A former royal cleaner says you should ditch chemical-laden floor cleaners for this natural alternative instead — and you probably already have it in your cupboards

Hard flooring is ideal for higher-traffic areas of the home, but while it’s more hard-wearing than carpet, it can still get pretty dirty. Plus, wear and tear becomes more evident over time. That’s why it’s essential to clean your hard flooring regularly.

Of course, if you want to clean wooden floors or give your bathroom tiles a new lease of life, it can be incredibly easy to reach for floor-specific cleaners, often laden with chemicals. But while speaking to Hyperion Tiles, a former royal cleaner confirmed that the (all-natural) key to sparkling palace floors is… black tea. In fact, hard flooring is just one of the many things you can clean with tea.

A spokesperson for the brand explains, ‘This method is a fantastic example of how natural ingredients can be just as effective as modern cleaners, without the risk of damaging high-quality flooring. We always recommend gentle, pH-balanced cleaning solutions for hardwood and tiled floors, and black tea fits perfectly into that category. It’s an easy, affordable trick that anyone can try at home.’ So, this is how to use black tea to clean your hard flooring.

What you'll need

• Black teabags - my personal favourite are these Teapigs Everyday Brew Tea Bags from Amazon
• Microfibre cloths - like these SEEP Eco All Purpose Bamboo Cloths from Amazon
• Hot water

Step-by-step

1. Grab your teabags

There’s a high chance that you already have a hefty supply of tea bags for your morning pick-me-up, but most people don’t realise that teabags can be used for cleaning, too. In fact, the vacuum cleaner tea bag hack is one of my favourites.

And while you can technically use any tea to clean your hard flooring, black tea is best. The spokesperson from Hyperion Tiles says, ‘Tannins found in black tea help bring out the natural richness of wooden floors, adding a subtle shine without damaging the surface. Unlike modern cleaning sprays that often leave residue or dull the finish over time, tea is a gentle yet effective alternative.’

Ideally, you’ll need quite a few to clean your floors. Laura Harnett, Founder of eco-cleaning brand, Seep, says, ‘The longer the tea is stewed, then the more tannins will come out in the water. I suggest that this is done with 10 – 15 tea bags in a large saucepan full of water, depending on how big the wood area is to clean. Leave them boiling for about 15 minutes to make sure all the tannins have been extracted.’

Just remember that black tea isn’t recommended as a cleaner for painted or laminate flooring, just wooden and tiled floors.

Laura Harnett

Laura Harnett is the founder of eco cleaning brand, Seep. She is determined to help as many people stop using unnecessary plastic as possible by encouraging them to switch to plastic free cleaning tools. She also recently appeared on Dragons’ Den and landed not one, but two Dragons to invest in her business.

2. Test a small patch first

While you could just fill a bucket with the tea and use one of the best mops to get the work done, it’s essential to be cautious if you want to use black tea to clean your hard flooring. So, test a small patch first.

Natalie Mudd, Co-Founder and Creative Director Knot & Grain, comments, ‘While natural remedies like black tea can be effective on hardwood flooring, we suggest proceeding with caution when using them on engineered wood to prevent potential damage. If you choose to try a diluted solution, always test it first on a small, inconspicuous area and ensure no residue is left behind.’

You should also wait until the newly cleaned area is completely dry before making any decisions. If you’re happy with the result (and it’s highly likely that you will be), proceed to the next step.

3. Clean the floor in small circles

When you’re ready to clean your entire floor with the black tea mixture, Laura suggests a very specific cleaning approach.

She says, ‘Use a clean, eco-friendly cloth and simply rub on in a circular motion.’ This gentle approach will allow the tea to get into every groove of the tile or wood, offering a thorough cleaning. But you have to be careful that you don’t apply too much. She adds, ‘Never soak any type of wood with liquid as this will damage it, only ever use a damp cloth.’

And while you could mop your floors with the tea solution if you really wanted to, it’s best to opt for a mop like this Spin Mop Bucket System with 2 Microfibre Heads from QVC, which will allow you to wring out any excess and keep the mop head relatively dry.

4. Leave it to dry!

When you’ve completed the above steps, you should be left with shining, clean floors that have been naturally disinfected. Just make sure you let the whole thing dry before walking over it, and repeat the process whenever you see fit.

FAQs

What does black tea do to wood?

Black tea is often used on wood for a variety of reasons, including:

• The tannins in the tea can naturally darken the grain of the wood.
• It can make the wood look brighter and bring out the natural tones in the wood.
• The black tea can disinfect and clean wood - especially wooden floors.
• It can hide scratches and scuffs, making wooden furniture and floors look as good as new.

What is the best thing to clean hardwood floors with?

To prevent scuffing and scratching, it’s always best to vacuum hardwood floors with a soft roller brush or use a mop. For a deeper clean, you can use specific hardwood cleaners – but you don’t need to.

Using natural hardwood cleaners like white vinegar or black tea can work just as well and leave your hardwood floors looking cleaner than ever.

So, will you be trying this cleaning hack?