When we moved into our house 2.5 years ago we decided to pretty much gut it and start from scratch. One of the most important things for us was hardwood floors. I cannot stand carpet or cleaning the carpet. Once we saw our beautiful brand new oak floors, we knew that it was worth every penny. They were perfectly shiny and beautiful! I was thrilled that I would never have to carry a vacuum cleaner around the house!
Never having had hard wood floors, I was not quite sure how to best clean them. So I researched several products and found that many people swore by Murphey's Oil. I decided to try it out. Immediately I loved the smell...my floors sure smelled clean...but after drying they were streaked. "Maybe I am not cleaning them right," I thought. So I went to my usual Internet resource and looked at what other people were doing. Apparently, hard wood hates water, so it is best to use a spray and a micro fibre cloth on a mop. And so I did...I mixed the Murpheys Oil with the appropriate amount of water and poured it into a spray bottle. It sure took longer but at least I knew my floors were not going to warp from the excess water and I certainly liked not dragging a bucket around with me. However, even this did not give me the result I wanted...as soon as the sun set on the floors there were those darn streaks again! About a year in a half into using the Murphey's Oil I noticed my floors looking extremely dull. I ran across an article that said any cleaner that had a detergent as the active ingredient was the WORST thing for your floors! Essentially, once the water evaporates all that is left is the detergent and that is what makes the streaks. It was not until I read into this a little bit further that I got really upset...Murphey's Oil makes floors look dull! I freaked out and threw every bottle into the garbage immediately!
Angry and hopeless, I began yet another search for a good floor cleaner. A friend of mine said that his cleaning lady used the Swiffer Wet Jet and loved it for his floors. So I ran to my nearest target and bought the Swiffer for $29.95. I liked not having to carry a bucket or a spray bottle around with me and it was great to be able to pull it out for quick clean-ups like shoe marks and spills. It worked great on my tile in the laundry room, but that's where the good news ended. Those streaks were back! It honestly seemed that I was losing the battle.
I spoke to a number of cleaning ladies and they all recommended good ole' Windex and a terry cloth. "Just get down on your knees and wipe down after each spray, making sure to clean in the direction the wood planks are laid." Well I followed their advice...and my floors were looking better. I had given up hope of them ever looking like they used to because I knew that Murphey's Oil had ruined them for good! However, they were looking better, at least those darn streaks were gone. Nonetheless, this was exhausting...working a 60-80 hour week and still having to take care of cooking and up keeping the rest of the house, this method was just way too time consuming.
On a recent trip to my favorite store, Bed Bath and Beyond, I went into the mop aisle to try and see if I can find a better micro fibre mop. Then I noticed a line of products that I really never paid much attention to : The Bona Products. I went home to read up on them and they came very highly recommended by consumers and professionals alike! They just came out with a brand new mop that had the spray bottle already attached to it! The best part was there was no need for batteries because it has a special ergonomic design!
I went and bought the mop immediately. I knew that Bed Bath and Beyond had a great return policy and if this product was not all it was cracked out to be, I could return it. Fortunately, I will not need to to return this :) It is amazing! The pad is removable and can be washed in your regular laundry machine. The spray is more of a fine mist that covers an area evenly. It is also completely safe for pets and children. But most of all...my floors are looking clean and rejuvenated! No more streaks or back pain from the cleaning on my hands and knees! I clean my kitchen floors every night now and my living room every other day. It is so easy and rewarding to see my floors coming back to life!
Here is the link for The Bona Mop...I would recommend this product to anyone who is just plain sick and tired of the old methods. This product also comes in a special formula for tile and stone floors so almost anyone will be able to use it!
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