8 no-sweat tricks to clean any type of floor

Don't break out the knee pads and scrub brushes. No matter the material, floors can be kept looking spotless and new with these simple, safe tips.

Hardwood

Sealed wood floors typically have a urethane, polyurethane or polyacrylic coating. This protects them from stains and water damage, says Meg Roberts, president of Molly Maid.

To clean, mix mild or pH-neutral soap with water in a bucket. Use a microfiber mop, which is easy to wring out, making it ideal for hardwood floors that work best with a barely damp (not soaking) mop. It will also help floors dry faster. Clean high-traffic areas like the kitchen once a week; for less-trafficked areas, mop once a month.

For waxed wood floors, you're off the hook — sort of. Just sweep, dust mop or vacuum regularly.

Laminate

Few things will harm a laminate floor, says Bill Dearing, president of the North American Laminate Flooring Association. That said, it's important to keep water from getting underneath the planks. Dearing recommends dry mopping or vacuuming, making sure the machine is on tile mode (as opposed to carpet). Spot-clean with a slightly damp mop when necessary. Never polish a laminate floor. If the finish of a plank looks damaged, it's best to replace it.

Cork

The same quality that makes this natural material so beautiful — its porosity — makes it susceptible to water damage. It's absorbent, so most cork flooring is sealed, but you still need to proceed with caution.

"Vacuum often to prevent scratching, wipe up spills immediately, and wash cork floors once a week," says Leslie Reichert, the Green Cleaning Coach.

Reichert suggests skipping commercial cleaning products in favor of a vinegar-and-soapy-water solution: Gently mix ¼-cup vinegar in a 16-ounce spray bottle with one drop of dish soap and warm water. Don't shake the solution (that would create suds), but gently combine the ingredients in a spray bottle by rocking it back and forth. Spray the floor a section at a time and wipe with a damp microfiber mop.

This solution can also be used for weekly cleanings of vinyl and porcelain tile flooring.

Bamboo

Bamboo is sustainable and beautiful — but softer and more prone to nicks and scratches than hardwood. Unless you have strand bamboo flooring — the most durable type available — be vigilant about sweeping up dirt and debris. Roberts uses a tennis ball to gently buff out marks and uses the same cleaning solution on bamboo as on hardwood.

Linoleum

True linoleum is made from linseed oil, resin, limestone, wood fiber and cork dust, and colored with mineral pigments. Treat this flooring as you would cork, advises Reichert: Mix up a spray bottle of just a few drops of dish soap and hot water, then spritz a section of the floor at a time and wipe with a damp microfiber mop.

Natural stone

Whatever you do, leave the vinegar in the pantry, warns Kris Koenig, CEO of eco-friendly cleaning company Natura Clean, in Middleton, Wis. Even a small amount of the acidic liquid could damage stone floors, as could bleach and ammonia. Instead, mop sealed stone floors with a pH-neutral, non-chelating cleaner that won't react adversely to the minerals in natural surfaces.

If your stone tiles are unsealed, says Reichert, mop with a microfiber mop and hot water; chemicals would penetrate the stone. For stubborn dirt, use a steam cleaner.