The kitchen is probably the busiest room in most modern homes where it is often fused with an informal dining area. Because of this, it is the room that needs cleaning the most.
When we walk into the kitchen, we often bring with us dirt as well as grits of sand and stone. These cling to our shoes as we walk outside our homes and we bring them in quite unawares.
If your kitchen floor consists of hardwood, you will need to take extra care about bringing these debris in as they are the worst enemies of all hardwood floors. They can easily dent and scratch the surface of the wood.
Installing floor mats at the entrances to your kitchen can help a lot in keeping the dirt out. Still, it is impossible to completely eliminate the grits so you will need to sweep or vacuum your floor regularly. A fine-bristled broom is a good cleaning tool, and so is a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.
In case you accidentally spill water, wine, or sauce on the floor, clean it up immediately as leaving it on the floor can stain and discolor the wood. If it becomes necessary to use cleansers to remove the stain, use only cleansers with a neutral pH to clean the stain. Also, do not use ammonia-based cleansers as well as oil-based soaps and detergents.
While you can use commercial cleansers for regular cleaning, you can also mix your own from ingredients found in almost all kitchens –vinegar and warm water. At a ratio of four tablespoons of vinegar and four quarts water, you have an effective cleanser that also disinfects.
When cleaning with this solution, dip a mop into it and squeeze out excess water. Apply the mop to the wood floors following their grains. Be sure, however, to sweep the floor thoroughly before mopping.
Following these simple procedures can make your kitchen wood floors look clean and new even years after their installation.