This article was first published on February 26, 2020. It has since been updated to provide more current information.
Bamboo flooring is a wonderful investment for your home. With its eco-friendly benefits and the fact that it’s designed to last a lifetime, homeowners can’t go wrong with installing it in every room in the home. This includes kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathrooms. Plus, pet owners’ good news is that bamboo flooring is relatively impervious to pet urine as long as the mess is cleaned up within 20 hours.
Whether you have brand new kittens or puppies, or a senior dog with a little trouble making it outside when it’s time to go, your bamboo floor can withstand pet messes. We’ve got the skinny on how best to clean up after your pet. Keep reading to find out how to take care of your bamboo floors even if you don’t have a pet!
How To Clean Up Pet Urine From Bamboo Flooring
1. Start with prevention
If you are the parent of kittens or puppies that aren’t quite house-trained, first consider purchasing an activity pen and using disposable training pads.
2. Clean up spills quickly
One of the most important steps for cleaning up pet urine from bamboo flooring is to attend to the mess as quickly as possible. While this isn’t always possible, especially if your pets stay in the house while you work outside of the house, it’s still important to clean up as soon as you can.
3. Blot stains, don’t scrub
Remove any solid waste from the area using a paper towel. Next, with a dry paper towel, gently blot the area where the urine is located. Don’t rub the area, as this will push the urine deeper into the bamboo. Once the paper towel is wet, switch to a new, clean paper towel and repeat the process until all urine is soaked up.
If the urine has seeped in between the planks, this can cause expansion of the wood, so make an extra effort to dry out these crevices using tissues and a vacuum cleaner with a narrow suction adapter. Additionally, you can quickly run a blow dryer over the area to further dry up the urine and prevent the wood from soaking it up.
4. Use the right cleaning materials
To clean up pet urine, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning bamboo flooring. Avoid traditional household chemicals and cleaning agents. Unapproved cleaning products could damage or stain the floor. Therefore, it’s best sometimes to use a damp sponge or washcloth and gently wipe over the area.
5. First clean the area
Urine has a smell, especially if it has dried or been sitting for a long time. If your pets have frequent accidents, that can lead to an odor problem. It’s also important to deodorize so that your pets no longer smell the urine and won’t think it’s OK to keep going on the floor. Some cleaning products have a light scent (like a green apple), such as Bam-Brite Bamboo Floor Cleaner, and these work great to clean the floor while reducing odors at the same time.
Once you clean up the pet’s urine, deodorize the area with white vinegar. Create a solution using 1/4 cup of white vinegar and mixing it with one quart of water. It is a natural odor remover that’s safe for bamboo floors so long as you don’t overdo it! (Avoid using it for regular maintenance, as the acidity in the vinegar can affect the finish luster over time).
6. Deodorize the area
To deodorize the area, use a sponge or washcloth and dampen it with the vinegar solution. Place the sponge or cloth on the urine area for a few minutes. After a few minutes, blot the area gently. Rinse out the sponge and repeat the process one more time. Wipe the area dry with paper towels.
Want to test out our cleaning method before you buy bamboo flooring? Contact us for a free bamboo flooring sample!
Regular Cleaning Routine
Even if you don’t have a pet, you still need to keep your bamboo floors clean. Follow this cleaning schedule to keep your bamboo floors looking great.
How to Clean Bamboo Floors Daily
In a house filled with people and pets, you’ll likely track a bit of the outdoors inside each day.
Simply sweep or dust mop your floors to pick up the fur and dirt tracked in on shoes.
Clean up spills the minute you find them with a dry or damp cloth. Don’t use cleaning products that contain mineral spirits.
Weekly Bamboo Flooring Care
At least once a week, run the vacuum over the floors. Never use a rotary or beater brush attachment when vacuuming floors. Always use the bare floor setting.
Cats in shark costumes are optional. Vacuuming is not.
Natural, horsehair brushes provide softer, more gentle cleaning than their nylon counterparts. No matter what type of hard floor you have, opt for horsehair brushes over nylon for your hard floor attachments.
Monthly Care
At least once a month (and more often if floors receive high traffic), clean bamboo floors with a pH-neutral cleaning product specifically for bamboo or wood floors.
Look for Bam-Brite, Bona, or Swiffer hardwood cleaning products. You don’t need to go crazy here, less is always more when using cleaners. If you dissolve a concentrate and mop with a string or sponge mop, make sure you wring the mop thoroughly before using it on the floor.
If you aren’t sure if about a floor cleaner, test it out in a corner of a room or on a plank in the floor of a closet.
Bamboo Floor Cleaning and Maintenance Do’s
In addition to following the easy-care schedule, here are a few other things to do to keep your bamboo floors clean and beautiful.
- Always use rug pads under your rugs and mats under your rolling chairs.
- Select natural rubber or felt rug pads that breathe to prevent moisture build-up.
- Pick chair mats that are designed for use specifically on hardwood floors.
- Keep indoor humidity constant between 40% – 60%.
- Protect against ultraviolet light. All hardwood floors will change color over time when exposed to ultraviolet light. Use draperies or film on your windows to reduce UV light exposure.
- Give your steam cleaner to a neighbor, friend, or family member. You won’t be using it on your bamboo floors – so do find it a good home.
Bamboo Floor Cleaning and Maintenance Don’ts
Bamboo flooring is tough, but it isn’t indestructible. Please don’t do these things if you want your bamboo flooring to look great for years to come.
- Never use any type of steam cleaner on your bamboo floors. Even the ones that are supposed to be “safe” for wood floors can damage bamboo and wood flooring.
- Don’t allow water or any other liquid to sit or pond on your floors. Follow this rule to protect the flooring and the finish.
- Prevent fluctuations in humidity and don’t get it to get too dry or too humid. Keep humidity between 40% and 60% all year long.
- Avoid cleaning products with oils, waxes, or furniture polish. It may go without saying, but we are going to say it anyway – don’t clean bamboo flooring with abrasives cleansers.
Notice how the list of things not to do is short? That’s because bamboo flooring really is easy to own, easy to clean, and easy to keep looking beautiful.
That makes bamboo flooring right at home in any type of home.
About the Author
Meet Jo Lynn! 🌿🧹 With more than a decade of eco-cleanliness expertise under her belt, Jo Lynn is on a mission to turn spaces into healthier, greener sanctuaries. Her journey into sustainable home maintenance started with a deep love for the environment and a determination to whip up non-toxic solutions that actually work.
Whether it’s a cozy home or a bustling office, Jo Lynn knows how to keep spaces spotless without compromising your health or our planet’s well-being. Plus, rumor has it, her cleaning jokes are so good, even the dust bunnies can’t help but chuckle! 😄
