<p>My recommendation is to speak with the distributor and/or the installer of your flooring. Almost three years ago we put hardwood (brazillian teak, prefinished) in our living room/dining room/kitchen, and it has held up so beautifully, despite a big dog and tough mud/snow conditions. When our wood got dropped off (we installed ourselves) I asked what product we should use to clean, and he recommended Pro Care over Bona. I mix up a solution (two capfuls in a spray bottle of water) and use that with a large microfiber mop. I bought both at Bed Bath and Beyond. If you buy two mop heads, you always have a clean one (they go right in the wash). I’m on my second bottle of ProCare, and at $5.99, its economical. I use it on my new cabinets, too.</p>
<p>Bona cleaner is also available at Safeway… we also use it…</p>
<p>For what it is worth, the finish on our floor is also Bona - they make a very tough Poly finish. Two years and counting and no scratches even through we have a golden retriever running around with his nails…</p>
<p>I use the Bona cleaner as a general cleaner. It does not leave a build up on the floor. Every 6-8 months, I do a really good clean to the floors (move furniture out, close it off to all traffic, etc), and once the floor is dry, I put the Bona protective finish on top of the floors. </p>
<p>We live in an area with a lot of sand, so the protective finish helps to prevent the wear from the sand coming into the house.</p>
<p>abasket: if you have old wood floors, you can use floor wax (the old-fashioned kind) on them. That comes in shine and matte varieties. I used to use Butcher’s Wax but can’t seem to find it online; I notice that lots of different waxes with carnauba wax are available.</p>
<p>VeryHappy–The Bona wood cleaning system has a special mop. It’s basically a microfiber mop head that has a place for the wood cleaning container. The mop is engineered so that you can spray the cleaner right onto the floor. You buy the mop, the microfiber cleaning pad, and the Bona canister (which you can refill it). I have hardwood floors in the entire house (only exception is tile in the bathrooms) and I’ve been using Bona wood cleaner on them for the last 2 years. I think it’s a good product.</p>
<p>Another vote for white vinegar in water and very regular vacuuming. Felt on bottom of kitchen chairs that sit directly on hardwood. Bought the Bona system and unhappy with outcome. Old towels or rags used to clean with water & vinegar.</p>
<p>Bona and a microfiber mop. Simple and effective.</p>
<p>If we can’t find the Bona cleaner (or decide we don’t want to spend that much for a cleanser), we also have Murphy’s Oil Soap as a back-up. </p>
<p>I hate taking off my shoes, but since my dh and kids always take off their shoes in our entry way. I’m sure the practice of taking off shoes has saved our hardwood floors much more than whatever cleaner we use.</p>
<p>There are three or four versions of their mop. Not all of them spray, but it’s a very handy feature, especially if you have large areas. </p>
<p>[Products</a> - Hardwood Floor Mops & Accessories - Official Bona® US Site - MyBonaHome.com](<a href=“Spray Mop”>Spray Mop)</p>
<p>Bona is meant for sealed hardwood floors. I have a satin finish topcoat on my site finished floors and it works exceptionally well. A relative has a more matte finish - I’m not even sure if there’s a sealer of any kind. It’s a bit harder to push along on hers.</p>
<p>At the risk of being gross, can anyone elaborate on the effect of pet barf on hardwood floors? We are talking about replacing our too-old wall-to-wall carpet with hardwood, but we have an older cat who has barfing issues (part of the reason we need to replace the carpet). I am really worried that we will spend a ton of money on the floors and then they will get destroyed. Do we need to wait until she “is no longer with us”?</p>
<p>the acid from pet barf eats the finish in addition to the water so you need to clean it up fast. I had problems with my poor cat too but my floors have survived.</p>
<p>Lowe’s sells Bona by the gallon. </p>
<p>Also, any area rug on the hardwood must not have a rubber (nob-slip) backing. It will eventually (and not after too long) adhere to the floor and is very difficult to get the rubber off the flooring. A nice all cotton rug works well in the kitchen, And yes, cork or felt on the feet of everything! (Actually makes moving stuff around really easy too)</p>
<p>bona. shark steam mop on occasion</p>
<p>Oh, the joys of being a pet person! 
My old cat was, as my D called her, Barfing Queen. Somehow, the floors survived - I must have been very proactive in cleaning up her accidents. The light grey carpets are still ok after 13 years. For cleaning pet barf on carpets, I highly recommend Spot Shot (blue-orange spray can). </p>
<p>A few more notes on hardwood maintenance. We have a rug under the dining table in the kitchen, and in addition to adding a sprinkle of color to the room, it seems to prevent scratches caused by chairs being moved around even without felt pads.</p>
<p>Oh, and gallon of Bona concentrate lasts a long time, and any microfiber mop will work just fine with Bona sprayed from an ordinary spray bottle.</p>
<p>Since it was brought up…we too have 2 older cats. If they do throw up on your hardwood floors, what do you use to clean it up? Do you just wipe it up, or do you use something else (vinegar, bona, etc.)?</p>
<p>About area rugs…do the floors fade over time and stay dark in the areas that were covered with some type of rug?</p>
<p>for animal “spills” (out of either end) you can buy Natures Miracle for hardwood floors. Supposed to be less harsh on the wood.</p>
<p>When we moved into our home we were unaware of just how to protect the floor from scratches (we thought the plastic glides under our heavy chairs was enough). The area around our table is now very torn up with scratches and areas missing the polyurethane finish. It would be too much to refinish the floors (the furniture and drapes would need to be moved to storage and the dust would be horrid) so I think I may get some sort of a rug to go under the table. </p>
<p>I second the Bona system for cleaning the floors though.</p>
<p>I’m seriously considering trying a “Roomba” on our hardwood floors. I would like to return home after work to find the house already vacuumed.</p>
<p>Spray the Bona on the microfiber mop not directly on the floor. Sometimes, Costco sells Bona too but I’ve seen it in HD, Lowe’s, Osh, Bed, Bath & Beyond.</p>
<p>I love my robotic Roomba. Our kids each bought one when they moved out. It really helps keep down the dust and grit and reduces what you have to do. If you buy at Costco, you can easily get refund if unhappy for any reason. </p>
<p>We have small washable bath mats and similar near doorways to our home. Since we always remove footwear indoors, our hardwood floor still looks great after >20 years.</p>