Hardwood is beautiful, but it’s also an investment. Take the time to correctly clean and shine without harsh chemicals. Keep these handy ideas in mind when taking care of your floors!

• Try water and vinegar
  A combination of water and white vinegar is one option for a natural hardwood floor cleaner, as vinegar’s acidic content makes it effective on stains and grime. However, too strong a solution of vinegar can erode sealant on hardwood, so make sure to use the proper ratio of water to vinegar. To mop your hardwood floors, mix a gallon of warm water and ½ cup of white vinegar, squeezing as much excess water out of the mop as possible—it’s important not to saturate wood floors with water.

• Combine olive oil and lemon juice
  The acidity of lemon mixed with the shine and hydrating nature of olive oil makes for a perfect, cost-effective hardwood floor polish. Other store-brand polishes that claim to leave floors shiny can actually leave a dirt-attracting film that olive oil does not. To keep wood surfaces looking like new, polish them with a combination of ½ teaspoon olive oil and ¼ cup lemon juice.



• Use tea bags
  The next time you make a cup of black tea, consider steeping a few more bags and using the tea as a spot cleaner for your hardwood floors. Dip a towel into the tea after it’s done steeping, wring it out to remove excess liquid just until it’s damp, and wipe your floors clean.