Can You Use Fabuloso on Wood Floors?

When using a multipurpose cleaner, convenience is king! You get to use the same cleaner for your table, your floor, and even your glass cabinets. However, rarely does the manufacturer make a comprehensive list of which surfaces the cleaner is suitable for, and which one is its’ not. It can be tempting to just use Fabuloso for everything, but also nerve wracking – what if you ruin something expensive like your genuine hardwood floors? Luckily, others have blindly put Fabuloso on their hardwood floors, so you do not have to.

Fabuloso is a convenient multi-surface cleaner that you can safely use on your wood floors to clean stains, dirt, foot prints, grease, and grime. It dries without a residue, it is pH neutral, and has no discoloring agents, leaving Fabuloso a great option for cleaning your hardwood floors.

Can You Use Fabuloso on Wood Floors?

Yes, Fabuloso has all the characteristics that are important in a wood safe cleaner. Since it dries residue free you get to enjoy your shining floors after you work hard to clean them. Another plus is it is pH neutral, which you can read exactly what pH neutral cleaners are and see a huge list of them in this detailed guide I created.

Furthermore, Fabuloso has no discoloring agents that will cause discoloration damages to your wood floors. As a bonus, it is a great disinfectant and contains several strong stain fighters. Unlike many other traditional cleaners, there should be no issues using Fabuloso on a traditional wood floor.

How to Clean Hardwood Floors with Fabuloso?

1. Dilute Fabuloso with Water

To begin, Fabuloso does need to be diluted with water. The ideal dilution is about ¼ a cup of Fabuloso to one gallon of water. Measure out the cleaner first into your bucket, and then put warm water in afterward, as this will help the cleaner evenly disperse. Using water is important because it activates some of the ingredients in Fabuloso and prevents skin irritation from the sulfates in the formula.

2. Wring Out Mop (Squeeze water out)

Because you add water to Fabuloso, you want to be aware of excess moisture on your mop that could end up on the wood. Your cloth or mop should NOT be dripping wet. Wring out your mop to avoid too much water/Fabuloso solution on your mop.

When mopping or scrubbing, do not to leave any puddles or drips behind on the floor. You should notice that the floor is already starting to dry within minutes of being mopped.

3. Remove Your Mop Bucket

Once you have cleaned the entire floor, remove the bucket and mop on the freshly cleaned flooring. You can take it to a nearby room or your garage area. Avoid placing your wet mop bucket on wood floors for a long duration. If finished feel free to empty and rinse both and set aside.

4. Check for Standing Water and Let the Floor Dry

Check the cleaned floors for any standing water. You can use the mop again, wring it as dry as you can get it, then mop over the standing water area to remove the excess water. Now let it dry. 

To help the room properly dry, ventilate the space with an open window. The maximum amount of time it should take to dry the floor is thirty minutes. If it is taking longer, then the mop was too wet. You might need to assist with a fan and a towel.

Can Fabuloso Damage Hardwood Floors?

Most cleaners, when used improperly, can cause damage to a delicate wood floor. Fabuloso specifically is diluted with water, and wood does not like water. Even sealed floors can have seepage in the joints between planks, leading to eventual cupping and warping. To prevent this, you just need to make sure your floor is drying quickly after mopping, and that there is no standing water.

Ideally, the floor should be completely dry within a half hour of mopping. Following product directions for Fabuloso and the steps outlined above makes damage to the floor extremely unlikely.

What Happens if You Use too Much Fabuloso on Wooden Floors?

If you do happen to use the cleaner improperly by not diluting it enough, then luckily you should not see any damage. This is because Fabuloso is PH neutral, so it will not eat through the finish. Something you will notice is that it is a less effective cleaner.

A couple of the ingredients in Fabuloso are water activated – meaning they do not work if the water to cleaner ratio is not correct. It will of course also hurt your wallet, since you will be using more cleaner per square foot!

Are the Ingredients in Fabuloso Safe for People?

Hearing that Fabuloso contains sulfates may make some people question its safety, as sulfates have fallen out of favor. The sulfate in Fabuloso is Sodium Dodecylbenzene sulfonate, which despite its intimidating name, is the same thing used to make Epsom Salt.

Sulfates like the rest of the ingredients in Fabuloso, are human safe. They can irritate the skin in very concentrated forms but pose no health risk. If you have especially sensitive skin, you might need gloves when using it on a washcloth or sponge as a worst-case scenario.

Environmentally, sulfates can be harmful in copious quantities, which is why some groups have called for limiting use of sulfates. Sulfates are highly effective fertilizers for plants in addition to killing off germs. When wastewater containing high concentrations of sulfates is released into lakes and rivers, it contributes to massive algae blooms. This can be a problem if the algae is poisonous.

There is nothing unnatural or dangerous about using sulfates in your home, but you will want to choose carefully when the best time is to use them so that local ecosystems are not overloaded.

Does Fabuloso Disinfect Wooden Floors?

Fabuloso is an excellent choice as a disinfecting cleaner. Despite being gentle on surfaces like wall and floors, it kills over 99% of viruses and bacteria. It does this with sulfates, like many household products. This is because sulfates have a lower risk of discoloring surfaces than alcohol and bleach.

Does Fabuloso Cause Wooden Floors to Become Slippery?

Fabuloso is a low residue cleaner. It does not need to be rinsed off the floor, and it should not leave any film behind when used properly. You may notice the floor is slippery while wet due to the nature of liquid, but it should not persist.

Is Pine-Sol or Fabuloso Better for Wood Floors?

This depends on your goal. Pine Sol typically removes stains better, but only the Pine Sol Original is disinfecting. Additionally, it needs to be left on the surface for 20 minutes to disinfect properly. Fabuloso has a variety of products that disinfect, and it only needs to be left on the surface for five minutes.

Can Fabuloso Be Used on Wooden Furniture?

Fabuloso can only be safely used on sealed wood – which may or may not cover your furniture. Look to the manufacturer for specific advice. If you are not sure, you can spot test somewhere out of sight.

Final Thoughts

Fabuloso is a smart choice for a variety of applications in your home, one of which is cleaning hardwood flooring. It is PH neutral, low residue, and will not dye surfaces. It needs to be mixed with water, which means you will want to avoid any puddles or very wet patches. However, to prevent this simply ventilate the space and wring out your mop after each dip in the bucket.

Unlike Pine Sol, Fabuloso has a variety of products that disinfect quickly and easily. Any one of Fabuloso’s Multipurpose Cleaners will kill over 99% of bacteria and viruses.

Read our related articles here: 

• Can You Use Fabuloso on Tile Floors?
• Can You Use Fabuloso on Laminate Floors?
• Can You Use Fabuloso on Windows? (All You Need to Know)
• Can You Use Fabuloso as Laundry Detergent?
• Can You Boil Fabuloso on the Stove?
• Can You Use Pledge on Hardwood Floors?
• How to Remove Dark Stains from Your Hardwood Floors?
• Swiffer WetJet Hardwood Floor Cleaning Guide (Must Knows!)