When Not to Use Vinegar

• Vinegar is a mild acidic cleaning solution. Cleaning your entire floor with a vinegar-based solution once will not harm the coating or the shine. However, over time the vinegar will pit the polyurethane coating on the wood floor and will remove the shine and brilliance of the wood. Thus, don't use the vinegar for regular cleaning and never use it to clean the entire floor. Using vinegar to clean your floors may void the warranty on some hardwood.
  
  

When to Use Vinegar

• Use vinegar to spot clean stains from the floor. Use a very mild dilution of the vinegar to ensure that the acid doesn't etch the hardwood floor coating and damage the floor's color and sheen. Vinegar is particularly useful for cleaning alkaline stains such as rust or blood. Vinegar is also a natural disinfectant that will remove surface bacteria from the stained area.
  
  

How to Use Vinegar

• When cleaning hardwood floors, always apply as little moisture as possible to the floors. Applying too much water will cause them to soak up some of the water. This may cause eventual wood rot or buckling, which will ruin hardwood floors.
  
  

Vinegar Alternatives

• Use commercial hardwood floor cleaners rather than vinegar if you are going to clean the entire surface of the hardwood. Use a damp mop to push the floor cleaner around the room. Wring out the mop as much as possible so that you are applying just a little water to the floor.