Natural Wood Floor Cleaning and Care

How to keep Real Wood floors clean and shiny without nasty chemicals

When we moved into the farmhouse it was the first time I had real wood floors! We had laminate in the old house and I successfully cleaned them with my steam mop. I knew steam would not be a wood friendly routine so I started looking around for a new routine. Time and again I was faced with the latest and greatest products, chock full of chemicals that would disrupt hormone function, add to indoor air pollution among other things! I set out to create my own line of wood floor cleaners that would be super easy to make and use, sans harsh chemicals. 

Before we begin, you may be wondering about the bottles you have stashed under the kitchen sink. Are they safe? When I am not sure, I refer to The Environmental Working Group. The website and app are wonderful tools to help you make better choices for your family whether its grading the cleaning products in your cupboard or picking a granola bar out at the grocery store. 

Ok, back to the easy peasy wood floor cleaner! I have two super recipes to share. My first is my go-to cleaner. I put equal parts vinegar and water into the bottle on my Shark Sonic Duo Floor Cleaner. Then I add 10-15 drops lemon/spearmint essential oil. You could use all sorts of different essential oils and blends for this but these are the two I prefer. I have used this in my steam mop and the sonic duo with success. You can also put this in a spray bottle and use any mop or rag. This recipe is versatile. 

When I want to clean and polish the wood floors this is the recipe I use:
1/2 cup olive oil (I use the cheap stuff since I'm not eating it)
1/2 cup distilled vinegar
15 drops essential oils ( I used 5 lemon, 5 wild orange and 5 tangerine)

I add all the ingredients to a spray bottle and spray sparingly before running the Sonic Duo over the area. A littel goes a long way. If you get too liberal your floors will be slick, ask my four year old! 

This combination cleans the floors and gives them a nice shine. I love using citrus oils in my cleaning routine. They are powerful germ fighters and effective grime busters. Not to mention the smell is very uplifting. 

---

Check out the difference after using the DIY wood floor cleaner and polish!

Primary benefits of lemon essential oil: purifies air and surface, supports healthy respiratory function and has an energizing and uplifting aroma
Primary benefits of wild orange essential oil:  supports immune system function, natural cleanser, and uplifting to mood
Primary benefits of tangerine essential oil:  refreshing and happy aroma, supports digestion, immune and respiratory function, naturally cleansing
Primary benefits of spearmint essential oil: supports digestive system, provides a fresh, sweet aroma, stimulates cognitive function 

Learn more about how essential oils can become an integrative part of your lifestyle here and read about what led me to essential oils in the first place nearly six years ago, ​