By comparison, traditional damp mopping can take a long time to cover the surface area of a whole kitchen, leaving behind streaks of whichever chemicals you’re using in your cleaning solution. So can you actually use a steam mop on hardwood floors? Well, yes and no. Opinion is very divided, even among the professional cleaning community. It largely depends on whether it’s sealed and how willing you are to take the risk of water damage. Not all of the best steam mops (opens in new tab) are created equal, and how efficiently they deliver steam without leaking is crucial to whether you feel comfortable using them on your wooden flooring.
How often you should clean hardwood floors
If you have hardwood floors, you’ll already know that they are a magnet for dust bunnies. You’ll want to sweep or hoover more or less every day to keep it totally dust– and debris–free but mopping can be done less frequently. In high-traffic areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms, or living areas, once a week should be fine. Repeat cleaning as often as necessary, especially if the area becomes soiled, to avoid the wood becoming stained.
Risks of using a steam mop on hardwood floors
The reason that many professionals do not recommend using a steam mop on hardwood flooring is because of the risk of damage it poses if the moisture penetrates beneath the surface of the wood. This can lead to the following issues with your wooden flooring, often progressing from one stage to the next: • Warping out of its original shape • Expanding and ultimately not fitting together • Creating raised edges on the wood which could become trip hazards • Discoloration and patchy areas of hyperpigmentation • The grain rising in the wood • Splitting • Rotting Understandably, this can put some people off even attempting to use a steam mop on hardwood floors. When used on unsealed wood, the water permeates into the wood, causing the various issues discussed above. It’s a big enough issue that using a steam mop on hardwood floors often invalidates its insurance if you have it covered under a specific policy. To try and better understand if we should be using a steam mop on hardwood floors, we spoke to professional cleaner Kaylie Ross, of Peachy Clean Carlisle (opens in new tab). As the owner of a professional domestic cleaning business, she gives us her take on how she handles the topic with clients. Ultimately Kaylie acknowledges that the customer will know better whether the floors have been sealed and whether or not they are willing to take the risk with their own flooring. She advises caution when cleaning with a steam mop on hardwood floors, only ever using it on the lowest setting the appliance has, in order to limit the amount of water making contact with the wood and potentially waterlogging it.
Steam mops ‘designed’ for hardwood floors
At this point, you might be wondering whether it’s possible to use a steam mop on hardwood floors at all and if it’s worth the risks. Steam mopping does have some serious benefits that are worth considering, such as being considered an environmentally friendly option due to the high heat of the steam acting as a disinfectant instead of harsh chemicals. There are specific steam mops that claim to be designed for use on hardwood floors that have been sealed. Sealing essentially means that the wood itself has been coated in a sealant such as polyurethane or varnish, which protects the natural fiber of the wood, creating a barrier against any moisture (wax and oil aren’t effective waterproofing sealants against a steam mop). This is what makes it, in the view of some, suitable for use with a steam mop. However, it’s worth mentioning that no sealant lasts forever. Patches may erode, especially with frequent steam cleaning, and leave flooring vulnerable to moisture getting in. Steam mops that are engineered specifically for use with hardwood floors are designed to take advantage of ‘dry steam’ and operate on a gentle, low water setting at very high heat. This ‘dry steam’ cleans at extremely high temperatures, sanitizing with heat and leaving very little water residue behind due to evaporation. If you try it yourself, remember to keep your steam mop moving, as forcing the steam down into one area for too long risks over-wetting it. As the steam is pressurized, it will permeate unprotected wood much more easily than a wet mop. This is why it may also erode the finish on your wood, dulling it.
Can you use a steam mop on engineered wood flooring?
In case you’re wondering, engineered wood flooring is still real wood. The wood is just structured into thinner layers, instead of being made from pure hardwood. Typically there is a strong baseboard made from a cheaper but strong material such as ply. The top layer is between 2mm and 6mm thick and is pure hardwood, almost always coated in lacquer or varnish for extra strength. This method allows less expensive hardwood to be used, making it a more affordable option. As the top layer of engineered wood flooring is the same as using a steam mop on hardwood floors, the same advice stands. If it’s sealed then you can attempt to steam mop on a gentle setting. However, something to be mindful of is that engineered wood is usually a lot thinner than traditional hardwood planks. This means that if water does permeate it, it will take less time to warp it out of shape, so use caution.
Can you use a steam mop on vinyl wood flooring?
Vinyl wood flooring is a popular type of flooring that mimics the look of wood grain, but is actually made up of engineered planks made from hardened PVC. As PVC is a plastic, it’s not advisable to use a steam mop due to the risk of the high temperatures of the steam warping and damaging the surface of the flooring. Vinyl wood flooring often relies on closely fitting the joints of the planks together, so any warping from heat is also likely to prevent them from fitting together properly. Another safety issue is that glue is often used underneath vinyl wood flooring to stabilize it. The pressurized steam may breach the joints of the flooring, reaching the glue and melting it. This would cause further destabilization of the flooring. Discover more guides for the home… Best top load washers (opens in new tab) Best dishwashers (opens in new tab) Best dryers (opens in new tab) Best steam mops (opens in new tab) Best robot vacuums (opens in new tab)
