Almost every ruined floor in a British house was ruined by water, and usually by someone being helpful with a mop.
The rule that covers most of it
Hard floors want damp, not wet. Laminate, engineered wood and solid wood all swell where water gets into a joint, and swelling does not reverse. Wring the mop until it is barely damp, work in sections, and dry as you go if the floor is wood.
By floor type
- Laminate. Damp mop, no steam, no wax, no oil-based polish. Steam cleaners force water
into the joints, which is exactly what a laminate floor cannot take.
- Solid and engineered wood. Damp mop and a cleaner made for the finish. Never acid,
which cuts the finish, see vinegar.
- Vinyl and LVT. Forgiving. Warm water and a little washing-up liquid is enough. Avoid
abrasives, which dull the wear layer.
- Tile. Tolerates most things. The grout does not: it is porous and acid erodes it.
- Carpet. Blot spills, never rub, and work from the outside in. See
Carpet, in a bit more detail
Vacuuming slowly in two directions lifts several times more than one quick pass, because carpet pile lies one way. For a spill, the order matters: lift the solids first, blot the liquid with something white, then treat. Coloured cloths transfer dye into wet carpet.
Rented carpets and deposits: photograph a stain when it happens and treat it immediately. Old stains are what cost people their deposit, and almost all of them were removable on the day.