Laminate flooring is made up of prefinished planks and the seams between the planks are not sealed.
Can you use a steam mop on prefinished hardwood floors.
One of the advantages of prefinished hardwood flooring is that the factory applied finish is baked on making it more durable and.
The mop pushes steam through cracks and crevices to force dirt out and the steam readily penetrates the joints between boards.
The seams can let steam reach the core of the flooring material which is highly vulnerable to moisture.
Some steam mop manufacturers such as shark and bissell may say you can use it on a sealed hardwood floor but stocki recommends against it because moisture could still possibly force itself into.
While researching the use of steam mops on hardwood floors i came across article after article that cautioned against using a steam mop on hardwood floors.
They vary in density color some have close graining whilst others have a more open grain.
To mop your floors use a slightly damp dry mop or yarn mop with the flooring manufacturer s recommended liquid cleaner.
The nature of wood.
Can you use a steam mop on hardwood floors lets talk about your wood floors.
Over time vinegar and water will dull the floor s finish while soap or wax will leave a residue.
There is a huge variety of different woods you can use for flooring.
The premise is that despite mop manufacturer claims the steam from the mop moves through cracks in the floor more easily than water which penetrates below the sealer and the moisture.
A steam cleaner by its very nature uses water heated to a very hot vapor to clean and disinfect the surface of a floor.
If you prefer you can vacuum your floors on the hard wood setting.
You may not notice problems after the first few uses on a hardwood.
Sealed hardwood floors can withstand the moisture and heat from a steam mop and they clean really nicely with a streak free finish.
Avoid using water and vinegar soap based cleaners wax or steam cleaners on your hardwood floor.
Also avoid using a steam mop on any type of flooring that should not have hot water on it or on adhesive tiles with lifting corners.
Hardwood is naturally a very absorbent material and exposure to water can cause it to plump warp twist and mold.
To clean engineered hardwood floors sweep them daily with a broom or dust mop so you can pick up any dirt that s been tracked in.
