If you do use a steam cleaner all steam cleaners come with a warning that you must make sure the floor seal is intact before using their machines on the hardwood.
Can i use a steam mop on my hardwood floors.
It s easy to use chemical free and reasonably priced.
The use of a steam cleaner would clearly violate that rule.
And i m still a little apprehensive about using a steam mop on laminate flooring.
Also avoid using a steam mop on any type of flooring that should not have hot water on it or on adhesive tiles with lifting corners.
Here s everything you need to know about caring for your hardwoods including the use of a shark.
I d still never use a steam mop on unsealed wood floors.
Steam cleaners put heat and excessive water on your floor which can lead to cupping and long term damage.
The heat will damage the finish and the steam penetrates the wood surface easier than water or a cleaning solution.
The number one rule of hardwood maintenance is never to use water.
Today there are a number of companies that believe it is a good idea to steam clean hardwood floors with the use of their manufactured steam cleaners.
Plus it leaves my floors sanitized a feature worth so much more than the 100 price tag.
Even if you have tried it and it seemed fine damage will accumulate within a few uses though often within the first use.
You see them everywhere lately steam cleaning mops.
However avoid using a steam mop on unsealed hardwoods as they re more vulnerable and easily damaged by excessive moisture.
The short answer is yes you can use a steam mop on hardwood floors the real question is should you use a steam mop on your hardwood floors.
Some steam mop manufacturers such as shark and bissell may say you can use it on a sealed hardwood floor but stocki recommends against it because moisture could still possibly force itself into.
No you should never use a steam mop cleaner on hardwood flooring.
Using a steam mop on hardwood floors is undoubtedly riskier than simply cleaning with a dry cloth.
The seams can let steam reach the core of the flooring material which is highly vulnerable to moisture.
Cue the shark steam mop my most favorite floor cleaning appliance to date.
As with laminate we don t recommend the use of steam cleaners on hardwood either.
They are the latest craze in cleaning gadgets and as their popularity grows so does the variety of brands and price ranges.
But for us the risk is worth the reward until we see real life examples indicating otherwise.
To test the thickness and durability of the seal protecting your hardwood floor drip a small amount of water onto its surface.
Solid hardwood floors sealed hardwood floors can withstand the moisture and heat from a steam mop and they clean really nicely with a streak free finish.