Bona VS. Water & Vinegar - Don't Mop Your Hardwood Flooring!

[@vopat]

I don’t even have hardwood floors. Fml this is what my life has come to. Watching hardwood floor cleaning.

[@carolynrose753]

I might have one day so watching just in case

[@debrakelly3974]

That's sad buddy...

[@robroy4137]

I really needed that laugh thank you very much here I am going to get ideas how to clean my floors then order products from Amazon and Never use them

[@marcirobins5144]

Hey, you’ve got the power! Change it. And maybe you’ll be able to help someone with what you’ve learned here.

[@lainsw]

I noticed you very carefully dried the Bona side with a paper towel, but left the vinegar and water side to air dry. Have you tried the experiment drying the vinegar side and air-drying the Bona side?

[@MrBrian987987]

As a house cleaner I always dried the floors with a big, old towel to see how they would look. I'm glad I did.

[@sallychuck]

Glad I wasn't the only one who noticed the fact that they dried the floor after bona, but not with the vinegar solution. I have used bona, which is why I am on here looking on how to make by floors look better.

[@MAGAMAN]

I have lost faith in humanity. You people can't even figure out that this video is an example of why you should NOT mop a floor, not a comparison of cleaners.

[@sandy-rr1by]

i have 60 year old oak hardwood flooring. after it was refinished the guy told me to use nothing but water and never leave it wet. 5years and still beautiful.

[@taraburst-mazovec8294]

Hmmm. Being a contractor i feel as if i know a thing or two about prefinished hardwood floors. If you damp mop prefinished floors you should not get that rippling effect as seen on the right sample cleaned with vinegar and water. That would occur if you were actually putting a wet mop on the floor and allowing the water into the grooves. I have been damp mopping my prefinished hand scraped dark bamboo floors with vinegar and water for years and they look as good as the day i put them down. No glue just tar paper and staples. Damp mopping is when you create a solution, dip the mop into it and then ring it out as much as you can. This method does not create a build up of water as mentioned in the demonstration.

[@jackie5046]

Agreed!

[@debramason7237]

I think the problem is that most people don't wring out enough water, mostly because traditional and even wring mops, when squeezed as hard as you can, all hold quite a bit of water. I use a wring mop on my tile, but even squeezed as much as I can, it will have water dripping off of it, and once mopped, will take quite a while to dry unless I go over it with a dry cloth. I think the microfiber mops with removable/ washable pads work best. It's so much easier to squeeze the water out of a pad so it is only damp.

[@leonpse]

Also, they are mopping every day, so the wood is getting wetter and wetter.

[@purvishah5495]

With the bona solution the person mops up any access moisture, but not in the 2nd demonstration

[@luciaguilera7068]

Thank you!!!

[@amberv3781]

my floors are filthy after using Bona since I've bought my home in February. All the comments are helpful! Thank you. I might use Bona after I clean them. Also viewed tips on "Clean my Space"- really helpful!

[@blkbrn1952]

We used Bono on our wood floors and it was horrible, there was a terrible waxy substance that we thought we would never get off. One thing people should do when they are mopping a hardwood floor is that you should wring as much water as possible out of your mop, it should barely be damp. Or you can use a sponge mop and spray water onto the floor.

[@marshallpulham]

How did you remove it ☹️

[@piptheprofit1004]

Been cleaning wood flooring professionally for years using only vinegar and water with a damp mop to clean up the shit left behind by Bona and Murphy’s!

[@millions2nette]

BONA leaves a permanent dull haze. Murphy's ruins the floors as well.

[@MeditateonYahsWord]

Oh yes. It’s taken me three weeks to get the gunk off plus they’ve been using those swift wet pads... the worst.

[@Harrison3-b4t]

Bona is awful. I’m in the process of getting the film off of my floors. I’m using a dry mop and spritzing vinegar and water. I use a fan also to dry quickly. These are brand new nail down floor with matte finish. I’ve never use Bona until now BC it was so expensive. I regret it now! Sticking V & W!

[@feliciaharding7400]

feeling the same way. Brand new floors and I think Bona has ruined them. I will try just vinegar and water and see what happens. Hopefully it works

[@brendalu4665]

Finally! Everyone else out there is acting like it’s impossible that Bona could be leaving a film. It’s not impossible, it looks terrible!

[@acraftman2823]

I have been installing flooring for almost forty years I installed quarter sawn white oak in my home the materials alone were over 12k not to mention all the labor installing sanding and finishing first I vacuum the floors and I use a sponge mop and spray about a six by six area with a 3 to1 water to vinegar (rinse mop after each section) and have three old terry cloth beach towels that I wipe the floor using my feet I also have a box fan on after 5 years my floors still look great and have a nice glow and yep they are clean enough to eat on.

[@johntischio5537]

As a scientist, I know the two experiments should be exactly the same except for the actual product. Note that after the Bono product he wipes off the liquid with a paper towel. He should do the same after the vinegar and water cleaning. Please repeat your experiment in the this scientific manner!! Also do close ups of the Bono side!

[@Samlol23_drrich]

John Tischio - they aren’t looking for an accurate result

[@vicarmetta7629]

John Tischio q

[@acool6401]

Good catch! They should have also used the same kind of mop on both woods.

