In today’s post, I want to share a floor cleaning tip with you that I used to remove a mysterious, hazy buildup from my hardwood floors. It’s the only thing that worked for me, and I know it will help anyone whose floors are affected by the same issue!
But even if your hardwood floors are perfectly clean, it’s really easy to fall victim to hazy residue if you don’t know how to prevent it. So be sure to read to the end of this post, because I’ll tell you exactly how to prevent hazy residue buildup from forming in the first place! :-)
The Problem: Hazy Residue On Hardwood Floors
I didn’t realize there was a problem until a couple of months ago, when I had a cleaning company over to deep clean the tile and grout in my kitchen. While they were working, I asked one of the technicians if they cleaned hardwood floors too, since I figured mine could probably use it.
He said they did clean hardwood floors, but that my floors had a buildup of hazy residue that would need to be removed before they could use their equipment on them. I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, so I folded back a corner of one of the rugs in the living room and saw the difference for myself!
While the exposed part of the floor looked clean enough, it lacked the crystal-clear finish of the area protected by the rug. I could feel the difference too, because the exposed floor felt a bit sticky compared to the rug-covered area. Yuck!
The Cause: Cleaning Product Residue
So where did that hazy film come from? It turns out that the cleaning product I had been using on my floors was to blame!
Certain cleaning products can leave behind a residue on hardwood floors. Over time, that residue can form a hazy, nearly impenetrable layer of buildup. And that’s exactly what had happened to my own hardwood floors!
In addition to the product itself, the issue can be caused by using too much. If you’re using too much cleaner or it isn’t properly diluted, you’re almost certainly going to run into residue problems.
The Solution: Ammonia-Free Glass Cleaner
It should come as no surprise that within an hour of discovering this problem, I was already at my computer searching for a solution! I scoured the internet for hours, reading forum comments, blog posts, and anything else I could find about cleaning residue from hardwood floors.
Eventually, I identified a solution that sounded promising: ammonia-free glass cleaner. I’ll tell you exactly how I used it to get rid of that annoying hazy residue, so you can use it on your own floors at home!
How To Remove Hazy Residue From Hardwood Floors
You’ll need:
Directions:
Step 1 – Spray
Start with one section of your floor about 2 sq. ft. in size. Spray the glass cleaner liberally over the area and let it sit for about a minute. Letting it sit gives it time to penetrate that tough layer of buildup.
Step 2 – Scrub
Next, scrub the area using a gentle scrubber (like the scrubby side of a non-scratch dish sponge). This will help cut through the buildup loosened by the glass cleaner.
Step 3 – Wipe
Immediately after scrubbing, wipe the area with a microfiber cloth to remove the residue and glass cleaner.
Move to a new section of floor and repeat these steps, continuing on until all of your flooring is clean. (It’s not a quick process by any means, but it is extremely effective!)
How To Prevent Hazy Residue From Forming On Your Floors
The good thing about the hazy residue problem is that it is entirely preventable! The trick is using a residue-free cleaning product that will leave your hardwood floors properly clean.
There’s a simple test you can do to find out if your preferred floor cleaner leaves behind a residue. Just spray a bit of it onto glass or a mirror and wipe it away—you’ll quickly be able to tell if it leaves behind any residue that will lead to buildup problems over time.
Have you ever noticed a hazy film on your hardwood floors?
