Sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming floors can be a dreaded chore, especially when dust loves to settle every five minutes. When it comes to wooden flooring, there’s also the problem of the material scratching and turning dull over time.
While there are many traditional wooden floor cleaners on the market, Kristina Rak, a member of the Cleaning Tips, Tricks and Hacks Facebook group, utilised a nifty kitchen scrap item to transform her hardwood floors. She claimed that used tea bags are “amazing” at cleaning wooden floors, and the task only takes 10 minutes. Black tea has been used for centuries to clean and polish hardwood floors because it cuts through the grime and dust and adds an extra sheen.
Kristina wrote: “I just cleaned my wood floors with black tea and it worked amazingly! It disinfects, removes dust and shines up the wood fantastically. I didn’t see any dust for at least a month.
“It definitely made them shiny and even added a nice colour to them, and it smells so nice!
“I used eight tea bags in one gallon of boiling water. Seep for 10 to 15 minutes, then let it get to room temp. Then I mopped per usual with my mop.”
Using a brewed drink to clean your floors might seem odd, but it really works. Black tea has polyphenolic compounds that prevent bacteria from growing, helping to disinfect your floors.
But its secret fighting power is its tannins, which not only clean your floor but also help stain it.
Tannins, the substance that stains your tea cups, are slightly acidic, so they will help cut through dirt and grime while you’re mopping.
But more importantly, they also create a light brown stain, which can help add colour and richness to your natural hardwood. It all depends on how many tea bags you use.
If you use eight bags, you should be able to bring out the colour in medium-brown floors.
If you have lighter floorboards, consider using five or six; if you have dark floors, you might have to increase it to 10 or 12.
However, only use this cleaning hack on natural hardwood and not laminate. The tea might ruin laminate, so it’s best to steer clear.