Disinfecting

Disinfecting your wood floors help destroy bacteria, germs and fungus. Your floors contain a lot of bacteria and germs from pets, spillage and dirt from outside.

General routine cleaning of your floors remove dust, dirt and soil, but does not remove microorganisms that exist on the surface. You need to disinfect your floors.

Lysol and household bleach

are effective for disinfecting your floors but does not fare well for wood floors because of the harsh ingredients. So how do you disinfect your wood floor?

Two Ways to Disinfect Your Floors

1. Disinfect using White vinegar and water

• • Distilled white vinegar is natural and non toxic. The acidic nature of white vinegar makes it effective for killing pathogens, removing dirt and grime and killing bacteria fungus.

It is safe for pets and humans, however, incorrect use of vinegar and water can harm your floors if you are not careful. Use the right concentration( ½ a cup per gallon of water) and make sure to prevent standing water on the surface of your floors.

2. Disinfect by Steam Clean

• • The high temperature of steam kills bacteria and germs.

Most wood floor manufacturers discourage owners from using steam. Incorrect use of steam can greatly damage your wood floor. Before you steam a wood floor surface, ensure that your floor is properly sealed. Set your device to produce dry steam that has little amount of water for faster drying.

According to NWFA

Routine cleaning of your wood floors involves sweeping, dust mopping, or vacuuming using the bare floor setting to remove dust and dirt. Clean spills immediately with a dry or slightly damp cloth. Don’t use wet mops or steam mops, which will damage the finish and the wood over long periods of time.