Are Steam Mops Safe To Use On Hardwood Floors

Be careful using a steam mop on other types of flooring even for non wood flooring you need to.

Are steam mops safe to use on hardwood floors.

The short answer is yes you can use steam mops on hardwood floors. 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. Although it may be tempting to deep clean your hardwood floors with a steam mop don t. Alternatives to the steam mop to clean hardwood floors.

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. Most hardwood floors are finished with polyurethane a moisture resistant finish. Moisture can seep between the layers weakening the bond and permanently damaging the floors. But don t use steam mops on hardwood floors that aren t sealed.

If your wood flooring has a surface penetrating floor sealer use a damp cloth rather than a mop. 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. Avoid using steam mops on engineered hardwood floors. Drastic temperature changes and moisture may warp the wood says steve stocki manager of marketing and merchandising at lumber liquidators.

In fact the steam mop comes into its own on these types of floors. Though durable on the surface engineered hardwoods are bonded using adhesives and the steam cleaning can affect the quality of those adhesives. 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 a steam mop on wood.

This can cause damage warping bending and rot. Mop manufacturers claim the mops are safe to use on a variety of flooring. 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. Steam exposes your wood floors to extreme heat and water.

It s common for steam mop manufacturers to warn against using steam mops on unsealed floors a vague direction. Most hardwood flooring will come with a manufacturer s or a retailer s warranty. However even hairline gaps between boards are not bridged by the. The fact is there s no such thing as a completely sealed wood or laminate floor.