I personally feel that steam cleaners are a great way to clean wood floors in busy households with kids and pets where the floor really gets a lot of traffic but often unnecessary in homes that tend to stay pretty clean.
Can you steam clean wood floors.
That s true whether you have solid or engineered wood floors and for bamboo too.
We all know that water is one of the biggest enemies of hardwood floors since the wood is very absorbent and the water can cause the wood to warp or buckle over time.
Hardwood is naturally a very absorbent material and exposure to water can cause it to plump warp twist and mold.
From rain mud snow and salt to leaves dirt and more seasonal changes come with a variety of factors that can dull your hardwood floor.
Some wood floor warranties may become null and void if you use steam cleaner against the manufacture s recommendation.
Engineered hardwood flooring is manufactured by taking a thin slice of hardwood and adhering it to a filler backing such as a high quality plywood.
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.
Or use any kind of water to clean them in fact.
Some steam mop manufacturers such as shark and bissell may say you can use it on a sealed hardwood floor but.
Sealed hardwood floors can withstand the moisture and heat from a steam mop and they clean really nicely with a streak free finish.
Most of these sites swear that a dry cloth is the only way to clean hardwood flooring.
It takes just a little effort to maintain hardwood floors and keep them looking great starting with getting into a cleaning and maintenance routine.
Steam mopping can be a fast and easy way to clean your wood floors but you have to be careful and consider the risks.
Cleaning your hardwood floor isn t a one and done deal.
However avoid using a steam mop on unsealed hardwoods as they re more vulnerable and easily damaged by excessive moisture.