7 Surprising Homemade Wood Floor Cleaners That Work

Americans spend a lot of money each year installing hardwood floors. In fact, the hardwood flooring industry is worth $3.49 billion!

If you’ve invested a lot of money on hardwood floors, chances are you want to do whatever you can to keep them clean.

This is often easier said than done, though. Many people have a hard time keeping their wood floors clean, often because they’re using the wrong cleaner.

If you’ve tried tons of cleaners but haven’t been satisfied with your results, perhaps you should switch to a homemade product.

Listed below are seven homemade wood floor cleaner recipes that are easy to make and really work!

Why Use Homemade Wood Floor Cleaner?

You may be under the impression that store-bought cleaners are always more effective than homemade cleaners.

After all, they’re full of special ingredients that are supposed to remove stains and protect your floors from damage. Store-bought products aren’t always the best option, though.

Many people find that store-bought cleaners are too harsh and do more harm than good to their wood floors. Store-bought cleaners can also be filled with toxic ingredients that are harmful to our health.

Why spend the afternoon breathing in chemicals when you clean your floors? Why not switch to an all natural product that will preserve your floors and keep them clean? 

Homemade Wood Floor Cleaner Recipes

Clearly, there are benefits that come with making your own wood floor cleaner. Here are seven recipes you might want to try.

1. Water and Vinegar Solution

If you know anyone who’s into DIY cleaning products, you’ve probably heard about the benefits of cleaning with a water and vinegar solution.

This cleaning tip seems like it’s been around forever, and there’s a good reason for this — because it works!

Water and vinegar do a great job of cutting through grime that’s built up on your hardwood floors. 

To make this solution, just combine 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar with a gallon of warm water.

Whether you clean on your hands and knees with a sponge or with a mop, this solution is an effective, basic option that will leave your floors gleaming.

2. Essential Oil-Scented Cleaner

Not a fan of the smell of vinegar? Worried about your kitchen or hallway smelling of it right before a party or other event?

If you don’t want to have to deal with the lingering smell of vinegar, try adding a few drops of essential oil to the water and vinegar solution outlined above.

Essential oils provide a natural, nontoxic fragrance that won’t be overpowering or come with any health risks.

Many people like to use lemon essential oil, lavender essential oil, or orange essential oil, but any scent will do — choose one that suits your tastes!

3. Vegetable Oil Cleaner

Some wood floors do best when they’re not cleaned with water.

If this the case for your floors, you can use a vegetable oil cleanser instead. Vegetable oil will preserve the finish of your floor and keep it looking shiny and new.

If you’re going to take this approach, combine two cups of vegetable oil with two cups of distilled white vinegar.

Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray it on your floor while wiping it down with a clean, microfiber cloth. Use a separate cloth to buff the floor and dry it off.

4. Black Tea Cleaner

Did you know that you can actually use black tea to clean your floors? Black tea has long been used to clean floors while preserving the finish and restoring shine.

Black tea is not a good cleaner for laminate floors, but it works wonders on hardwood flooring.

To clean your floors with black tea, start by boiling a large pot of water. Add 5-6 black tea bags to the water and let it steep for about ten minutes. Pour the tea into your mop bucket and add some cool water, if necessary, to lower the temperature.

Dip your mop in the tea, wring it out as you normally would, and mop your floors as usual. You may want to start in a small, discrete corner to make sure the solution doesn’t stain your floors.

If there aren’t any issues, mop the floor as normal and dry it with a clean towel.

5. Olive Oil and Lemon Juice Solution

A combination of olive oil, hot water, and lemon juice does a great job of removing stains from floors while also living them looking rich and shiny. 

Combine 1/4 cup olive oil with 1/3 cup white vinegar and five cups of hot water. Add a few teaspoons of lemon juice (or lemon essential oil) to add a fresh citrus scent. 

Dip a mop or rag in the solution and use it to polish your floors just like you would if you were using a store-bought solution.

6. Dish Detergent Cleaner

Whether you have traditional wood floors or a more rustic look in your home, you can get a lot done on the cleaning front with some simple dish detergent. 

Combine a gallon of water with 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar. Then, add a few drops of dish detergent for a fresh scent and extra cleaning power.

Dip a microfiber mop or a sponge into the cleaner and use it wipe down your floors.

7. Plant-Based Soap Cleaner

If you’re not jazzed about using dish soap on your wood floor, you can use a plant-based soap instead. Plant-based soaps are less toxic and are often scented with essential oils instead of artificial fragrances.

They can be less harsh on your floors. If you’re worried about stripping the finish or damaging the floors in some way, a plant-based soap can be a good alternative.

Just add a few drops to your water and vinegar solution and get to work!

Does Your Floor Need More than a Cleaning?

These homemade wood floor cleaner recipes are a great, natural alternative to harsh, potentially toxic commercial cleaners.

Sometimes, though, a good cleaning is not enough to restore your wood floors.

Are you remodeling your home and need to replace the floors? If so, we can help.

Check out our online shop today to learn about all the different flooring options we have available for you to choose from.

Once you’ve chosen the perfect new flooring for your home, you can use your homemade cleaner to keep it looking nice and new!