[@Bmwguy2011]

Well, you’re right. But realistically, as a property owner, i or we, know what tenants are going to do: cheap mop, tons of water and pine sol. I am going to hand them a jug of bona, my special wood floor felt cleaner and explain how much bona costs. Hopefully they’ll sparingly clean but at least use this.

[@samuelsung4469]

He did say "recommended cleaning method" for the Bona. So i am guessing you are supposed to wipe excess moisture and film as stated. When mopping, most people do not wipe excess moisture off. So it is not a scientific experiment. More of a practical exercise in the two methods. If you were to wipe off extra moisture after mopping i would assume that it would be the same as Bona.

[@foreverlearning9613]

I'm glad to have found this video! I have engineered hardwood and two boy cats that make sure I am always vacuuming and cleaning - fur and other fluids! :P Anyway, I have been using Bona but never too satisfied with it. I am not caring about it being shiny, just spot free. I find using Bona cleaner doesn't always take the spots away. I read Mike A's comments and recipe and thought I might as well try it! The recipe he provided yields quite a large quantity, so I quartered it. I got a clean spray bottle and filled it with the following: 16 oz of distilled water 7 ml of regular vinegar a drop of dish soap (it's orange in colour but I thought one drop will not hurt) I found an area that has a number of spots and misted it with the DIY cleaner and with a paper towel wiped it right away. Well....it worked! The spots are gone! and the best part is I know even if my dumb dumb furballs lick it they will be okay. Thanks, Mike A. I would also add I have been transitioning to more natural cleaning products, and I have another use for Dawn dish soap and vinegar in the kitchen and bathrooms. In a spray bottle,​ I put Dawn and vinegar together (Dawn 40/vinegar 60). I use it to wash my dishes - find it cuts the grease especially in plastic containers as well vinegar disinfects. I also use it on my stainless steel, granite countertops. Bathroom because I have cats again I use this to clean the surfaces - here I get a stronger cleaning vinegar that has double the acidity. I'm going to share this wood cleaning recipe with my friends and family. Thank you!

[@aribella6913]

I use A bit of Murphy’s oil soap in a spray bottle filled with water. Spritz and microfiber mop. Gorgeous!

[@bunnifer.1951]

What is "a bit" and how much water please. Does it become very slippery?

[@aribella6913]

MyMusiclover28 really? What happened.i am so curious because I do t want to steer anyone wrong or ruin my floors. They are relatively new, so do tell.

[@davidraimundo7554]

I've been using water and vinegar for the last 2 years with no noticeable damage but, I do not mop using traditional methods but rather I use vinegar in water on a damp towel that evaporates very quickly a traditional spun cotton mop holds too much moisture and it is very difficult to ring out all that extra moisture and so, you're left with a lot of solution on the top of your floor. So in my opinion, it doesn't matter which liquid solution you use, the spun type mop is the incorrect applicator. basically, it's about the type of applicator and less to do with type of solution. remember that all liquids can damage your floor.

[@jeremywerstler9302]

My wife and I bought a house built in 1905 and discovered much to our delight the beautiful hardwood floors beneath the carpet that we had decided would be the first thing to go. We use a bissel steam mop with distilled water but I add natural citrus juice for added scent and added cleaning power. I have done my own research with natural lemon and orange juice

[@mrsandlessaubrisbane1728]

A steam mop is a guaranteed way to kill the floor. Use a dry microfiber mop & if you must mop use minimal water & then dry mop them afterwards to get them extra dry. As a flooring contractor I see steam mop damage all the time

[@jeremywerstler9302]

@@mrsandlessaubrisbane1728 hmm it's been 4 years and I've noticed no damage as of yet. But I do polish every 4 months. More on the higher traffic areas. I will clarify I don't use the steam mop every day like you said it's usually the microfiber and Bona floor cleaner but I also use rejuvenate as well. Both products seem to give me the same result. I use the stream mop when I'm not able to use the cleaners

[@peterphoenix1963]

I had a customer who used Bona polish on her floors. Went to the distributor to get some Bona prep to clean the floors. They called the Bona rep and he said not to do it. He said once the polish is used, we have to do a complete refinish because the floor is contaminated. BTW , were gonna clean,buff and coat

[@Mahabalu669]

dry the floors for the water/vinegar mix floors like you did for the bona and it'll be fine.

[@MAGAMAN]

No, it wont. The water on the floor has already run intro the crack in between the flooring and damaged the wood and the vinegar is damaging the finish on the floor.

[@MrMarckeedee]

This myth that you can never mop your floor would make it impossible to EVER clean a dirty hard wood floor. As a professional cleaner 50% or more of the hard wood floors I see are very dirty (thus the need for a professional cleaning service). Cleaning here in the New Orleans region I would say that 80% of the houses have hard wood floors in the living rooms and bedrooms and tiles in the kitchens and bathrooms. Thus it is not feasible for the client or the service to use two systems on one house. When hard wood floors are VERY dirty, grease, dust build up, sticky materials, (beer, soda spills), mud, water residue....etc. you NEED to mop. Also we do tons of post construction cleans, and you HAVE to mop to get the dust and debris up, even after dry mopping or sweeping. the trick is to use VERY little water, a little Murphy's or even vinegar, open doors or turn on ceiling fans, Use a good, large industrial mop, wring it out REALLY good. Get any excess water out, with a very minimal damp mop...mop WITH the grain, any water that does not dry can be dried up with cotton cloth. I mop hundreds of floors like this, including mine once a month and the wood is in VERY good condition. HArd wood floors have been in this city since they late 1700's, we live in a humid wet environment and people just started using Bona and other sry mop methods. Hard wood floors are actually VERY resilient and as long as you do not use too much water and toxic harsh soaps you can and SHOULD mop now and then. Ideally your floor is clean enough and you can use a fiber dry mop and spray just water with a little vinegar. But this is not an ideal world...especially in this city.

