Will Ammonia And Water Hurt Hardwood Floors

Barbara hoffmeyer is the office manager for property care hardwood floors a bloomfield hills mich based family owned and operated business specializing in hardwood flooring since 1992.

Will ammonia and water hurt hardwood floors.

Ammonia is a powerful disinfectant and cleaner but it must be used properly so as not to provoke respiratory problems or irritations in humans this is why you must always mix 1 part ammonia and 4 parts water. When using ammonia it must be in an extremely diluted form no more than 1 or 2 teaspoons in 2 gallons of tepid water. Using ammonia to clean a wood floor will take years off of its life. Water and hardwood floors don t mix.

A lot of commercial cleaning products use parrafin wax and various oils that are impermeable to polyurethaned floors. Unlike vinegar however ammonia is a base with a ph around 11 similar to household bleach. Ammonia is a wax stripper best suited for removing acrylic waxes on hardwood floors. Does ammonia take wax off vinyl floors.

This measure is completely effective for cleaning wood and it s harmless to human health. It is an alcohol and ammonia based product. Steam cleaners are bad news you should only use steam cleaners on carpets and other surfaces that they are designed for. Ammonia is one of those miracle cleaners for many materials but it will only hurt your hardwood floor.

Just don t use vinegar and water to clean hardwood floors. That s why you should clean old wax regularly and the. Because it s not a neutral ph it can be harsh on the finish causing discoloration over time. Better options follow below.

Apply with a well wrung mop and rinse floor well with pure water. Avoid using a string or sponge mop to clean since they don t do a good job of absorbing water once they re fully soaked. Glass cleaners have become trendy for wood flooring applications. Ammonia can discolor and take away a few years from your floor s life.

So when you do have a cleaning product around that you d like to use on your floor check the ingredients and if there is ammonia included do not use it. Using a steam cleaner on a hardwood floor can cause peeling cracking and cloudiness in the finish. Using vinegar and water as a homemade hardwood floor cleaning solution can have a negative effect on your hardwood floor. While water can be used as part of the cleaning process too much water on a hardwood floor can damage floors and alter its look.

Avoid ammonia ammonia will discolor deteriorate and dull the finish. About this angie s list expert. Tom hoffmeyer the. But also like vinegar ammonia is bad news for your hardwood floors.