It wasn’t until my first baby started crawling did I really start thinking about what I was using to clean my wood floors. I had been loyal to a popular pine-scented cleaning concentrate for most of my adult life. Since I was on a mission to eliminate harmful chemicals from my home, the toxic cleaner had to go. Most of our home was covered in wood, so it was time to find a safer option for our floors.
Luckily, it is so easy to make effective, homemade cleaners to use around your home. So grab some vinegar from the pantry and your essential oils, and let’s make some Homemade Wood Floor Cleaner!!
Wiggly babies spend a lot of time on the floor. They also put their hands in their mouths every chance they get. Residue left over from cleaners can get transferred to our bare feet, our hands, and even tiny animal paws.
Most popular cleaning brands contain chemicals that disrupt hormones, cause respiratory problems, and irritate the skin on contact. Although we are not consuming cleaners, they are still coming into contact with our bodies.
This gentle homemade cleaner will leave your floors shiny and polished, with no harmful chemicals involved. The best part is, you don’t have to worry about any toxic ingredients getting spread around your house. Keep it simple!
Household Staples
Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the best natural cleaning agents out there, and you probably already have it in your home for cooking. You will find vinegar in many of our household cleaning recipes.
Vinegar is a fermented liquid that contains acetic acid. White vinegar used for cleaning should be diluted with water at a 2:1 ratio. Vinegar is also perfect in your laundry routine since it can eliminate foul smells.
*Vinegar is not recommended for use on stone surfaces since it is acidic. If you have a combination of tile or stone and wood, check out this Tile Floor Cleaner Recipe.
Essential Oils
We already know essential oils are powerful cleaning agents. Lemon, pine, tea tree, and even eucalyptus have been used in commercial cleaning products for years. Why not go directly to the source and use pure essential oils instead?
My favorite combination to use on my wood floors is Orange and Cedarwood. The limonene in the orange is perfect for tackling dirt and germs, while the cedarwood conditions and shines.
I absolutely love the smell of these two essential oils combined. I often diffuse this combo when I’m trying to unwind. Plus, they are both priced at about $11 (wholesale) for a 15ml bottle, making it a cost-effective blend for cleaning.
Tips for Cleaning Wood Floors
-When cleaning wooden floors, it is important to use as little water as possible. Simply spray the solution on a washable microfiber mop and run over floors in the direction of the grain. This will ensure your floors never get too wet.
-Warm or hot water evaporates faster than cold water, making it ideal for wood floors. Excess water can cause warping or even damage to your floors over time.
-If you want to give your floors a bit of shine, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the mix. It will give your floors the right amount of conditioning without being greasy. I’ve also used avocado oil with great results!
-Be sure to spot test any new cleaning recipe on a hidden patch of your wood floors. Flooring materials can vary in color and finish, so you don’t want to use anything that might damage the wood.
New to essential oils? Learn more about how we use them and why you should use them as well.
Homemade Wood Floor Cleaner
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm distilled water
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 10 drops orange essential oil
- 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- 16 oz spray bottle
Directions
- Remove any dust and dirt from floors
- Add water and vinegar to the spray bottle
- Mix in essential oils. Swirl to combine
- Spray on floors and clean with a microfiber mop
You can mix up the essential oils in this recipe. Try it with Pine and Lemon.
What’s the purpose behind using distilled water? Is it ok to use regular water?
Thanks!
Distilled water lengthens the shelf life in a DIY recipe. If you are making this in large quantities you would want to used distilled water. Regular tap water is fine for a single use within about 2-3 weeks.