[@germanric]

Recomendations: Do not mop your floors 30 times in one hour! Do not use a primitive mop as seen in this video Use water vinager with a microfiber mop Remove exedent water with a paper towel

[@jk-mx7so]

I think that you used more water for the vinegar side than the Bona side and did not dry it consistently. That is the reason that the wood started buckling. That is only natural. Both products contain water as their main base and the the Bona side would also buckle in time if not dried properly. There are ingredients in the Bona cleaner that I would rather stay away from such as PPG-2 Methyl Ether, Butoxypropanol, Ethoxylated alcoholtrisodium salt, Isothiazolinones and Liquitint(R) Blue HP.

[@erikoberlin6017]

There is an inconsistency on how you apply the two liquids (yes, they both have water in them). If you applied the water/vinegar mixture at the same tiny volume that you did with the Bona, your results would be similar for both.

[@deenak79]

And used a mop on both!!!!

[@MAGAMAN]

He's showing the difference between the two cleaning methods, dumbass.

[@ElectrologyNow]

I have 65-year-old 3/4 inch thick White Oak floors that were recently sanded and beautifully re-finished (first time; they were under carpet). Now it's time to clean them and I only get conflicting information. I'll keep searching ...

[@queenieheleenie]

Was this because of the difference of cleaning methods, or cleaning products? Why not try vinegar with a microfiber mop?

[@Harrison3-b4t]

Exactly! I think that makes a difference. Not an accurate comparison.

[@mdarmocida]

Okay, as a chemist, i'm going to address these guys BS point by point. 1. He is right about mopping and water ruining floors. You should use only a spray mop (for the love of God though, DO NOT use a Bona product or your floors will be ruined) 2. When he uses the Bona product, he doesn't show the greasy, waxy, residue that it will leave behind. Notice the Bona side looked like it was in better shape to start with. Also notice that the Bona side became dull after use. I'm convinced they polished off all the Bona residue between cleanings 3. Notice also that they cleaned the vinegar side with a mop and water. If you cleaned with Bona and used a mop to slop it around (Bona is 99% water) then you would see the same damage 4. Their vinegar solution is way too strong! 25% vinegar, really? Also, i'm sure they used tap water with the vinegar, which would leave behind mineral deposits. Only Distilled water should be used. REMEMBER: BONA PAYS FLOORING COMPANIES TO RECOMMEND THEM BY EITHER DIRECT PAYMENT OR A LARGE PROFIT ON THE BONA PRODUCT THAT THEY SELL If you clean your floors with the following vinegar solution using a spray mop and using a paper towel (as they did with the Bona), then it will clean superior to Bona and will not ruin your floors with an unremovable waxy residue. The following solution has a near neutral pH (due to the dilution and dish soap, which neutralizes most of the acid in the vinegar). In fact, you can spray it into your eyes and it won't burn. Try spraying Bona into your eyes and see what happens (actually don't - Bona is made from nasty stuff). If you're still not convinced that the proper mixture of vinegar is safe, then Google the words "wood floors ruined with Bona" and then Google "wood floors ruined with vinegar." You will see thousands of first hand posts for the Bona search and not one first hand post for the vinegar search. 1/8 cup household vinegar 32 oz distilled water 3 drops clear dish soap

[@Gaylordhardwoodflooring]

They are two different cleaning methods. If you watched the video, you would see that we did buff the bona residue off the surface after every cleaning. We have had clients mop their flooring exactly as we have in this video and we wanted to show how wrong that is. You could clean the floor a million different ways but here we are comparing two.

[@Gaylordhardwoodflooring]

And no. Bona doesn't pay us anything. We don't even sell their product. We just recommend it

[@mdarmocida]

Why in the world would you do that?

[@mdarmocida]

When comparing the two, best practices would dictate using the same cleaning method.

[@Gaylordhardwoodflooring]

We aren't comparing best practices. We are comparing how we recommend cleaning our hardwood flooring (kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5uadI2HpNhnhcU) with how some clients have cleaned their flooring and ruined their floor (mopping water and vinegar on the floor). I'm sure if you mop Bona on hardwood flooring it would cause issues as well. I think you are missing the point of this video. We are comparing what we recommend with one method we don't. It isn't about chemistry or comparing the exact same cleaning methods with different cleaning products. If you don't like Bona products, that is fine. If you have something else you recommend, feel free to share it.

[@S.e4018]

What brand and color/style of floor is that? I love the color and the shine. Most of what I see in stores is dull

[@Latoshajsinspiration]

Thanks for the review and explanation. Do we need to use paper towels all the time?

