What`s the best way to clean wood floors that have been sanded,stained,and coated with polyurethane? Currently I have been mopping them regularly with warm water only. I am finding that in the kitchen especially there are darker areas from dirt or whatever that won`t come clean. Any and all ideas will be appreciated.Someone mentioned on another thread about bleaching their wood floors and I am wondering how this works as well. Thanks in advance!

-- Linda Foster (rcfam@csinet.net), September 03, 2000

Answers

Try Murphy's Oil Soap. I can't stand the smell but, it really works.

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), September 03, 2000.

Murphy's oil soap is a great cleaner for wood floors. "Preen" is better but is a bit more expensive.

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), September 03, 2000.

When we had a wood floor in the dinning room my wife used Murphy's Oil Soap deluted and mopped it like the vinyl floor. She then wiped it down with a dry towel. I think the instruction for mopping are on the bottle.

-- Vaughn (vdcjm5@juno.com), September 03, 2000.

My folks have a home built in 1876, with poplar floors (the hall has poplar and walnut alternate boards!). Mu Mom is MAJORLY inot house keeping, and "spring cleans" in the spring and fall!

They use Murphey's Oil soap if it is really dirty, let it dry, and use Bruce floor wax on it. This stuff is serious---you pour a bit on the floor, witpe it up with one rag, then mop it off with another; it is a thick liquid, comes in a metal pour can, and you choose the color to match the color of your floor. You let the floor dry, them buff it, on your hands and knees, with another rag. I well remember doing that; by the third room, your knees are sore, and you are dripping with sweat. But the floors shine like honey thru a honey jar!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), September 04, 2000.

I would have answered Murphy's Oil Soap myself except for something I came across earlier this year. I ended up trading emails with a man who installs and refinishes wood floors. He HATES the stuff. And any other oil-based product. He said that it builds up, especially in low traffic areas and cracks and causes any recoating to peel off. He won't guarantee any of his recoats because of it. He also said that Murphy's (and other oil treatments) tend to build up on the floors and attract dirt therefore causing the floor to look progressively duller. As I recall, he also claimed that sanding generally didn't clean the stuff off the floors (and certainly not out of the cracks) well enough to be sure of getting a good new finish. Problem is that he didn't give any cleaning alternatives and this was going on when I was so sick that I didn't care at the time.

To bleach your floors, you'd need to get the poly off first. If this is something that has happened since the floors were sanded and recoated with stain and poly, bleach isn't what you want. What ever the darkening is, it is on TOP of the poly, unless the poly has failed. I'd try a gentle scrubbing with a sponge and baking soda, Bon Ami or the like. Be very gentle or you'll remove the gloss and the areas will still stand out from the others. You could also (very very carefully) try putting rags wrung out in rather warm water on the darkened areas for a bit to try and soak the whatever loose. I'd start in the least conspicuous area and only do a little spot at first. If this darkening is happening only in high traffic areas, the poly may have failed and you may need to clean it up and try recoating. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 04, 2000.

If the floor isn't coating everwhere (like ours weren't) some spots will look darker when they get wet. I used hot water with amonia and pine sol (to cover the amonia smell!). It cleaned great. I just refinished my dr and lr but have the bd and upstairs to go. The wood gets worn down when there is no coating or paint on it.

-- Margie B (bromens5@navix.net), September 04, 2000.

A woman I know in Cullman Al has a 1900 era house, she swears by vineager to clean her floorboards, but you have to get rid of the poly first. Also she uses only linseed oil when she does oil her floors. If you have some Amish in your area, ask them what they use.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), September 04, 2000.

Somewhat related question: I am "finishing" our bunkhouse. We salvaged some T&G subflooring from an old house we tore down. I spent an afternoon digging out the sawdust in the grooves (duh) and am now considering what to finish the floor with. I'm pretty sure the floor is doug fir. I thought about linseed oiling it and then applying some finish coat in a few months. I think the oil might take a long time to dry, though, and there's probably much better suggestions out there. Any thoughts? Of course, maintaining the floor is important...something that would be easy to clean would be appreciated. I would consider paint, too. thx

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), September 05, 2000.

Hi,

In our previous home (built 1917) we had both pine and oak that were polyurethaned. The best thing we found was vinegar in warm water. Nice shine, no rinse required, and the vinegar does a great job of clearing any odors in the house.

