Can You Use A Steam Mop On Prefinished Hardwood Floors

Hardwood is naturally a very absorbent material and exposure to water can cause it to plump warp twist and mold.

Can you use a steam mop on prefinished hardwood floors.

If you prefer you can vacuum your floors on the hard wood setting. Can you use a steam mop on hardwood floors lets talk about your wood floors. Laminate flooring is made up of prefinished planks and the seams between the planks are not sealed. The premise is that despite mop manufacturer claims the steam from the mop moves through cracks in the floor more easily than water which penetrates below the sealer and the moisture.

You may not notice problems after the first few uses on a hardwood. One of the advantages of prefinished hardwood flooring is that the factory applied finish is baked on making it more durable and. However avoid using a steam mop on unsealed hardwoods as they re more vulnerable and easily damaged by excessive moisture. To mop your floors use a slightly damp dry mop or yarn mop with the flooring manufacturer s recommended liquid cleaner.

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. Over time vinegar and water will dull the floor s finish while soap or wax will leave a residue. A steam cleaner by its very nature uses water heated to a very hot vapor to clean and disinfect the surface of a floor. They vary in density color some have close graining whilst others have a more open grain.

The mop pushes steam through cracks and crevices to force dirt out and the steam readily penetrates the joints between boards. While researching the use of steam mops on hardwood floors i came across article after article that cautioned against using a steam mop on hardwood floors. Steam cleaners put heat and excessive water on your floor which can lead to cupping and long term damage. Sealed hardwood floors can withstand the moisture and heat from a steam mop and they clean really nicely with a streak free finish.

How to clean and maintain engineered prefinished hardwood floors. There is a huge variety of different woods you can use for flooring. 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. The seams can let steam reach the core of the flooring material which is highly vulnerable to moisture.