Vinegar

• Cleaning the hardwood floor with white vinegar will naturally cleanse and deodorize the wood without harsh chemicals. Add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar for every gallon of cool water. Submerge a clean sponge mop in the vinegar mixture and -- while holding the mop head over the bucket -- wring the cleaning solution out of the mop head. Scrub the hardwood floors gently with the damp sponge mop. To prevent walking on damp, newly cleaned floors, start at the area farthest away from the entrance and scrub while moving toward it. Continue in this manner until you have cleaned the entire hardwood floor.
  
  

Tea

• Cleaning wood floors with tea will cleanse the hardwood while bringing out the grain of the wood. Tea is an inexpensive wood cleaning option that does not fill your home with unnecessary chemicals and harsh fumes. Pour 2 qt. of water in a large pot, and place the water-filled pot on a stove. Submerge 20 tea bags in the water, and let brew until you have achieved a strong batch of tea. Turn the stove off, and let the tea cool. Dampen a clean sponge in the cooled tea, and begin scrubbing the hardwood floors clean. Refrain from over saturating the hardwood floors with any liquid. Doing so increases the chance of water damage to the floors. Let the tea air-dry on the hardwood.
  
  

Oil Soap

• Used for years to keep wood floors and furniture clean, oil soap is relatively inexpensive and available at department and grocery stores. Fill a clean, plastic bucket with 1 gallon of warm water. Add 1/4 cup of the oil soap, and mix thoroughly with a spoon. Dampen a clean mop in the mixture, and scrub the hardwood floors clean. Do not over saturate the wood with the mixture, and let air dry for 2 to 3 hours before walking on the wood floors.
  
  

Considerations

• Hardwood floors are generally expensive, and you must take the proper care and precautions to keep the floors looking their best. Protect the hardwood from furniture damage by placing leg covers on the bottom of furniture legs to prevent scratching when you move the furniture across the wood. Furthermore, laying rugs at each entrance to the wood floors will help trap small pebbles stuck on the bottom of shoes from damaging the hardwood.