How To Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors: 3 Easy Methods

by

If you want flooring that adds immediate warmth to your living spaces without compromising on character, you can’t go wrong with engineered hardwood floors. They’re usually high quality and durable, but they’re not immune to dust and stains. So, how do you clean engineered hardwood floors?

To clean engineered hardwood floors, start by using a soft-bristled broom to remove loose dirt and debris, then vacuum the floor gently. Next, use a damp microfiber mop to remove any dirt you might have missed. Apply the recommended engineered hardwood floor cleaner to remove tough stains.

Proper care is essential if you want to keep your hardwood floors in tip-top shape. That said, you must follow the correct cleaning and maintenance tips or you risk damaging the floor. Let’s take a closer look at everything you should know to get started.

What’s the Best Way to Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors?

a woman washes the floor in a hard-to-reach place

Engineered hardwood flooring sports the look and feel of traditional hardwood, but it’s actually a hardwood layer that’s combined with laminate underneath. This design allows the floors to have greater support, meaning they can withstand higher temperatures and moisture fluctuations.

However, engineered hardwood flooring still has a real wood veneer, meaning there’s a limit to its water resistance.

So, while cleaning, you don’t want to expose the material to excessive moisture. If you do, it will swell with ingress and get damaged, forcing you to install new flooring. 

Likewise, you should take care of any accidental spills immediately to prevent water from seeping through the wood or staining it.

Supplies You’ll Need

Here’s how to clean your engineered hardwood floors safely without damaging the finish:

1. Sweep With a Broom to Remove Dirt & Debris

Loose dirt, pieces of rock, and other debris get tracked into your house daily. If left on your hardwood floor, they’ll gradually grind into its surface and scuff or leave dents on the top hardwood layer. 

They can also scratch the veneer on top of the hardwood flooring and destroy its luster. So, to keep your engineered hardwood floor in good shape, use a soft-bristled broom to sweep away the dirt. Do this regularly to maximize the floor’s durability.

Pay special attention to areas that receive heavy traffic and are likely to collect more dirt, such as the entrance. Sweep the dust and debris into a dustpan, then dispose of it outside.

2. Vacuum the Floor Gently

Experts recommend you follow with a vacuum after sweeping, or at least vacuum once a week to prevent dirt buildup. This reduces the risk of creating microscopic scratches in the planks, which dulls the floor’s luster in the long run.

While at it, be sure to set your vacuum to “hard wood” mode. This disables the rotating bristle bar which could otherwise scratch and scuff the veneer surface on your engineered hardwood floor. Such damage is irreversible, so be sure to steer clear of it.

3. Mop With a Slightly Damp Microfiber Mop

Mop the floor with a slightly damp microfiber mop, not a wet one. Remember, we don’t want to saturate the wood with moisture or it can get damaged. If you don’t have a microfiber mop, you can use a traditional yarn mop.

Ensure you wring out all the water from your mop thoroughly before using it. A slightly damp mop removes the dust and dirt your broom or vacuum may have missed. 

It also removes light stains from liquids that may have spilled on the floor. If you notice excess water on a floor you’ve just mopped, clean it up with a microfiber towel.

4. Apply the Recommended Floor Cleaner

If a section of the floor is particularly dirty, stained, or sticky, you should clean it up with a floor cleaner recommended by your floor’s manufacturer. 

Since some cleaners may need to be diluted with water, it’s important you read the instructions on the label before using yours.

Apply a small amount of the cleaner directly on the affected surface and spread it with a slightly damp microfiber mop or towel. Wipe in repeated circular motions until the stain has been completely removed, adding more cleaner as needed.

To clean small spaces that you can’t easily reach with your mop, you may need to scrub by hand. Pour a small amount of the hardwood floor cleaner onto a clean microfiber cloth and dab or wipe gently on the affected area.

Don’t leave excess cleaner on your floor after you’ve gotten rid of a stain. Wipe it off immediately with a microfiber cloth or clean paper towel.

What Is the Best Cleaner for Engineered Wood? 

The best cleaner for engineered hardwood is usually the one recommended by your floor manufacturer. If you’re not sure of what to use, feel free to contact your manufacturer or check the information on their website.

Different types of engineered hardwood may require different cleaners, so using the wrong type or brand of cleaner can result in serious damage to your floor.

If the manufacturer doesn’t recommend a particular hardwood brand of cleaning agent, you can purchase a liquid product designed for hardwood floors from your local hardware store or online. 

You can also check the flooring and cleaning sections of a larger home supply store like Home Depot or Lowe’s for some good options.

These are some of the best floor cleaners experts recommend for engineered hardwood:

While some websites may tout the use of vinegar, home cleaning experts strongly advise against using it. Vinegar contains acetic acid, a weak acid that may gradually damage your floor’s finish. 

You also want to avoid abrasive cleaners and products containing ammonia as it can erode or mar the veneer on the upper layer of your hardwood floor. Moreover, you should never use products designed for vinyl or tile flooring as they can permanently damage your hardwood floor.

Can You Steam-Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors? 

You can never use a steam cleaner on your engineered hardwood floor. That’s because a steam cleaner can direct too much moisture into the delicate laminate underlying the top hardwood layer, causing the layers to separate.

While a steam cleaner can be a useful tool for working on a carpeted floor, it can potentially cause more damage to engineered hardwood than other forms of cleaning that use excess water. 

It’s even worse than using an overly wet mop because it forces the moisture beyond the veneer and top hardwood layer into the plywood or fiberboard laminate.

How Often Should You Mop Your Engineered Hardwood Floors?

Modern woman at home in sunny day wet cleaning floor

There’s no fixed rule as to how often you should mop your engineered hardwood floor, but following a regular maintenance routine can help protect it from scratches and dents that will dull the finish.

As a good practice, however, you should sweep the floor at least three times a week to remove dust and debris. You should also mop rooms with higher foot traffic at least once a week. For less-used areas, you can sweep and mop fortnightly or once a month.

And if you notice the floor is beginning to dull, it’s a good time to bring out the mop. Ensure it’s only damp to a reasonable degree, not wet.

There are a few other circumstances that will force you to disrupt your normal cleaning or mopping routine. In the event of accidental spills, you should mop or wipe the floor immediately. Blot gently at the spilled liquid to wipe it up rather than using forceful pressure.

If the spilled liquid sits on the floor for any length of time, it could soak in and damage the veneer or the underlying layers. And even if you don’t notice it immediately, the wood can absorb a substantial amount of liquid and warp or distort. Some liquids can also cause permanent stains.

If the liquid residue has already formed stubborn stains, apply the recommended hardwood floor cleaner and wipe gently. Don’t use a tough abrasive brush or steel wool to scrub the floor.

Leave a Comment