All You Need to Clean Your Wood Floors Naturally

Let me show you a surprisingly simple, yet effective method to clean your wood floors. Zero-waste, non-toxic, no plastic but it works!

Do you love or hate cleaning your wood floors?

I love when things are simple. And I am still in the process of simplifying our life.

Cleaning is a necessity but it can be done in a simple yet beautiful way. I can do it by being mindful of the materials and cleaners we use. And how we take care of our homes and environments.

These days, I feel constantly bombarded with ads for more and seemingly better products for everyday chores. But are they really better?

Our grandparents have had their own methods to clean wood floors. I think they worked really well. Old-fashioned is often more effective than something new-fangled.

Bonus points for when your cleaning routine is sustainable.

Let me show you my surprisingly simple method to effectively clean your wood floors. All the floors in our 1910 home are wood and I use this method to clean them all the time.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure.

All you need to clean any wood floor

All you need is a wooden scrubber, a bucket, and a cleaning cloth. Really! That’s all!

Those scrubbers have been around for a long time. Because they work. They have stiff bristles. Obviously, I like the natural bristles. Generations ago, they were used to scrub wood floors. Often, people would be on their knees cleaning the wood floor one section at a time. That is why I have a scrub brush with a long wooden broomstick.

Next, you need a bucket or pail. There are many inexpensive plastic ones around. I like to invest in beautiful things that will last. Therefore, I have an enamel pail. I love the white color, the size, and how hefty it feels.

Lastly, you need a cleaning cloth to clean your wood floor. Of course, you could use anything here. An old towel, for example. I am sure microfiber would work, too. Or any rag that you have sitting around (think re-purposing).

I love using a so-called cleaning cloth. The ones I use are made from cotton, they are heavy-weight, and you can throw them in the washing machine on the hot cycle! There are some that are a mixed material but I am a fan of the 100% cotton.

How to clean a wood floor – The Method

When you’re ready, fill your bucket or pail with warm to hot water and add your cleaner to it. In this video, I am using a commercial cleaner since that is what I still had. I will, however, post a recipe soon on how to make your own with very basic, non-toxic, inexpensive ingredients.

I like to use latex gloves since my hands tend to get dry and cracked. But that may just be a personal preference. When you’re using non-toxic cleaners you may not need to do this. I would definitely recommend using latex gloves, though, if you’re using harsher chemicals.

Now you dip your cleaning cloth in the hot water, wring it out, wrap it around your scrubber brush and clean away!

Whenever you feel like your cloth has mopped up enough dirt and/or is getting too dry, simply place it back in the pail, move it around to loosen the dirt, wring it out and continue cleaning.

Once you’re all done, rinse your cleaning cloth really well and hang it to dry. Every so often, you’ll want to throw it into your wash and it’ll come out all nice and clean. These cleaning clothes will last for years!

So you see, there is no plastic involved, no harsh, toxic chemicals but your floors will be all clean and shiny.

Wood floor cleaning products:

wood scrubber brush or similar on amazon

long broomstick

enamel bucket

cleaning cloth

BONUS: Get your FREE Printable Spring Cleaning Guide HERE.

More simple cleaning articles you might enjoy:

How to clean a white farmhouse sink naturally

How to clean a stainless steel stovetop naturally

How to clean the cast iron grates of a stove naturally

I always love to hear your cleaning routine! Please leave your questions and comments below!