Grapefruit Seed Extract on Hardwood w/ Laminant Seal?

Puck

New member
Mar 8, 2015
802
4
Okay, I admit it: I hate traditional mops and generally use one of those auto- spray and mop devices with removable, disposable pads to clean my hardwood floors with their laminant seal. My question: is it okay to use Grapefruit Seed Extract and water for this purpose? Or possibly white vinegar and water? The seal on the floors means you can clean them with Windex if you so please--it's no different from cleaning a kitchen floor (thank God for this amazing invention cause I do NOT do hands and knees wood polishing, no way, no how.). I am looking for a bird friendly cleaner that can spray from the mop.
 

plumsmum2005

New member
Nov 18, 2015
5,330
94
England, UK
Parrots
Lou, Ruby, and Sonu.
Fly free Plum, my gorgeous boy.
A solution as per instructions of F10. I do put a drop in my mop bucket. You are not talking soaking wet you only need a damp go over don't you? Not good to soak laminate btw.

.. and yes you probably can with the GSE, just take care re the essential oils though. http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/grapefruitseedextract.htm

When we had our hardwood floor sanded and resealed the tradesman recommended a product to use by OSMO. It is not cheap but does last a long time.

Are you looking for a product in general or specifically a bird friendly product which is the slant I have taken. Go steady with vinegar as you do not want to smell like a chip shop IMO.
 
Last edited:

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,643
10,007
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
If you have a "Hardwood Laminate" flooring, the sealing coats vary widely and you really need to know what that seal coat is and what causes it to fail.

Most mild cleaners will work. Acid based products require an understanding of the mixture ratio to assure that the seal coat is not damaged. This subject was much easier when the Flooring products all had a very hard and resistant seal coat. As the price point has fallen, so has the resistance of the seal coat!

White vinegar and water can be used, but again, very light amounts!

Polyguard is a product sold by some Big Box stores and near all standalone Hardwood Flooring sellers /installers. This product is used after cleaning the floor and then used to seal the floor. Highly recommended to provide long life of Hardwood Flooring. It will help laminates develop a longer life. We have used Polyguard for well-over 20 years and is safe to use.
 
Last edited:

LordTriggs

New member
May 11, 2017
3,427
24
Surrey, UK
Parrots
Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
as a side note is normal store-bought floor cleaner you would use with a normal mop safe around birds?
 
OP
Puck

Puck

New member
Mar 8, 2015
802
4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
as a side note is normal store-bought floor cleaner you would use with a normal mop safe around birds?

Generally no. There are usually chemicals in "floor cleaner."

The sealer I used is pretty hardy. I will try a light mix of F10 and see how that goes!
 
Last edited:
OP
Puck

Puck

New member
Mar 8, 2015
802
4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #7
If you have a "Hardwood Laminate" flooring, the sealing coats vary widely and you really need to know what that seal coat is and what causes it to fail.

I don't actually have hardwood laminate flooring, I have hardwood straight from the original early 1960s house that was under the carpet when we pulled it up. We added a laminate seal to it that protects it so you don't have to treat it the way you would hardwood back in the day. :) Laminate seal may not even be the word for it; I inherited the house from my parents and they put the sealer down. It's a hardy sealer for wood that allows you to treat it like a kitchen floor instead of wood.
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,643
10,007
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
If you have a "Hardwood Laminate" flooring, the sealing coats vary widely and you really need to know what that seal coat is and what causes it to fail.

I don't actually have hardwood laminate flooring, I have hardwood straight from the original early 1960s house that was under the carpet when we pulled it up. We added a laminate seal to it that protects it so you don't have to treat it the way you would hardwood back in the day. :) Laminate seal may not even be the word for it; I inherited the house from my parents and they put the sealer down. It's a hardy sealer for wood that allows you to treat it like a kitchen floor instead of wood.

Laminate Seal is likely not the correct wording. Its likely one of many Poly based Sealers commonly used in the 60's. Today it would be a 'waterbased' Poly Sealer.

Look for Polyguard, it is designed for Hardwood Flooring. We had lived with the older cleaning and sealing systems including the use of floor polishers since the Seventies. In early 2000's we had the Hardwood Flooring in our 100+ year old home refinished with new lighter stain and the newer water based Poly sealer. The organization that did the work introduced us to Polyguard. Now in our newly built home with Hardwood Flooring, we still use it and also at the cottage on the new Hardwood Laminate Flooring installed there.
 

dhraiden

Member
Jul 14, 2015
603
23
Queens NY
Parrots
Green Cheek Conure (Mochi)
Gold Capped Conure (Mango)
I use bona on my old HW floors (house built in 1920, not sure the bedroom floors are much younger). It's pet-safe/eco-friendly.

You never need as much of any particular cleaning liquid as you think. I do a 3-step process although I'm generally pretty much lazy - swiffer first, then vacuum, then a very light mop.
 

Aquila

New member
Nov 19, 2012
1,225
1
Philadelphia
Parrots
Sydney - Blue Front Amazon
Gonzo - Congo African Grey
Willow - Cockatiel
RIP:
Snowy, Ivy, Kiwi, Ghost - Parakeets
Berry - Cinnamon GCC
Although I have tile in my kitchen, not hardwood, I use a microfiber mop with hot water and a few drops of Dawn when I really need to scrub, otherwise just water and vinegar that I use to clean pretty much everything.
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top