[@mskimrn9636]

I have used water and vinegar for years . I use a spray mop and I dry my floors. I don’t have any of these issues and my floors are 15 years old

[@BobbyJackShow]

I'm a 3rd generation hardwood floorman. My grandfather always said to use luke warm water and Ivory Snow laundry flakes. Wring out the rag well. A light wipe down and you're good to go.

[@teenasarcia7765]

What if I can not find Ivory Snow laundry flakes? Would Zote bar soap work?

[@costa1691]

Been mopping my laminates past 7 years with water and soap and still looks new.

[@xxwaitingmyturnxx]

If you're going to give tips you should consider using a fair comparison! That was wrong on so many levels.

[@pattygonzales9605]

Should have read the comments before I went and bought it. Haven't used it and taking it back to the store. Thank you to all who commented.

[@teresacarnes7281]

Oh well, I was just going to purchase Bona Wood Floor Cleaner...now I need to search the best way to clean my floors

[@amberv3781]

Check out "clean my space" hardwood floors. For me, Bona sucks at cleaning and leaving dirt behind

[@IznBringZ]

My wood floor is from the 50s and never used any fancy shmancy to clean it, doubt the old crazy lady before me did eighter. It still looks 10 times better than that sample. Its not perfect but all the damage thats on it is due to it having a life and i like it that way. But its not bend or sticking out like that sample.

[@miketheyunggod2534]

Great comment. You are 100% correct.

[@karinwestphal9428]

How do you clean it?

[@IznBringZ]

@@karinwestphal9428 regular cleaning with a flat mop. Just dont make it to wet, better to go over it twice than to soak it.

[@IznBringZ]

@@karinwestphal9428 vacuuming is very important for sand ect damages the floor, any aggresive cleaning product will eat into the finish of the wood. When choosing a vacuüm accesory make sure its something with brushes and a mouth that isnt to low that could catch on micro edges. If you do decide to wax a floor make sure to dont to it to often and once in a few times you need to take of the wax because old wax will solidify and will be be hard to take off and apear milky instead of clear and shiny. The procedure for that can vary between types of floor and materials and finishes. So make sure to do research on your floor and the products you want to use.

[@IznBringZ]

@@karinwestphal9428 when you do that research make sure its a neutral place like a forum and not a site trying to sell you a product or who sold you a floor. Claims like waterproof and or scratch free are widely used but almost never true.

[@anneolson1958]

Bona is a water based product, so to suggest that it doesn't have water is silly. Also if you're going to dry the Bona floor with paper towels, you should do the same with the vinegar and water mix. Not a fair comparison.

[@sandybartholomew2439]

I was told to use Windex on my laminate floor and it works great. Never had any problems

[@jankyj2269]

Laminate is not hardwood. It is a photograph of wood printed and mounted on a particleboard product with a hard wearing, usually textured, plastic layer as the wear surface.

[@arlenetolley8876]

They're not even real hardwood flooring! It's laminated. As the wife of the owner of a hardwood flooring business, I know this for a fact! We've been doing hardwood floors for over 30 years and we've always recommend mopping with just water and vinegar. 1 cup of vinegar to 2 cups of water. Not a single customer has ever called us and complained about water and vinegar ruining their floors. If we happen to install a laminated floor, also known as a floating floor, we recommend to ALL of our customers to use a damp mop to mop their floors with. NEVER use a completely soaked mop, unless you do want to ruin your floors which in that case, gives us more work and and you less money in your wallets. Lol! Bona does have some really great products that we have and do use on hardwood floors. You just have to read the product details very carefully and if you're still unsure, don't be afraid to ask questions. That's why they make customer service numbers.

[@elliemm557]

Thank you for noticing that they are not hardwood floor, but laminate. As a person who grew up with real hardwood floors back in NY, in our bed rooms and living room, I know what they look like.....and feel like if you get a splinter. My mother only dusted the floor with a damp duster and got out that scary looking wax/buffer only Easter and Christmas. They always looked great. I now have real dark hardwood floors of my own. Swept every day if not twice a day and just damp dusted...… not into the buffing , though. They still look great.

[@ccMomOfJays]

Brand new dark brown laminate flooring that has never been walked on..what would I use to make them look shiny?

[@poppyshoessp]

Microfiber flat mop with vinegar/ water solution works. Don't drench the floor, use a spray bottle.

[@saladlamp2092]

They used different techniques in the demo. When using their product they mopped back and forth. And when they used vinegar and water they mopped back and forth and side to side. You should also mop/clean back and forth with the grain.

[@MAGAMAN]

That is the whole point of the video you damn retards!

[@lilieanlim5410]

I used water n detergent to clean woods flooring. How do I removal the stickyness from the floor? Thanks

[@johnshaw4388]

From reading all the great comments, it seems to be more about Technique, rather than Bona vs. Vinegar. That said, it seems like a Vinegar solution is fine, as long as the moisture is removed immediately. What about using a floor fan, drying the area right away? Also, there are different types of Vinegar. Is there a preferred type of Vinegar? White, Distilled, Malt? I imagine (not being a chemist) that different types of Vinegar have different levels of Acidity / Ph?

