A lot of you have been asking if it’s safe to use your Swiffer WetJet on your wood floors so I thought it was about time to write an article on this topic.
The Swiffer WetJet is a mop that has received a lot of press and mixed reviews. The Swiffer WetJet is a mop that can be used on many floor coverings. The Swiffer is not recommended for wood floors even though many people do use it on their wood floors. The Swiffer company says that it is not recommended for wood floors. In fact, on their web site http://www.swiffer.com/en_US/mopping.do they say,”Do not use on unfinished, oiled or waxed wooden boards… because they may be water sensitive.” Many home owners do not do their research and try the Swiffer WetJet mop on their hardwood floors.
Often, homeowners do not actually know about their wood floors finish. They do not know when or if their floors were finished. Homeowners usually don’t know what kind of floor finish was used. Often people purchase their homes with wood floors already in them. Because they came with the home and they seem to look okay, many people will clean their wood floors just as they would clean their tiled or linoleum floors.
There are a few serious problems with using the Swiffer WetJet on any type of wood floor covering.
The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution is water based. Simply using the Swiffer WetJet product will void your wood floor warranty in almost all cases. When you put water on any wood floor, the water will absorb into the wood. It will make laminate and engineered floors swell especially fast because all they have is a veneer with several layers of relatively low grade wood underneath the surface. With hardwood floors, it may take a little longer to notice that they are water logged. However, allowing your floors to penetrate moisture invites the growth of potential mould and also causes permanent water damage. As much as people think water is a good cleaner, it will ruin your wood floors permanently.
The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution leaves white cloudy streaks on most wood floors. This dull film is caused by a build-up of the cleaning solution that is left behind on your wood floors. Once you have streaks on your floor, you have created more work for yourself because now you have to get rid of the streaks! Even if you try and pick up the cleaning solution or if you just let the cleaning solution dry on your floors, the white streaks will almost always occur. White streaks often make a floor appear dirtier than it was before.
The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution contains toxic chemicals. A lot of cleaning products pose health risks because they use toxic chemicals as their active ingredients. Unfortunately, often times even trace amounts of toxic ingredients are not safe to use especially for little children and pets. The Swiffer WetJet has had a lot of negative reviews regarding its safety. Some people are saying its a hoax but it is still an ongoing debate.