The natural look of bamboo floors add a lot of elegance to the interiors of the house. Basically, bamboo floor is made of bamboo grasses. It is considered as a suitable alternative for hardwood flooring and is more environment friendly. This is because the grass needed for manufacturing the floor boards is harvested from the same mother plant without causing any damage to the plant. Thus the grass will grow anew in the same plant year after year. Bamboo floor material is quite strong and durable. Cleaning bamboo floors is important for its proper maintenance and for keeping its attractive look intact.

Cleaning Accidental Spills on Bamboo Floors

Bamboo flooring has a porous surface. If some accidental liquid spill happen, then it would readily penetrate into its surface and badly stain the floor. So, you must take some prompt action and blot out the liquid immediately with a soft and dry rag. Do not rub the rag on it as it will diffuse the liquid into deeper layers of the wood. Then dry up the floor with paper towels. If it is a sticky spill then you must pick it up with a dry paper towel or cloth. Then take a damp, soft rag and wipe off the sticky spot until all the residues are gone.

Daily Cleaning of Bamboo Floors

Sand and grit make ugly scratch marks on the surface of bamboo flooring. Therefore, you have to clean the floor daily to keep it free from dust and debris. Loose dust should be removed with the help of a soft broom first. It should be followed by mopping up of the floor with the help of a natural bamboo floor cleaner. There are several cleaning products available in the market. The best product for cleaning bamboo floors is the one that does not require any rinsing and dries on the floor without forming any cloudy streaks. Dilute the cleaner with some water as per the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Do not pour the cleaning solution directly on the floor. Rather, dip a clean piece of cloth into this solution and wring out the excess water from it. Now, use this cloth to mop the floor with back and forth motion.

Cleaning Bamboo Floors with Steam

Occasionally, thorough cleaning of the bamboo floors is also required to remove all stubborn dirt and debris. For this, steam cleaning is a good option. To begin with, sweep the floor with broom to clean up loose particles. Before using steam cleaner on the bamboo floor, attach a soft cleaning pad to it which will work as a mop. Pour some water into the steam cleaner and heat it. Then spray steam on the bamboo floor surface and sweep it off with a cleaning pad. After that, buff the bamboo floor surface with a soft rag. This will dry up the floor fast and restore its natural shine. You should divide the floor into small sections and work on each section at a time. This will prevent any such damage caused by water droplets left behind after cleaning. Continue the same steps till the entire floor is steam cleaned.

I hope this article helped you to understand how to clean bamboo floors. Finally, I would like to give you a few useful tips on bamboo floor care. If you do not have any commercial products for floor cleaning, then you can use white vinegar for the same purpose. For cleaning bamboo floors with vinegar, prepare a mixture with one-fourth cup of white vinegar and one quart of water and use it in the same way as any other commercial cleaner. You can prevent dirt build up on the floor surface to some extent by placing a few non-abrasive rags near the entrance door. Keep mats in those areas where the chances of liquid spills are higher. It includes the kitchen, laundry and the bathroom.

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Author's Bio: 

Graeme Stephens has been running the largest owned carpet cleaning company in new Zealand for 24 years. IICRC qualified "master restoration technician"