Engineered hardwood floors are a beautiful addition to your home. However, if you have pets or kids that love to get dirty, then it can be difficult to keep them looking their best. Can you steam clean engineered hardwood floors?
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Steam Cleaners “Designed” for Engineered Hardwood
Although some people say cleaning hardwood floors is easy, it’s more complicated than you think. You need to consider how dirty the floor is and what kind of finish your wood has before buying a steam cleaner or going with an alternative method like wet mopping (which can be messy!).
There are many companies that sell steam cleaning machines for engineered hardwood floors that supposedly clean the floor without leaving behind any water. These claims may be true, as some of these cleaners have an excess moisture wiping function which absorbs all of the excess water on your floor and leaves it dry. But while they claim that their steam cleaners are safe for use on sealed hardwoods, they’re careful not to make any such promises about unsealed ones.
Why Steam Cleaning Engineered Hardwood Floors is a Bad Idea
I have a friend who owns her own cleaning company and she is in the business of steam cleaning. I asked her what kind of flooring is best to clean with this technique because there are varying opinions on the internet, with some claiming that it is okay for any type of wood as long as you keep it on low heat settings.
She told me that engineered hardwood floors are not good candidates for steaming because they were typically made out of particle board-like materials (which means there’s glue involved). The trouble comes when those boards get wet; water may penetrate the surface coatings which can lead to warping over time.
It also makes sense if you think about how many people would want their newly installed engineered hardwoods cleaned by using chemicals or high temperatures that can damage the floor even more.
So if steam cleaning is not a good idea for your hardwood flooring, what is?
Fortunately enough there are some other cleaning options that can be better suited to the needs of engineered floors.
How to Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors
With engineered hardwood floors, it’s difficult to keep them clean. With no fibers or grooves for dust and dirt to hide in, they show everything off that is tracked into the house from pet hair and kids running around outside.
It can get annoying when you see how dirty your house gets but this also makes cleanup quick! Unlike with tiles where dirt might go unnoticed for weeks; with engineered hardwoods, all of your messes are on display making cleaning easy as pie!
You will not only have a cleaner home, but also one that is free of allergens and other irritants. This can lead to healthier living all around!
Once you learn the steps and make a habit of cleaning your floors on schedule – don’t worry-it’s easy to deal with dirty messes!
Sweep or vacuum regularly
Our top tip for how to clean engineered hardwood floors is to work at it a little bit every day. It may take some time, but the effort will pay off in the long run with flooring that continues looking clean and new!
Sweep or vacuum away dust, dirt and debris frequently – not only does this help keep your home neat, tidy and free of allergens (which can affect anyone), it also means you’ll have dirty feet less often too!
When we clean our floors, we want to start at the end of a room furthest from where you entered. That way when it’s time to exit, your floor looks fresh as can be – not like someone just tracked in mud all over!
Use a damp mop
If you want your hardwood floors to stay looking their best, it’s important to mop them periodically. How often is dependent on the traffic they get – rooms with high foot traffic should be mopped once a week or so while less-used areas probably only need this done monthly.
Additionally, if your engineered hardwood floor begins to dull from dirt and grime over time, make sure you use a damp cloth rather than a wet one when cleaning up messes! While water isn’t as damaging for these types of floors as solid wood options are (thanks in part because they’re more resistant), don’t forget that moisture can find its way inside and may cause damage down the road!
Steer clear of creating standing water by using just enough that it will evaporate after a while. It is also a good idea to check for and dry off remaining moisture after mopping.
Tip: Don’t forget those corners too: they can be tricky and pile up quickly if you only have one long piece of furniture running down one side of a room. A quick wipe down every day means less work later on when things aren’t as tidy as we like them to be!
Use a recommended cleaner for deep cleaning
A lot of people assume that because their floor is engineered wood they can use any cleaner without fear. This isn’t always true: in some cases using anything other than recommended could void the warranty and cause irreversible damage. Not all products are designed specifically for certain types of boards which means it’s important to do some research before picking one out from the store.
One thing that many people get wrong is not testing their cleaning product first before using it all over an engineered board; what’s worse than ruining something new?
Make sure the cleaner is designed for engineered hardwood flooring, like the Weiman Engineered Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Avoid harsh chemicals as these can damage your finish and leave an unpleasant scent behind. Apply with either cloths or sponges – whatever works best for you!
How to Keep Engineered Hardwood Floors Shiny
There are a few simple tricks to make sure you don’t dull the luster of your engineered hardwood floor.
- Consider installing doormats at every entrance, ready for dirt and mud scraping off. Go with a mat that doesn’t have rubber backing since this can lead to trapped moisture which could contribute to water damage later on!
- Be especially mindful during autumn or winter when shoes may be wet from rain or snow-covered; take them off before stepping on engineered hardwood floors.
- Don’t walk on your floors in high-heeled shoes to avoid damaging the surface. To further prevent scuffing, install furniture pads under table legs and other items that could hurt them.
- Immediately wipe up any spills that are on the surface of your engineered hardwood floor before they can cause any damage.
- Hard water can dull the luster of your engineered hardwood floors over time. Using softened water or a specialized hardwood floor cleaner will help restore the natural beauty of your engineered floors.
It’s important to protect your floor, but sometimes the damage can’t be prevented. If someone drags furniture across it and scratches the surface (which is more likely on higher-quality floors with finishes), you may need sanding and refinishing options for restoring its beauty.
Will You Steam Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors?
Cleaning engineered hardwood floors seem like a hassle, but it’s worth the effort. While we do not recommend steam cleaning your engineered hardwood floors, if you do, make sure the floors are protected against high heat.
