in case some other cleaning product has been used and there is an issue. Here are a few statements from various manufacturers that have a What is not Covered section in their warranty; The bottom line is that if consumers choose to use these types of products, they are then responsible for the effects or damage these products may have on their flooring investment.