Streaks on your bamboo floor typically happen when there is dust, dirt, or debris on the floor before mopping or when using dirty water.
The great news is that it’s easy to prevent with proper cleaning techniques as you’ll learn here.
Contents
How Do You Clean Bamboo Floors Without Streaks
When you want to know how to clean bamboo floors without streaks, the most crucial element of the answer is in the supplies. If you have bamboo hardwood flooring or a laminate floor, you want to ensure you have these items on hand:
- Soft-bristle broom, microfiber dust mop, or vacuum with a felt head
- Microfiber cloth
- Hardwood floor cleaner or approved cleaning agent
- Soft mop and bucket
- Dry towel
You can clean your bamboo floor surface easily without streaks in only four steps:
- Step 1: Sweep or vacuum the floor to remove all dust, dirt, and debris
- Step 2: Treat any stains
- Step 3: Damp mop
- Step 4: Towel dry any remaining wet areas
You should sweep this flooring material (or your laminate flooring) daily to remove pet hair, dust, and other debris. If the floor surface has dirt or debris, there is a risk of scuff marks or further damage from foot traffic.
Vacuum and wet mop your floors once a week for regular maintenance. Depending on the environment, you may have to clean the floors twice a week or more if you have a busy household or have children and pets.
Ways to Prevent a Dull or Streaky Bamboo Floor
If you find yourself with a streaky or dull bamboo floor, even after cleaning it, there are solutions to getting it back to being beautiful once again.
A dull floor surface can mean that there was water left standing on the floor after mopping. You should never use an extremely wet mop since excess water can cause damage.
If your floors look streaky after mopping, you may still have dust or dirt on your floor. Dirty mop heads can create streaks, along with dirty mop water. You can avoid streaks by mopping once with a cleaner and another time with plain water to ensure there is no residue left.
Using vinegar excessively to clean your bamboo floors can also create a dull surface. Instead, be sure you use a wood floor cleaning agent or floor polish for the best results.
Can You Use Murphy Oil Soap on Bamboo Floors?
Unfortunately, Murphy Oil Soap uses a vegetable oil base. This composition does not make it ideal for bamboo floors. Using a soap like this will create a build-up and create a cloudy and foggy surface. You may notice streaks or that the surface is dull and has lost all its shine.
Is Vinegar Safe to Use on Bamboo Floors?
There is a lot of information out there regarding vinegar and bamboo floors. Many people will say that using the proper dilution of vinegar and water is a terrific natural cleaner for your floor. Alternatively, others will profess the opposite and state that vinegar will dull your bamboo and can cause damage.
It is common that using a high dilution or washing your floors with vinegar too often can dull them and cause problems. However, if you do not have an approved floor cleaner on hand, using vinegar once in a while should be fine, as long as you recognize a dilution of at least 4-parts water 1-part vinegar.
You should not rely on vinegar to clean your floors regularly, though. Instead, opt for a special cleaning agent for bamboo and other engineered hardwood floors as the safest option.
Cleaning and Care Tips for Bamboo Floors
With proper care and cleaning, you can have your bamboo floors looking beautiful for years. Alternatively, bamboo is a hardwood floor material, and although it is incredibly durable, it can sustain damage.
- Don’t drag heavy items across your floor’s surface as you can scratch and dent your floor this way. Some high-heel shoes and other footwear can also cause damage, so ensure you remove your shoes indoors.
- Install soft felt scratch pads on the bottoms of the legs on your furniture. Although you may not move furniture around often, even slight movements repeatedly, such as kitchen chairs, can cause scratches that will build up over time and mar the surface.
- Take care to clean up any spills as soon as they happen. For example, stagnant water on bamboo flooring can create cloudy surfaces or damage. You want to avoid any stains by tackling these problems as soon as possible.
- Do not use a dirty mop head when cleaning your bamboo floor. Doing this will cause streaks and can reintroduce dirt to the surface, causing unsightly scratches.
- Avoid harsh chemicals, such as oils, abrasives, bleach, ammonia, and solvents not designed for wood flooring. Instead, you should only use proper cleaners specific to your engineered hardwood floor.
These items will help prolong the life of your bamboo floor and keep it looking great year after year.
