Cleaning Hardwood Floors: what's your approach?

**cherrypye** · October 5th, 2011, 05:00 PM

So, we put some gorgeous dark Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors in our house. As much as I love them, they show every little smudge. We have a very furry four-legged daughter dog, and her paw prints are all over our floors. My current cleaning routine is killing me.

For a little background, we have 1500 feet of hardwood downstairs, along with 600 feet of porcelain tile. Our house is nearly 4000 square feet, and cleaning the floors practically takes my entire day.

Currently, I vacuum the floor everyday, sometimes twice, depending how much Cali (Siberian Husky) is shedding. My husband bought me a Dyson for our upcoming anniversary (my request) so at least its not so heavy that my hands, wrist and shoulders hurt, as was the case with our previous vacuum. I would divorce my hubby and marry the Dyson if I could.

Okay, so every other day I steam clean all the downstairs floors using a shark steam mop. We don't allow shoes inside, but the dog brings who knows what in.

After steaming the floors, they are all smudged up, so I use hardwood floor cleaner and a microfiber mop and go over them again, and they look showrooms clean. They're smudged again by the next day.

There's got to be an easier way. Our previous apartments were tiny and always neat. I'm drowning just trying to keep up with this house.

Does anyone have a better routine that keeps their floors clean and smudge-free?

**Just Kill Me** · October 5th, 2011, 05:18 PM

Shark vac then steam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well darnit...the combo is great. I have no clue.
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**cherrypye** · October 5th, 2011, 05:23 PM

Thanks JKM. I do love the Shark, especially since it's chemical free. It just leaves the floors so smudged. Does the shark vac and clean do a great job at the vacuuming part of things?

**McJag** · October 5th, 2011, 06:32 PM

I have cherry hardwod in my dining room. I also have a shedder dog, my Cavalier King. When we rescued him I read up and it said if you don't brush him every other day, get prepared to vaccum twice every day!
That was wrong. I take him out on the porch daily and brush. I am talking 2-3 times a day. He still sheds!
I keep it nice with just a quick damp mop.
Most of the week a dustmop will do.
If it rains, both doggies leave little paw prints, then I use Swifter damp mop things that are ok for hardwoods.
For anything worse, I call in the maids.

**A*O** · October 5th, 2011, 06:42 PM

Come on. I think you've been watching too much Martha Stewart! It's unrealistic to expect your floors to look showroom perfect all the time. You have to LIVE in a house after all and the odd smudge doesn't make you a bad person. Not much you can do about a shedding dog apart from regular grooming - that's why we chose non-shedding dogs. We have hardwood floors (Tasmanian oak) upstairs and down plus a few large rugs which reduce cleaning and noise. The floors get a damp mop once a week with a product called Clear View plus a bit of vacuuming where absolutely necessary. Half an hour tops - not a whole day. WTF?!?

I know it's great to have perfect floors but seriously.......

**McJag** · October 5th, 2011, 06:59 PM

Agreed,A*O. They are just floors. Mostly a quick dustmope does it-I mean less than a minute! That wood is very dark, so things will show. No one will stoop down to inspect!

**cherrypye** · October 5th, 2011, 07:40 PM

Hmmm, perhaps I am just being realistic. It just drives me nuts to see so many paw prints and smudge marks - it looks kinda like a dirty mirror, and whenever the sun hits it, all I see is grime all over the floor.

Thanks for the thoughts, ladies.

**Just Kill Me** · October 5th, 2011, 07:47 PM

The shark vac steam combo is great at picking up things but its downfall is that it lacks a hose attachment.
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**Trixie** · October 5th, 2011, 08:02 PM

How about wiping the dog's paws before you let her back in the house? Time consuming, yes, but not more than spending half your day cleaning the floors.

Not that I do either, I've just lowered my standards in my old age...

**Chalet** · October 5th, 2011, 08:53 PM

Sweep, vacuum.

Then use this and only this: Bona.

I won't explain or convince. Buy it for 8 dollars in the spray bottle and try it yourself. Get the Bona mop or a mop with a soft cloth. It's the only product my floor people recommend on any wood floors - real or engineered or parquet with lacquer. Hurry now! All you'll want to do is clean your floor all day and all night.

Products - Official Bona® US Site - MyBonaHome.com

**cherrypye** · October 6th, 2011, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by cherrypye

Hmmm, perhaps I am just being realistic. It just drives me nuts to see so many paw prints and smudge marks - it looks kinda like a dirty mirror, and whenever the sun hits it, all I see is grime all over the floor.

Thanks for the thoughts, ladies.

That was supposed to be - perhaps I am just being unrealistic. My bad.

Trixie, I wish wiping down her paws would do it. She has a thing for water, and will dig in her water bowl, walk over it, and run around. I hear its a common husky thing, but its a little nutty. The house has a very open floorplan, so there's no way for me to contain her only on tiled areas until she dries. I do appreciate the advice, though.

Chalet - I'm going to buy that stuff today. Thanks! Can't wait to see what happens!