Are Steam Mops Safe To Use On Hardwood Floors

Steam exposes your wood floors to extreme heat and water.

Are steam mops safe to use on hardwood floors.

Ceramic and porcelain wood floors. The short answer is yes you can use steam mops on hardwood floors. 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. 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. Avoid using steam mops on engineered hardwood floors. Moisture can seep between the layers weakening the bond and permanently damaging the 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.

Alternatives to the steam mop to clean hardwood floors. However even hairline gaps between boards are not bridged by the. If your floor is sealed you can clean it with steam at medium or low settings. This can cause damage warping bending and rot.

Avoid using a steam mop on wood. But don t use steam mops on hardwood floors that aren t sealed. 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.

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 flooring will come with a manufacturer s or a retailer s warranty. Mop manufacturers claim the mops are safe to use on a variety of flooring. If your wood flooring has a surface penetrating floor sealer use a damp cloth rather than a mop.

Using steam can void the flooring s warranty. Be careful using a steam mop on other types of flooring even for non wood flooring you need to. Most hardwood floors are finished with polyurethane a moisture resistant finish. Drastic temperature changes and moisture may warp the wood says steve stocki manager of marketing and merchandising at lumber liquidators.