Why to avoid vinegar and water on wood floors 

For many people looking for a simple DIY cleaning solution, vinegar and water can seem like an obvious choice. It’s inexpensive and commonly used to clean many items around the home.  

However, vinegar and water should not be used to clean wood floors Using vinegar and water as a homemade wood floor cleaning solution can damage some wood floor finishes over time. It's important to remember that when you clean your wood floors, you aren't actually cleaning the wood you're cleaning the chemical finish that's on the wood. The finish is the protective layer of your wood floors. 

Since vinegar is an acid,can actually break down the finish on the surface of your floor, and over time it will reduce the shine, and leave a dull appearance. Using vinegar and water to clean floors can also lead to an excessive amount of water on the floor, which can cause swelling and discoloration. 

What we recommend for cleaning instead 

Bona Wood Floor Cleaner is specifically formulated for hardwood floors, with no mixing or bucket required. Its residue-free, pH-balanced, waterbased formula is GREENGUARD Gold certified, meaning it meets the certification programme’s applicable standards for low chemical emissions. When paired with a Bona Microfiber Cleaning Pad, the pad removes 99% of bacteria* from wood and hard-surface floorsWhen it’s time to clean your floors, here are some wood floor-cleaning tips to remember: 

• Prepare your floor for cleaning by sweeping or dust-mopping to get rid of large particles of dirt and debris. 
• Use a pH-balanced cleaner that will be gentle on your wood floors, like our Bona Wood Floor Cleaner. 
• Use a fine spray mist, and clean your floor in sections. Avoid putting too much liquid on your floors. 
• Use a microfibre mop to clean, like the Bona Premium Microfiber Floor Mop. Traditional mops can work, but they often leave unnecessary excess water on your floors. 

When looking for the best way to clean wood floors, skip the white vinegar and water. Using a specially-formulated wood floor care cleaner is the simple way to maintain the beauty and look of your floors. 

 Looking for the right wood floor cleaner? Explore Bona’s range of cleaners specifically formulated for hardwood floors. 

 

*Microfibre removes 99% of E.coli and Listeria from wood or LVT flooring when using the Bona Microfiber Cleaning Pad with Bona Wood Floor Cleaner, Bona Hard-Surface Floor Cleaner, Bona OxyPower Floor Deep Cleaner or water. Tested at an independent accredited lab.