[@juliem3987]

John Shaw I use distilled I clean houses have never had a problem just make sure you ring your mop out really good

[@MayaFreedom25]

When people say vinegar for cleaning they are referring to distilled 5%, which is cheap to buy by the gallon and can be diluted to various strengths for different purposes (laundry, floors, surfaces, etc)

[@carlatarr2641]

I used Bona product and now I’m searching for a solution to fix my ruined floors... they have a film all over them and when we walk around on the floors, we leave footprints everywhere! I needs help getting rid of the film!!

[@trinityevents898]

I’m having the same problem with Bona! The film and footprints are a nuisance.

[@brycearmstrong9144]

Same problem, dont remember the paper towel in the instructions. So annoyed right now

[@michaelvalley2477]

@@brycearmstrong9144 i got down on my hands and knees and used dawn water to wash floor then applied pledge orange oil takes several hrs to dry but restored the boba disaster

[@nubiano3918]

Denatured alcohol and a scrub brush brought my floors back to new. There is a KZbin video on how to do it...it’s really easy

[@Harrison3-b4t]

I diluted Simple Green. Applied with a damp rag and wiped off with a dry rag...by hand. Removed the buildup of bona like magic!

[@lillytaggert178]

I grew up in a house built in the 40s. My parents bought it in 1970 and still live there today. It has the original wood floors which were refinished once, about a decade ago. If I told you the number of times my sisters and I used a garden hose to clean the floors. Today, floors warp if you sneeze too violently. Maybe the baseball bat people are right. Wood is getting weaker😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@talishaperry7380]

Mom used warm water, a skirt of Dove dish soap, and a cotton mop. She would squeeze the water out so the mop would feel very damp to the touch. After moping, the floor dried in minutes. Then, she polished the floors with old-fashioned floor wax. Yes, a lot of work but the floor looked beautiful. Eventually, she covered all the hardwood floors with carpet.

[@bunnifer.1951]

Can I use this vinegar and distilled water/ dish soap on my laminate floors as well

[@uriastaylor8578]

Why didn’t you use a paper towel to remove excess water from the water and vinegar side?

[@Schelle7000]

I have found that any cleaner that calls itself a "hardwood cleaner" is going to cause buildup. I just had to scrub and remove buildup from my 4 month old solid hardwood floors because of these cleaners. I was using Jaws Hardwood floor cleaner that is also supposed to be safe for tile, vinyl, laminate, etc, and it left a film all over my hardwood, and my luxury vinyl tiles in my kitchen. Very hard work to remove the gunk, let me tell you. From now on, only a damp mop will be used on my floors.

[@Sue-bx4co]

What did you use to remove the buildup?

[@lindalamb7512]

I have treated surface - poly and shiny that are newer solid oak floors Manufacture/ installer said don’t use water or vinegar. When I use Bona get the hazy look. Now what??!!

[@fmorelli]

I'm a bit confused. Straight from Bona's web site, their cleaner is waterborne: "A professional strength, waterborne cleaner formulated for all types of hardwood floors coated with a clear unwaxed finish." If that is the case, the difference is that you used two waterborne solutions, dried the Bona so water didn't sit on the wood, but left water with the mop. What am I missing?

[@hoopzdior8883]

why did the mop with the vinegar and water looked dry..

[@Boodieman72]

If the floor is finished correctly then the water can't penetrate though to the wood.

[@zavatone]

Tell that to my tenants who nuked my engineered wood floors. Also, if your foundation shifts (slab, pier & beam), then it doesn't matter what the finish is, because the wood will move and open it right up.

[@portagepete1]

Right i think the prefinished wood looks nice but it is not covering the wood enough to repel all the water out. If you finish the floor yourself you can coat it much better and mach a repair later.

[@walterkamfonik7073]

by the way do not use Bona wood floor polish or Bona refresher on your wood floors that have a urethane or factory hard finishing on them. yes both of those products will ruin your floors I've been doing floors for 35 years and I've seen a lot of Bona products ruin floor but the Bona wood floor cleaner is a great product you first need to know what kind of finish you have on your floors

[@naturegirl2110]

Walter kamfonik I have the older engineered wood in my house (thicker layer of real wood on top). Polyurethane needs to be refinished which I can't afford right now. What type of cleaner and restorer/polish can I use in the mean time

[@walterkamfonik7073]

naturegirl2110 hi nature girl I would not put any polish or foreign material on top of polyurethane finished floor it should only be just cleaned if it starts to show wear you should have cleaned lightly abraded and have it finished with a urethane finished product such as a water base or oil base finish such processes are called screening coat padding and coat this process is much more durable and would last for 2 - 10 years most gymnasiums do this is the process they do once a year hand done professionally any store-bought products as polishes waxes acrylic finishes would do more harm because it is not as durable as the original finish and it will leave a film on your that makes it very difficult to clean off if you use other products your floors will have to be refinished.

[@naturegirl2110]

Walter kamfonik Thank you. At least I know not to add a shine refresher. But what do I use to clean the floor?

