Types Of Floors You Should And Shouldn't Use Pine-Sol On

First invented in the 1920s during the Great Depression, Pine-Sol exploded in popularity during the 1950s as an all-purpose house cleaner. While not quite as popular now as it was in the '50s, Pine-Sol is still a well-liked cleaner today due to its strength, affordability, and citrusy fresh fragrance. While there are many unexpected ways you can use Pine-Sol around the house, it's particularly well-regarded as a powerful floor cleaner. However, that doesn't mean that Pine-Sol is safe to use on all materials. You should take care to use it properly to avoid causing damage to your floors — as is the case with many different types of cleaners. For the most part, Pine-Sol is safe to use on the majority of floor types, including your beloved hardwood floors, with a couple of caveats. With that said, there are a few types of flooring you should avoid using Pine-Sol on, including any concrete flooring.

Another important factor to consider if you're going to use Pine-Sol to clean your floors is whether you'll be using the concentrated or non-concentrated version of the cleaning product. If you have the concentrated version, you'll have to dilute the product twice as much. Diluting Pine-Sol is highly important, no matter what type of floors you're cleaning, as the product is quite strong on its own. Read on to find out what types of floors are safe to clean with Pine-Sol, which ones you might want to clean with other products, and how to use this cleaner without causing damage throughout your home.

Hardwood is one of the most popular types of flooring that's being installed in new homes, in large part due to its durability and beautiful appearance. To keep your hardwoods looking nice and to help prevent them from wearing out over time, it's important to clean them regularly. If your floors are looking particularly dirty and a simple sweep won't get the job done, you can use Pine-Sol to deep clean them. Make sure to sweep or vacuum first, and then dilute your Pine-Sol. If you're using the concentrated version, you'll use 1/8 of a cup of Pine-Sol per gallon of water. To dilute the non-concentrated version, you'll use 1/4 of a cup of the cleaner per gallon of water. Then, mop your hardwood floors like you normally would, taking care not to get them too wet, which can cause damage to the wood.

Per the Pine-Sol website, it is not recommended to use the product on "unfinished, unsealed, unpainted, waxed, oiled, or worn wood." Essentially, the company claims that it is only safe to use the product on sealed, finished wood that is in good condition. It's also important to note that although the product is safe to use on wood according to Pine-Sol, some cleaning companies report that it's possible for the product to damage hardwood floors when used over long periods of time. To be safe, it's smart to test a hidden part of your floor before mopping the entire surface with Pine-Sol to make sure it doesn't leave marks behind.

Behind hardwood and engineered hardwood, laminate flooring is the next most popular choice for flooring in new homes. Similar to wood floors, it's important to regularly clean and mop laminates to keep them looking fresh, and to use a laminate-friendly cleaning solution so as not to damage the material. The good news is, according to Pine-Sol, it is safe to use this fresh scented cleaning product on your laminate flooring.

The process for cleaning laminate floors with Pine-Sol is largely the same as cleaning wood ones. First, remove any debris from the floors, and then dilute your Pine-Sol by using 1/8 of a cup per gallon of water. Keep in mind that you can double the amount of Pine-Sol if you're using the non-concentrated version. Then, mop your floors as normal. When cleaning your laminate floors with Pine-Sol, be sure not to use any sharp or abrasive cleaning brushes that may scratch the flooring. It's also important not to let the liquid accumulate in a puddle on the floor, as over-saturation of the chemical may cause damage. If you're concerned about over-saturation, you can always use a small amount of the cleaner that will quickly dry, or wipe the floors dry immediately after mopping with microfiber towels. Additionally, you can dilute the Pine-Sol even more than is recommended on the website to stay on the safe side.

According to the manufacturers of the product and many different floor cleaning companies, it seems to be safe to clean vinyl flooring with Pine-Sol as long as it's used correctly. To use the cleaner correctly per the instructions of the manufacturer, you'll need to first sweep the floors just like wood and laminate, and dilute the cleaner with water. Using Pine-Sol on vinyl differs from the way you'd use it on laminate and hardwood, however. Instead of following the dilution ratio on the bottle, you'll want to add more water.

Both Simple Flooring and Hatcher's Floors claim that it's acceptable to clean vinyl floors with Pine-Sol, although they recommend using it very sparingly and heavily diluting it with water. According to Hatcher's Floors, it's important to take extra care to avoid over-saturating vinyl floors with the Pine-Sol solution, and to only use enough of the cleaner to disinfect your floors. They also recommend using it with a dry mop that is barely damp from the solution. To help preserve your vinyl, it is also a good idea to only use Pine-Sol when you feel the floor needs to be disinfected rather than every time you mop.

While concrete flooring isn't quite as popular as wood, laminate, and vinyl, it isn't entirely uncommon in some modern interior designs. With that said, it is still the most common flooring type found in garages, so it's important to know how to clean it properly. Hint: Cleaning concrete floors properly does not involve using Pine-Sol! It's recommended to skip the Pine-Sol to clean concrete floors, as they can discolor or stain them. The same holds true for other harsh cleaners like bleach, ammonia, and vinegar.

The reason you should avoid using these products and chemicals on concrete is because cleaners with a pH outside of the 6.5 to 7.0 range can damage the finish of a concrete floor. Instead, it is only recommended to use a cleaner on concrete that has a neutral pH. With a pH between 10 and 11, many Pine-Sol cleaning products are fairly alkaline, and you should definitely avoid using them on concrete. Instead, use a cleaner with a neutral pH that's specifically designed for concrete floors, or DIY a mix using a mild soap or dish detergent if you're in a pinch. Note: While the older Pine-Sol formula had a pH of 3.5 and was originally very acidic, the ingredients in some of the cleaners have since changed, and now may be very alkaline.

In addition to using it on unfinished wood and concrete, one of the biggest mistakes you can make when cleaning with Pine-Sol is using it on other types of porous surfaces like natural stone. When used on stone and tile, the cleaner can leave buildup on your flooring. Even if your tile is sealed, or if you're cleaning a tile material that is safe to clean with Pine-Sol like ceramic, the grout between the tiles is likely not sealed, and it's possible for Pine-Sol to eat away at it.

The manufacturer also states that you should not use Pine-Sol to clean any marble surfaces, including floors. Marble is soft and very porous, which means it can easily be stained and discolored. Because marble is so delicate, it should only be cleaned with gentle products that have a neutral pH— which does not include Pine-Sol. A safer way to keep your marble floors clean is to use warm water and a small amount of pH-neutral cleaner or gentle dish soap.