Are Steam Mops Safe To Use On Hardwood Floors

However even hairline gaps between boards are not bridged by the.

Are steam mops safe to use on hardwood floors.

Using steam can void the flooring s warranty. Avoid using a steam mop on wood. If your floor is sealed you can clean it with steam at medium or low settings. Most hardwood floors are finished with polyurethane a moisture resistant finish.

Be careful using a steam mop on other types of flooring even for non wood flooring you need to. If your wood flooring has a surface penetrating floor sealer use a damp cloth rather than a mop. Steam exposes your wood floors to extreme heat and water. The premise is that despite mop manufacturer claims the steam from the mop moves through cracks in the floor more easily than water which penetrates below the sealer and the moisture.

The fact is there s no such thing as a completely sealed wood or laminate floor. While researching the use of steam mops on hardwood floors i came across article after article that cautioned against using a steam mop on hardwood floors. Some of these now look remarkably like real wood floors and just like vinyl floors it is perfectly safe to use steam mops of these types of floors. Drastic temperature changes and moisture may warp the wood says steve stocki manager of marketing and merchandising at lumber liquidators.

The short answer is yes you can use steam mops on hardwood floors. But don t use steam mops on hardwood floors that aren t sealed. Though durable on the surface engineered hardwoods are bonded using adhesives and the steam cleaning can affect the quality of those adhesives. This can cause damage warping bending and rot.

Mop manufacturers claim the mops are safe to use on a variety of flooring. It s common for steam mop manufacturers to warn against using steam mops on unsealed floors a vague direction. This will outline how long the floor should last under normal usage and guarantees its replacement if the material fails due to structural problems. Avoid using steam mops on engineered hardwood floors.

Ceramic and porcelain wood floors. Although it may be tempting to deep clean your hardwood floors with a steam mop don t. But ultimately it s not a good idea to use a steam mop on hardwood and you should be careful using a mop on laminate. Moisture can seep between the layers weakening the bond and permanently damaging the floors.