How should I be cleaning a solid wood floor?

[sweetheart]

We had a solid wood floor laid in our house recently and after spending the last couple of weeks cleaning it with a vileada mop and some pledge soapy wood cleaner a builder at work told me I should not be cleaning it with water.

So, what do you clean yours with?

we have strip oak floor all throughout the downstairs and i always just mop it with soapy water with a bit of disinfectant in to (we have a cat). in 3 years, it's not done any damage to the wood.

We have a solid oak floor and I mop, with a microfibre mop and ecover wood cleaner every couple of weeks. It's sealed wood though.

I've read several webistes which say not to use water.

what do you use if not water though?, our hall has been scrubbed with hot water and a brillo pad when we had the kitchen plastering done, it was so filthy!. and it was so much easier potty training with wooden floors due to being able to mop it!

my thought's exactly - hence the question

Dh is terrified I'll ruin it! Especially considering how much it cost.

I think it depends on whether the wood is waxed or oiled, in which case you're not supposed to use water - or something like that! I do know it depends on what the wood finish is, I just don't know which way round it is

I use this, although think it may have been rebranded Dr Beckman's. You need to read the backs of bottles very carefully about what sort of wood floors they can be used on.

Our wood is oiled but (I think) unsealed. The cleaner is diluted in water and (as far as I know) water is OK to use as long as you don't over soak the floor or leave standing water for long periods. The Vileda wood mop is a good mop to use, just don't over soak the head.

It's been down about 2 years and is OK so far... (but I am lazy and only do it about 4 times a year - it doesn't get that dirty)

At some stage I imagine we might need to re-oil it, but would probably look into getting someone in to do this for us if such a service exists!