Vinegar is a natural substance that works effectively as a household cleaner in many applications.  It is hyped to clean window to a streak free shine, sanitize toilet bowls, and remove rust.  But is it an effective natural cleaning alternative for hardwood floors? You need only to perform a search for ‘vinegar and hardwood floors' to get an idea of how much contradictory information is floating about.

Should You Use Vinegar to Clean Hardwood Floors?

Hardwood floor manufacturers shout an emphatic ‘NO'.  

What Is Vinegar?

Vinegar is a chemical compound known as acetic acid, also called methane carboxylic acid or ethanoic acid.  Its chemical formula is CH₃COOH.  Vinegar is produced through the fermentation of sugar with yeast to produce alcohol. Vinegar is an acid and in its purist form is dangerous.   Household vinegar that can be purchased at any grocery store is actually nine-five percent water and five percent vinegar.

Why Vinegar Is Not a Good Idea

Vinegar's strong acidic properties have the potential to pit and etch the finish of your hardwood floor over time, so though it may seem like an effective alternative to chemical cleaners, it will ultimately ruin your floor if you use it habitually.  Similar cleaners to avoid are bleach, any cleaners that are ammonia based, general detergents, and any cleaners that are abrasive, oily, or waxy.