[@atvridgerunner]

Walter kamfonik You are 100% correct, I’ve had a very successful log cabin rental business over the last 15 years With a total of 13 Cabins, we are located off of the Hatfield McCoy ATV trails so there’s a lot of mud, dirt and gravel stuck in our guests boots, We have an average of 700 guest per cabin per year so you could imagine the damage that’s done to the hardwood floors, in the beginning we used Bona high gloss hardwood floor polish once per month and it looked incredible at first but after the first year there was a horrible build up and it took a commercial hardwood floor cleaner, a putty knife and special chemicals to get the wax buildup off, now we screen the floors and use Minwax water-based oil modified high gloss clear once a year and they look fantastic. In between refinishing we use Half cup of vinegar per gallon of water and five or six Drops of dawn dish soap to clean them, this is the best method we have found so far and the floors always look beautiful.

[@France2107]

I used Bona for laminated floors. The advertise that there is no buildup. Lies! Bona builds up over time and leaves a dull residue. By "time" I mean over several years. I switched and it took just about as long using soap and water to remove the residue so the floors had a shine again.

[@judywhite1016]

I use for the first time welman Harwood cleaner on my dark shiny cherry engineered hardwood. The floor went so dull and lost all shin. I tried water and little vinegar.then rinsed with damp momp this worked. I will not use the water and vinegar treatment again it was just a one time fix.

[@dianacruzhiatt1364]

You should have used the same mop, I don't think anyone would really soak their floors

[@av-lu3oi]

seems like they wet the right side floor more than the left

[@MAGAMAN]

You would be wrong. There are a lot of people that are really clueless. Just look at the comment below yours that doesn't realize they are comparing two completely different cleaning methods.

[@MAGAMAN]

@@av-lu3oi Yes, that is what happens when you use a mop and a bucket.

[@stevew1643]

I install and maintain wood flooring and Bona sucks. So does Murphys.

[@SaraB-qt5qz]

What do you recommend?

[@David-cb4dv]

@@SaraB-qt5qz I’ve been a hardwood flooring contractor in the U.K. for almost 20 years and would highly recommend bona products... bona traffic hd in particular if you want the best in performance but this will vary depending on your timber and quality of refinishing prior to the application of a coating. Good luck, I hope you find what your looking for.

[@QJHKI]

@@David-cb4dv David, can you please suggest to me whether installing a hardwood floor is better than WPC or SPC? I've done my research but I've never had a hardwood floor house until I leave my country (Indonesia), now that I am back and want to renovate the house I'm planning to have a wood looking floor (it has always been tiles flooring in most of my life). A note, Indonesia is very humid and I've read so many things about how water and humidity is very bad for hardwood... Finance is not an issue for me. I'm just looking for that wood look..

[@David-cb4dv]

@@QJHKI Hi Almer, I’d be happy to help if possible. Thanks for providing so much info. I believe all are great options but for that traditional feel and look, I would consider using a well aged reclaimed hardwood floor, it’s well seasoned to its long term climate and is usually denser than the varieties offered today which are often fast grown in a warmer climate. Hope this helps, best wishes in your new home.

[@QJHKI]

@@David-cb4dv David, thank you for the massive info! I just did a bit of research. Most Indonesians companies that sell those woods said they are harder than normal solid wood. Most of these companies either sell teak or ironwood. Not that they are bad, but the they are only available on those old dark wood or kinda pale wood and many black marks. I've called few companies, unfortunately they can't make it to look like those smooth Bruce finishes that I want. I guess I gotta compromise on looks or durability lol.

[@drexplordinaire]

im going to tear my hair out, i used murphys/water and bona, everything stays sticky with my slippers, why??

[@jessewhite34081]

I myself use wax every 2 weeks after cleaning with distilled water dish soap and vinegar solution and this is a key point a mist from a spray bottle on a dry micro fiber mop this removes the remaining wax from the surface oh by the way my floor is real hard wood and I installed in my home in 1999, not one problem yet . It looks like the one he is putting the water solution on is actually composite or aka compressed cardboard and it's not a good idea to get that stuff even damp it's like a sponge

[@patrickyanello6015]

Someone told me that water is a chemical. Isn't vinegar a chemical, chemistry? If it has a ph, it especially is some form of chemistry.

[@howtoliving_]

My left ear enjoyed this.

[@genesmay6589]

That's a B.S. test and it looks like the mop side was purposely installed so it didn't have room to expand from the moisture so it buckled prematurely.

[@nirvananostalgia]

3:32 There are dried water droplets as if you didn't go over with paper towel like you did for the Bona. Then I remembered 1:25-2:00 which shows that you didn't dry the floor for one but did for the other. That just means that this experiment is biased and doesn't support your argument because there's no control group and I can see why you have a huge difference between likes and dislikes.

[@maryannanderson7517]

I’m not going to get involved in the vinegar and water versus Bona debate; however, I think to be a valid test everything should be identical on both sides EXCEPT the cleaning agent. The same type of mop should have been used and when a paper towel was used to blot up any excess liquid on the Bona side the same thing should have been done on the vinegar and water side. I cry foul!

[@Gaylordhardwoodflooring]

Hi Maryann. Yes, the comparison may be different if the water and vinegar was dried right after. The reason we originally made this video is because we had a client mop their floor exactly as we did in the video and ruined their floor. We wanted to show the difference between following exactly how they cleaned their floor with what we recommended they do.

[@dbreardon]

Those did not look like hardwood floors. They looked like laminated wood flooring. In other words, not real hardwood solid flooring.

[@MAGAMAN]

Well aren't you a genius.

[@dbreardon]

@@MAGAMAN You are correct.

