How to Clean Bamboo Floors Safely

Like other hardwood floors, bamboo flooring needs good care and maintenance to look its best and stay durable.

Cleaning of bamboo floors is an easy process that should be done periodically to get rid of dust, spills, stains, and scuff marks. Keeping your bamboo floors clean will help them stay in their best shape as long as possible. So, here is a guide on how to clean bamboo floors safely.

How often to clean a bamboo flooring

Simply put, cleaning should be done on a regular basis. What “regular basis” means, however, depends on the usage of the floor.

Daily cleaning is appropriate for areas with high traffic such as the kitchen, hallways, or rooms children play in, for example. Feel free to extrapolate these ideas to your own house.

Spills and wet spots need to be cleaned up immediately to prevent stains and warping of the floor.

On a monthly basis, mopping with a suitable hardwood floor cleaner helps to remove sticky dirt, bad smells, and light stains from the floor.

Remember to follow product label instructions and test the cleaner on a small, hidden area first.

How to Clean Bamboo Floors Safely

Dust and other small debris should be vacuumed or swept using a soft bristle broom. By the way, if you are not sure do the soft bristles matter, check out our guide here.

If left on the floor for long, these hard tiny particles of dirt and sand can dig into the finish of the floor, causing dents and scratches. Dirty floors can also feel slippery and look dull.

Cleaning is thus an essential maintenance practice that protects your bamboo from looking dull, keeps the surface finish intact, and enhances the visual appeal of the floors.

Bear in mind that, while it sounds simple, the wrong cleaning approach is capable of damaging your floors.

Although hard, bamboo flooring is delicate when it comes to the type of cleaning products used.

For example, using a vacuum that has a beater bar on bamboo floors will cause regrettable scratches. Similarly, flooding the floor with water or a cleaning solution will make it swell, warp, or twist.

How to Clean Bamboo Flooring

What you’ll Need

  • A vacuum cleaner without a beater bar
  • Soft bristle broom and a dust pan
  • Microfiber dust mop
  • Clean microfiber rag or sponge
  • Hardwood floor cleaner such as Bona
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Mop bucket and a dry towel

Steps

1. Cleaning spills

Soak up any liquid spills immediately with a sponge or dry microfiber rag.

Follow with a water-dampened soft cloth. Wipe clean the spot or spill area and dry it with a clean, soft towel.

2. Vacuum or sweeping

Use a vacuum that has a felt head, a soft bristle broom, or a dust mop to clean dust and any other dirt particles.

Safely dispose the debris into a dust bin.

3. Stains removal

If you notice dried spills or surface stains after sweeping, simply dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water and rub the area.

If the trick does not work, dampen a piece of cloth with a hardwood cleaning solution and gently rub the area to lift the stain. Follow with another clean cloth dampened with water to remove the cleaning solution and apply a soft towel to dry the area.

Ingrained stains may need a commercial stain remover or light sanding and refinishing of the area. This applies to stains that have penetrated the finish into the wood. They are usually impossible to be removed by surface scrubbing.

4. Mopping

Saturate a mop with an appropriate hardwood floor cleaner and wring out excess solution. Gently mop the floor in a circular pattern.

Follow with a mop or rag dampened with clean water to rinse out the solution. Wipe the floor dry with a clean, soft towel or let it air dry.

Can You Use Vinegar on Bamboo Floors?

Vinegar is a DIY cleaning solution that is safe, non-toxic, and an effective remover of dirt and stains. Unlike most commercial cleaning solutions that might be harsh on your floors, vinegar is an all natural cleaner you can use on your bamboo flooring or any other hardwood floors.

Full-strength vinegar is still harsh on floors, so you need to dilute it before using. Fill a clean bucket with one gallon of warm water and add a half (1/2) cup of white vinegar. Stir the mixture to form a solution.

Immerse a clean mop into the solution and wring it until it is damp-dry and mop your floors. Mop in the direction of the flooring boards. After mopping, use a soft, clean towel to dry the floors.

Remember to rinse the mop head frequently and change your cleaning solution if it begins to look too dirty. Vinegar cleaner is gentle, anti-microbial, and low odor, so there is no need to rinse it from the floor.

Once done, you should have nice smelling, sparkling clean, and shiny bamboo floors.

Can I Use a Steam Mop on a Bamboo Floor?

Bamboo is a highly absorbent flooring material that will swell, warp, or mold when immersed in water.

Steam cleaning is likely to leave a film of water standing on your floor. Consequently, you should never use a steam mop on your bamboo flooring.

What to Do after Cleaning your Bamboo Floors

After a thorough cleaning, use doormats both inside and outside of entrances to keep dirt from being tracked onto the floors.

Ask everyone to remove their shoes before entering the house to avoid tracking in dirt and causing scuff marks on the floor.

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