Is Steam Cleaning Safe For Hardwood Floors? (10 Tips)

Should I use steam cleaning on my hardwood floor? This was my question a few weeks back when I shifted to my new house in NYC, which had hardwood flooring. Wooden hues always had my heart as they look so classic and beautiful. I was excited to move into my dream house.

It had lacquered mustard walls and contemporary yet classic hardwood flooring. But at the same time, a part of me was confused with all the new cleaning techniques I will have to adopt.

My previous apartment had tiled flooring, and I used to clean it weekly with a regular mop. I wasn’t sure if I could use the same wet mop on the wooden floor after much reading.

A friend told me about steam cleaning and said that “you can use it for your hardwood flooring too.” I looked at a couple of articles online, but the views were contradictory. After giving it so much thought, I decided to give it a try, and surprisingly it turned out to be pretty good.

Steam Cleaning Hardwood Floors

Regular cleaning of any floor is important to keep it protected and clean. I have been steam cleaning my wooden flooring for over a month now.

And now I have a definitive answer to my question, that “Yes! Steam cleaning is safe for hardwood floors”. But it is important to implement it with the right technique.

Excess water or residual moisture can damage the wooden floors, especially when the flooring is unsealed.

Have a look at the steps I incorporated in my regular floor cleaning:

Thorough Vacuuming First

Many of us would be doing this even in regular cleaning, in a similar way, ensuring that you thoroughly vacuumed the floor before steam cleaning. Vacuuming removes the upper layers of dirt, dust, food spills, and tiny bits of garbage. Therefore it is important to make the floor devoid of any such external layers.

Using The Floor Tool

When you buy a steam cleaner, a thick rectangular microfiber cloth comes along with it. This cloth is attached on the lower end as it acts as a thin insulation layer, thereby retaining the excess moisture.

Also, the high temperature helps in a smooth cleaning mechanism. All the stubborn dirt and grit gets attracted and removed by this floor tool.

Setting The Right Pressure

After a lot of reading, I learned that the lower the pressure, the dryer is the steam. And it is always better to clean with dry steam since moist steam might damage your wooden floor.

Thus, always ensure to set a low or medium pressure. The high pressure gives rise to condensation, which leaves a lot of residual moisture.

Deep Clean Your Floor

You have to roam around the house, covering every corner to sanitize and deep clean the floor.

Post-Cleaning Task

Now, you can’t leave the cloth all dirty and stinky. Thus, always ensure to remove that cloth and let the washing machine wash it. The microfiber cloth is strong enough to withstand heavy-duty washing machine cycles.

Benefits Of Steam Cleaning for Hardwood Floors

Since I adopted this whole steam cleaning routine, my weekly cleanings have become more stress-free and easy.
Here are some benefits of steam cleaning:

• It is the best way to sanitize, deep clean, and revitalize the wooden floors.
• In general, steam cleaners are heavy-duty cleaning appliances. They ensure a remarkable cleaning action.
• It helps in maintaining the original sheen and beauty of the wooden hues.
• You don’t have to mop several times at the same corner, as steam cleaners tend to attract and remove the stubborn dirt particles very well.

I always used to wonder if steam cleaning is safe or not. Also, I used to have many questions in mind regarding the cleaning techniques. But now, I have definitive answers to all those questions.

Have a look at some of those questions, as they might answer your queries as well!

Is steam cleaning good for hardwood floors?

Steam cleaning is good and safe for hardwood floors if you use the right technique. It can clean your floor very well without damaging it if you make the settings for low pressure. Low pressure will ensure that it only uses dry steam while cleaning.

Is it safe to use Shark steam on hardwood floors?

You can use Shark steam only on sealed hardwood floors. Also, always keep in mind the right pressure settings so that the floor doesn’t get damaged.

What is the best thing to use to clean wood floors?

The first step is to vacuum or sweep to remove the loose layers of dirt, dust, and grit. For deep cleaning and sanitization, one can always use a dry mop or steam cleaning. Steam cleaning tends to be safe for hardwood floors with optimal pressure settings.

Is steaming better than mopping?

Mopping might clean your dusty floor, but steaming does much more than that. The thick microfiber cloth attached to the end traps the stubborn dirt and kills the surface bacteria and dust mites. Thus, you can expect a fully disinfected and sanitized floor.

How do I know if my hardwood floors are sealed?

Sealed hardwood floors are additionally coated with varnish or polyurethane. Such an external coating makes the floor water-resistant and less prone to damage. Thus, if you want to know if your hardwood floor is sealed or not, you can check it with a small test.

Spill a few droplets of water and observe if they soak or bead on the surface. If the latter condition takes place, then your floor is sealed.

Does steam clean?

Dry steam plays an important role in effective cleaning. The high temperature and low-pressure settings attack the stubborn layers of dirt and dust, thereby cleaning the floor.

Conclusion

I have been quite satisfied with steam cleaning my hardwood flooring. The steam cleaner perfectly deep cleans and sanitizes the floor. It also helps in restoring its shine, thereby revitalizing the floor. My routine cleanings have become much easier and stress-free with steam cleaners.