Murphy’s Oil Soap

Murphy’s Oil Soap

Although it’s labeled as a wood cleaner, Murphy’s Oil Soap is an effective all-purpose cleaner that has been around for over 100 years. The manufacturer touts the fact that 98% of the ingredients are naturally-derived.

Murphy’s Oil Soap leaves a subtle, natural shine on your hardwood floors–no rinsing required. You don’t need to use very much–in fact, you will leave a sticky residue on your floors if you go overboard.

Just on the main level of our home, I use this product for cleaning hardwood floors, porcelain tile, baseboards, and kitchen backsplash. Other solid wood surfaces where Murphy’s Oil Soap excels are stair railings, balusters, the kitchen table, and chairs.

In the garage and shop, I use it to clean leather seats (always spot test first, of course!), rubber floor mats, and even our vehicles’ wheels. It’s also perfect for scrubbing out trash cans and recycling bins because it deodorizes as it cleans. I love how it gives that “just cleaned” smell to your house without a strong chemical odor.

One bottle will last awhile. Use about 1/4 cup to 1 gallon of warm water for most applications and increase the concentration slightly for heavy cleaning. Using warm or hot water will help the product dissolve better.

As with any cleaning product that you are using for the first time, test it on an inconspicuous surface. While Murphy’s Oil Soap works great on hardwood floors, most manufacturers warn not to use it on engineered wood floors because you are likely to dull and/or damage the finish due to how the wood is sealed. I strongly recommend the Bona line of floor care products for engineered flooring.