Dark Hardwoods. Help me!

I don't know what to do. I sweep/vacuum and mop my floors every day, sometimes multiple times a day because it drives me nuts. Within minutes of mopping, my dark wood laminate floors are covered with foot prints and smudges. The entire downstairs are these floors. Before being walked on they look fabulous and shiny, no streaks, nothing.

If you have dark wood laminate how the hell do you keep them clean and smudge free?! I use a swiffer wet jet with the multifloor cleaner. The constant sweeping and vacuuming is fine, it's just the damn smudges that are going to make me rip up all the flooring   Is the wet jet leaving a residue that's being tracked around?

These pics were taken maybe 10 min after mopping, in the lighted areas you can really see the smudges:

We have hardwood laminate in our on base housing and its impossible to keep it print/streak free. Its not sealed like real hardwood floors would be. You shouldn't use a wet jet or any chemical to clean laminate. A damp cloth w/ a splash of vinegar to clean/sanitize will do.

The wet jet might be leaving a residue. But you could probably find some sort of protectant/sealer kind of thing for them.

I used to have dark hardwood and I hated it! I used a swiffer aswell but I used the cleaner for hardwood.

I have hardwood bamboo floors & mine are slightly darker. I have to clean them constantly. They are very high maintenance. I mostly use my shark steam mop.
We don't allow shoes on in the house, but the steam mop seems to make it smudge less easily.
Also, when I am mopping, I use a cleaning towel to walk on so I don't get footprints everywhere.

that's why I hate hardwood floors.
everyone says how stupid I am for hating them but seriously they are SO much maintenance...
Carpets you can spot clean, get cleaned every once in a while and vacuum but hardwoods it seems like I am cleaning them 50 times a day.

Quoting Jas ♥:" We have hardwood laminate in our on base housing and its impossible to keep it print/streak free. Its ... [snip!] ... You shouldn't use a wet jet or any chemical to clean laminate. A damp cloth w/ a splash of vinegar to clean/sanitize will do."

I've tried using vinegar and I still get the foot prints and smudges. Do you know if laminate can be sealed, or some kind of protective something lol. I'm ready to either rip it up, or keep all the curtains in the house closed so you can't see it.

Quoting Novelidea:" The wet jet might be leaving a residue. But you could probably find some sort of protectant/sealer kind of thing for them."

Yeah, after some google research I found others with the same issue and I think it may be from the wet jet. But some said they get the smudges no matter what they do  

Quoting BC Mama:" I used to have dark hardwood and I hated it! I used a swiffer aswell but I used the cleaner for hardwood."

I've tried both kinds, the wood one and the multifloor which includes laminates. Ugh, I wish they weren't so pretty and expensive   I would definitely put something else in.

Quoting Destinite:" I have hardwood bamboo floors & mine are slightly darker. I have to clean them constantly. They are ... [snip!] ... make it smudge less easily. Also, when I am mopping, I use a cleaning towel to walk on so I don't get footprints everywhere."

I love bamboo floors! So jealous  

Oh, a steam mop is a great idea. When I'm mopping I walk backwards so I don't leave footprints where I have already mopped. We don't wear shoes in the house either, and try to wear socks to cut down on the smudges, but the poor kids are always slipping in socks, and I swear they have the sweatiest feet! Even with socks on you can see their foot prints.

Quoting InkDMomma:" that's why I hate hardwood floors. everyone says how stupid I am for hating them but seriously they are ... [snip!] ... you can spot clean, get cleaned every once in a while and vacuum but hardwoods it seems like I am cleaning them 50 times a day."

If I would have known it was going to be like this, I would never have gotten the dark floors. I don't mind the sweeping part, but I think the dark definitely shows way more dust and crumbs than a lighter floor would. Carpet and tile and sounding so much better right now though. Glad I got carpet upstairs instead of splurging on hardwoods, I would seriously be kicking myself in the ass.

Quoting 3.24.10 ♥ 9.10.11:" If I would have known it was going to be like this, I would never have gotten the dark floors. I don't ... [snip!] ... right now though. Glad I got carpet upstairs instead of splurging on hardwoods, I would seriously be kicking myself in the ass."

I have a medium color through out my house aside from bedrooms, basement, kitchen and bathrooms.

I smurfing hate it.
I am ALWAYS sweeping or wiping it. and once I finish i go to look at how pretty it is... and it looks almost the exact smurfing same!

next house... I do NOT want hardwood floors... tile and carpet FTW

Quoting InkDMomma:" I have a medium color through out my house aside from bedrooms, basement, kitchen and bathrooms. I ... [snip!] ... pretty it is... and it looks almost the exact smurfing same! next house... I do NOT want hardwood floors... tile and carpet FTW"

For sure!! We just built this house and I am already ready to move on to the next and do so many things differently. I have definitely learned what I do and do not like.

Quoting 3.24.10 ♥ 9.10.11:" For sure!! We just built this house and I am already ready to move on to the next and do so many things differently. I have definitely learned what I do and do not like."

plus they make my house SO cold. I mean it's good in the summer but Michigan doesn't have a very long hot/warm season lol

<blockquote><b>Quoting 3.24.10 ♥ 9.10.11:</b>" I've tried using vinegar and I still get the foot prints and smudges. Do you know if laminate can be ... [snip!] ... of protective something lol. I'm ready to either rip it up, or keep all the curtains in the house closed so you can't see it."</blockquote>


No   I'd love to find one, I am OCD about clean floors.