[@BobbyCYeah]

but, you didn't clean both floors the same way... on the floor you cleaned with Bona you followed up with a paper towel to dry it off. But, the floor with the vinegar you didn't dry off, you let the moisture sit on the floor and absorb. When I mop my hardwood floors (real oak wood planks, not laminate plywood), i use two mops; one wet mop to clean with and one dry mop to dry the floor immediately... and i usually have a fan blowing over the floor while i dry it.

[@leohall4570]

I use vinegar and a spin mop works perfect. the mop is spinned all the way out.

[@lindakincaid4530]

not a true test the first one they wiped up the wetness and the mopping they did not use anything to dry it.

[@crystalduncan79]

Bona floor polish was the worst decision I ever made for my floors. I'll never buy another bona product again.

[@cwhrlng]

crystal Kelley It ruined my floors also, & the only way to correct them is to buy their “polish remover”. Why would they make polish remover if polish didn’t ruin floors. 🧐 The remover took the shine off the finish on my floor. Now it will cost $2000 to bring the floor back to original. Hate BONA,

[@ericmichel3857]

OR, just get tile that looks like hardwood. I did that years ago and tile is better in every regard. They also don't get slippery when wet, are far more durable, easier to repair, and look as good or better than actual wood.

[@WVUGRL24]

Bona leaves a horrible residue on my dark floors. You shouldn’t have to buff the floor with a paper towel after cleaning your floors.

[@dogeshiba3518]

I accidentally used quick shine finisher to my hardwood floor now it left a waxy cloudy residue how to get rid of it pls help

[@kemartini]

I did notice he didn't dry the floor after using the vinegar and water mix

[@sheilareklau1380]

The recipe of 75% water and 25% vinegar is overkill! No wonder it ruined the floor. Most DIY recipes call for 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar to each gallon of water.

[@mermaid3152]

Good information. I didn't know this much damage could occur.

[@surf-travel-seek4147]

The bona floor cleaner works. However if you use a mop like the Mopado with a capful of vinegar (not 25%) a little hand safe dish soap and a capful of rubbing alcohol you won't see the damage a solution 1/4 vinegar.

[@KickAssets]

How about using a steam cleaner with a rag at the end to clean the floors?

[@annaradmanovic11]

I have bamboo floors, and I clean with only very warm water, no strikes, and shiny..

[@mfreese5976]

Mopping was not the only variant- you used the paper towel w the Bona to "pick up any excess moisture and remove the film". You did NOT do that with the mop technique. Your experiment is very flawed.

[@andrenemilo9682]

Bono is expensive as shit. Plus you have to use a ridiculous amount of bono to get that shine. And my house is not a locked up museum, a dog and two 4yr olds is crazy traffic.

[@ksmithpi]

The frequency of cleaning is also a factor in the water penetrating or evaporating. I don't think anyone would mop their floor everyday and just leave the water sitting on the floor to be absorbed by the floor.

[@Gaylordhardwoodflooring]

We have had clients in the past and done flooring inspections where people have mopped their flooring every day. It may seem like common sense not to mop hardwood flooring, but it happens. Kind of the same reason why coffee cups say "caution hot"

[@dorisheath8397]

7gk . . fu ni 5 y es

[@afrodite9801]

how much vinegar in the water

[@MacBobT]

But you didn’t run a paper towel over the mopped water and vinegar. So of course the moisture caused a problem.

[@hollywood2108]

Tried every cleaner nothing works still streaky

[@SparkY0]

So I should buy a better kind of floor than whatever you guys sell. Point taken.

[@MrOramato]

I did not have time to read all the posts so if I am redoubling what others have written my apology in advance. I don't care what product you use but if you don't take it off once in a while you are going to have buildup and leave behind particles that will scratch and dull over time. Wood is a tissue with pores and must be treated as such. The suggestion of 25% vinegar, especially "weekly" is just stupid. First buy regular old white vinegar. So called "cleaning vinegar" is a gimmick. Since you are diluting it anyway, why pay double for a product that is 6% when you can just dilute the regular vinegar less? I have always used a measured half cup (4 oz) white vinegar, a few drops of DAWN (Brand matters in this case because we want its GENTLENESS AND DEGREASING properties), but just a little squirt is plenty, and a full gallon (128 oz) of WARM (HOT IS NOT BETTER) Tap water.(4oz/128oz = 3.12%, SO THAT IS WHY 25% IS STUPID). DO NOT SOAK THE FLOOR. Soaking could open the grain which is bad, especially on an engineered floor. Soaking will also tend to work against adhesives, or rosin paper which is often there to prevent fastener squeaking. You can use an old rag, and Dobie pad on tough spots (never forget gentle). Use other rags, or paper to dry as you go. For finish it depends on lifestyle (not the one you wished you live, the way you actually live). For working couples, you ain't going to look at your floors more than once a month or two and MAYBE after ROOMBA finishes it's okay job of getting the Dog hair. For you BONA POLISH is okay after you gently clean and dry it as per above. USE THE HIGH GLOSS because ROOMBA actually pulls dog hair in from a fair distance and it slides better on gloss. For those who are living a different life style, I recommend you learn about your floor (is it 3/4" t&g, or engineered and what species). Then learn about wood finishes. There are some really wonderfully products out there for finishing your freshly sanded hardwood floor. I recently discovered products by TOTAL BOAT. There is no law that prevents you from making your household wood gleam like a million dollar yacht. The satisfaction you'll get from learning about wood has the potential to change your life. Just not when you are both working 50 hour weeks and running Iron Man for fun.

