Is it safe to use a steam cleaner on a hard wood floor?

Take a spoonful of water and put it on your hardwood floor. If it beads up and is easily wiped away, you might be able to use some steam cleaners on that floor (ones designed specifically for hardwood floors). If it doesn't bead up, instead either spreading out thinly or even soaking in somewhat, don't use steam cleaning on it until you have refinished/resealed the flooring.

There is a steamer specifically for bare floors which is probably safest to use, though it may be hard to find:Bissell 1867 Steam Mop Bare Floor Steam CleanerProduct DescriptionSafely clean and sanitize without the fumes and residue of harsh chemicals. The Bissell SteamMop Bare Floor Steam Cleaner offers one-step cleaning of virtually all bare floor surfaces, without the hassles of a mop and bucket. Great for overall cleaning as well as spot cleaning, the SteamMop will steam for approximately 15 minutes before you need to simply remove the water tank, refill it and continue cleaning.

The swivel head turns to get into tight spaces and fit under cabinets, and the steam-on-demand has a quick startup—it's ready in 30 seconds. Other features include a strain-reliever handle to reduce hand and wrist stress, a power cord and quick-release cord wrap, a center carrying handle and an easy-to-use trigger depressor. Safe for use on marble, ceramic, stone, vinyl, laminate, linoleum and sealed hardwood floors.

Includes water tank, replaceable filter and washable mop pad.