How I Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors

Last weekend, I shared on my Instagram Story of how I clean engineered hardwood floors with only a microfiber mop, water and dish soap. I was so surprised to see how many questions I got about it and thought I would share the simple process here!

First off, I want to throw out a disclaimer that I’m definitely not a flooring expert. But after living in a high rise, remodeling Jeff’s condo, and now living in our current home, I’ve had my fair share of talking to builders and contractors and going through new home orientation. In all of these cases, we have always been advised to NOT use harsh chemicals or steam cleaners/mops on our floors as they could cause irreversible damage.

Since there are very mixed opinions on whether you can use a steam cleaner/mop or not online, we rather not risk it so we just stick with a microfiber mop, water, and dish soap as recommended by our builders and contractors. It’s eco-friendly, safe for kids and pets, and who doesn’t have water and dish soap at home?! hehe You can also use other cleaning detergents that are safe for engineered hardwood floors such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner, which we’ll only use once in a while (like once or twice a year). Here are the details of how I clean engineered hardwood floors with a microfiber mop, water and dish soap!

What You’ll Need:

• Vacuum cleaner
• A microfiber mop (I’ve had mine for 10 years now so I don’t have an exact link. However, I’ll link the better, updated versions here and here)
• Spray bottle (similar here, here)
• Water
• 1/4 teaspoon of dishwashing soap (we use Palmolive or Dawn)

Instructions for How To Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors:

1. Prior to mopping, vacuum your floors to remove dirt, debris and dust first.
2. Pour in a splash of dishwashing soap into the spray bottle (about 1/4 teaspoon).
3. Fill up spray bottle with lukewarm or hot water.
4. Spray light mists of the water and dish soap mixture onto your floor (about 2-4 sprays per section). You don’t want to spray too much to avoid moisture and residue.
5. Use the dry microfiber mop to mop up the spray mixture. The section should dry up in a few minutes. There shouldn’t be any residue, but if there is, I recommend using a dry mop or towel to wipe it up.
6. Repeat until you’ve completed cleaning your engineered hardwood floors.

Look at how dirty my microfiber mop got from cleaning our floors! Now pop the removable microfiber pad into the washer and enjoy your beautiful cleaned floors, free from grime and dirt! How do you clean engineered hardwood floors? Are you for or against using a steam mop?

PS, if you’re curious about the steam mop debate, I’m linking some articles that are against using a steam mop to clean engineered hardwood floors. Let me know your thoughts!

• https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/clean-and-organize/is-steam-mop-damaging-your-floor
• https://steamcleanerpro.com/use-steam-mop-on-hardwood-floors/
• https://www.thespruce.com/steam-cleaning-hardwood-floors-1314829
• https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Engineered-Hardwood-Floors