[@RobinCuccia]

I have been in the cleaning business for 30 years an have used only bona an recommend it for all my new clients. The biggest problem with cleaning is microfiber mops an clothes not bona. I use only terry cloth towels. When asked to use a different product i do than after two weeks i use bona an they notice a diffiant difference on how floor looks an feels when walking on. Bona has a drying agent when prevents damage. I also put bona on my cloth mop not spraying on floor. As you mop towel should be white to be clean. Rinse out an conrinue. Otherwise you are hust moving dirt around an not cleaning properly

[@robbojnr27]

Bona is shite

[@miketheyunggod2534]

Add olive oil to the vinegar and water. Olive oil penetrates the wood and gives the wood a natural shine. Use a sponge, not a mop.

[@MAGAMAN]

The top layer on the flooring is NOT wood. It it a lacquer or other chemical finish that protects the wood beneath it. Olive oil would just make a greasy mess.

[@theresakilcourse9960]

Did they wipe off the water and vinegar the same way they did the Bona?

[@alexbojanic7363]

Okey... So why didn’t you use paper towel after mopping too to make it equal battle?

[@lorraineescareno3633]

Depends if you have vinyl flooring

[@brandi5730]

I use Murphy oil soap and I have a spin mop to where it's so lightly damp it dries within seconds

[@danaem777]

GREAT advice! Water and acid on new wood floors WILL destroy them. Just know the audio is one-sided (left only).

[@TurboRanger351]

The wood must be made of cardboard, there's no way you could get that damage from 5 years of moping, much less 30 times.

[@ChrisGamble]

Vinegar & Water generally represents all proprietary floor cleaning products

[@toddeastburn4838]

They need to dry the water and vinegar side just like they did on the bona side to make an equal comparison

[@MAGAMAN]

No, they don't. They are comparing two DIFFERENT cleaning methods. The mop side is done in the way that most people MOP their laminate flooring. Either way, the mopping will penetrate into the cracks and soak into the wood, even if they wipe off the top.

[@anjanean]

AND....YOU WANT ME TO GO BACK OVER .........my floors with a paper towel...Really???? 1500 sq.ft. ok...

[@Lulu-vi4wb]

Tonya Carr no kidding. Are they trying to discourage people to to installing hardwood floor?

[@Schelle7000]

No kidding. I have 2000 sq. ft of hardwood, as well as another 1800sq. ft of luxury vinyl planks and tile, as well as ceramic tile in all 3 bathrooms. I would have to use up a month's worth of paper towels using this method. Dude is crazy.

[@yvonne4799]

when I clean with Bona I get streaks on the floor and usually have to get my steam cleaner and go over it....I don't know what to use............

[@janellemejia5274]

Yvonne i dont know either!!! 😩😳

[@yvonne4799]

I was wrong, I looked in my pantry and I have a different cleaner. I thought it was Bona, I went out and purchased some and it works just fine.

[@mfsstrpp]

Yvonne, if you are talking about any kind of wood floor including laminate do NOT use any kind of steamer on it! Warranty is instantly voided and you will have problems with swollen/peaked seams sooner or later.

[@kerrigesiak379]

I used bona on my floors because a flooring company recommended it. It left a terrible buildup and my floors have never been the same. It left a white residue on them and had foot prints on them for the first time. Stay away from this stuff. If you google the problem many have had the same issue I have had. I had to wash all my floors by hand several times to get the buildup off. When washing it by hand with a vinegar and dawn soap mixture which was recommended you could feel how dirty my floors had become because of Bona. I only used it for a month or two. I tell people all the time DO NOT USE BONA!!!!!!

[@vickihollaway5595]

So how do you clean your wood floors now?

[@kerrigesiak379]

Vicki Hollaway I just use small amount of vinegar and water.

[@beautifulfeet8132]

Thanks this info really helps!

[@TomLloyd-18]

lol . . . this looks like a 'hostage video'. Only thing missing is him holding the 'Send HELP' sign. What is the percentage of water in the Bona product?

[@mattiasarvidsson8522]

how do i clean the floor without water after i drop a big mac .. or throw up when drunk ?

[@chrisodle007]

25% Vinegar ! Surprised they didn't see the subfloor with that genius recipe.

[@jmc8076]

Infomercial paid for by Bona.

[@SheasBathLab]

5:57 he says the "F" word! LOL!

[@Gaylordhardwoodflooring]

Ooops. Our outtakes generally have plenty of "F" words. Maybe one accidentally slipped through?

[@SheasBathLab]

+Gaylord Hardwood Flooring haha

[@zavatone]

Yeah, you said "f"loor again. I'm telling mom.

[@saurinpatel6224]

Shea LaRoux hair problem

[@SheasBathLab]

Saurin Patel...?

[@DallasDuchess]

👎 Bona sucks - Who wants chemicals on the floor ?

[@lwarfield52]

Great job! I agree with your findings! Thank you Gaylord Hardwood Flooring! (: