Cleaning Different Hard Floors

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Cleaning Different Hard Floors

What each floor tolerates, how much water, products to avoid and daily care

Hard floors look similar and tolerate very different treatment, and most damage comes from too much water or the wrong product.

Sealed hardwood and engineered wood

Sweep or vacuum first, then a barely damp microfibre mop with a cleaner made for wood. Never flood it, never use steam, and deal with spills immediately, since water entering the joints swells the core and lifts edges.

Avoid vinegar, which dulls the finish over time, and anything oily that leaves a film.

Laminate

The most water-sensitive of all, because the core is fibreboard. Damp mop only, and check the manufacturer's guidance, since many void warranties where steam has been used.

Vinyl and LVT

Tolerant and easy — a damp mop with a neutral cleaner. Avoid abrasive pads and strong solvents, which dull the wear layer, and use felt pads under furniture, since it marks.

Tile and porcelain

The most robust, and the grout is the weak point. A neutral cleaner rather than anything acidic on natural stone or cement grout, and seal grout periodically.

Natural stone — marble, limestone, travertine — is damaged by acids including vinegar and lemon, and needs a stone-specific cleaner and sealing.

Mops and machines

Flat microfibre mops with washable pads clean better than string mops and use far less water. Wash pads without fabric softener, which clogs microfibre and destroys absorbency.

Wash floor cloths separately from everything else, and change water when it looks dirty rather than at the end.

Robot vacuums

Excellent for daily maintenance and not a replacement for occasional proper cleaning. Clear cables and small objects first, and empty and clean the brush regularly.

Keeping floors looking good

Doormats inside and out at every entrance trap the grit that causes most scratching. Take shoes off indoors if you want floors to last, which is the single most effective measure.

Deal with spills immediately, particularly on wood and laminate, and never leave water standing at a joint.

Rugs and furniture

Felt pads under every leg, checked and replaced as they wear, and a rug pad that does not mark the finish underneath.

Grout and edges

Grout discolours because it is porous rather than dirty in the ordinary sense. Clean it with a soft brush and a neutral cleaner, seal it annually, and replace silicone rather than scrubbing discoloured sealant.

Skirting boards and door frames collect more dust than the floor itself.

Keep a separate mop head for the kitchen and the bathroom.

Daily care

Grit is what scratches floors, so a doormat at every entrance and regular vacuuming does more than any mop.

Felt pads under every chair and table leg.

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