We did use Murphy's but generally as a spot cleaner.

j

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), September 05, 2000.

We put hardwood floors in our house and finished them with polyurethane. The guy we bought the wood from told me to mop them with a damp mop using white vinegar in warm water. This is what I have always done and after 7 years, the floors look as good as when they were new.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), September 05, 2000.

I vote for the vinegar... however, beings that I live in sand country... I had polyutherance floors but couldn't stand the fact that the poly is always scratched and needing high maintenance on my part (maybe I'm just to demanding!!!)

So we sanded the floors and applied Deft oil.... it ran about $26.00 per gallon. They don't shine now... but that's fine with me. And if a major scratch would appear... I just apply oil where it is needed. It was an easy DIY job!!!!

And once the children leave... I can always go back to the poly.

-- Mary Ann (peanut@wi-net.com), September 05, 2000.

I agree with Gerbil's advice. We put new hardwood floors in 2 years ago & the floor finisher said NEVER use Murphy's oil soap or any other soap that is usually recommended for wood. It will ruin the finish & future refinishing will not adhere properly. He said the only thing safe to use is half glass cleaner & half water. I don't see why vinegar couldn't be used, but I'm not a chemist.

-- Jane Gauch (sewbears4u@hotmail.com), September 06, 2000.

Thanks Gerbil, I have always said the same. But there is so many Murphy lovers out there, I thought I wasn't using the product correctly! Now I feel better for not using it anymore. My dad says (in his day) handmade lye soap is great for getting grease and such off old wood floors. He was thrilled when we sent a him a bar and got him out of a pickle with my mom. It seems he thought the office was the best place to fix a small engine one day. It left a spot he couldn't get up until the soap arrived in the mail! It works great on pine pitch, too. We make our own lye soap from our hogs' lard. Only soap we use now.

Also, lye soap is closer to the PH of human skin (I heard) and works well on blemishes. Especially those nasty sweat things you get on your arms while haying.

I do sell or trade our soap, e-mail with what you will pay/trade for it, and how much you need if you are interested. Recipes for lye soap can be found on the internet. I will answer everyone.

-- Christina (crublee@homer.libby.org), September 08, 2000.

Hi! I had an ash floor put in my living room a few years ago and they highly recommended white vinegar diluted w/ warm water. I use that all the time and have great luck. Plus, my floors get quite dirty as I have German Shepherds in the house.

Carole

-- Carole Overgaard (coverga@bminet.com), September 08, 2000.

-sheepish (9/5)

I've lived with, refurbished, installed wood floors all my adult life. My first floor (pine) I finished with polyurethane. It chips, peels, scratches, etc. And you have to put it down so perfectly. Don't like it. Looks fake. Since then, I've always used a linseed oil and paste wax combination. Our current floors are 60 yr. old douglas fir. They were painted at one point, then coated with linoleum, glued down at all points, then carpeted with a zillion nails to hold the carpet down. (We DO have high winds here, I guess.) As an aside, if you need to remove old glued down linoleum, open up a patch and spill a lot of water. Might come right up - ours did. Amyway, after your floor is sanded (use a fine grit - 60 or 80) with doug fir (because rough grit sands out the soft wood between the harder grains) put a coat of half (or less) boiled (not raw)linseed oil and half mineral spirits. Just keep coating for two or threee coats. Pure linseed oil sticks on the floor and won't soak in. After an hour or so, wipe it all up with an old towel. When it's dry, hand wax it with Minwax or Johnson's paste wax. Forget the cheesecloth and super thin applications! Put on a bunch! Once it dries, rub off as much as your arms can stand. Put the family in some old socks and towels and then dance all over the floor. It doesn't all need to come off - just wear socks in the house and your floor gets more beautiful every day (as an added benefit, you get waterproof socks.) You should see our kitchen! The floor looks liked aged leather. Once in awhile mop it with water and sometimes with Murphy's. Unlike any other coating I know of, you can just keep adding oil and/or wax here and there when you feel like it. Don't PAINT that floor, please!

-- brian reeves (jbreeves@plateautel.net), September 12, 2000.

Brian, I think you are well on your way to being my new hero. Thanks for your reply. Any floor prep that involves socks and dancing is work that's worth the effort! And I didn't really want to cover up that ol' wood with paint anyway. Thanks so much for replying!!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), September 12, 2000.

I would have to vote for White Vinagar also. Doesn't leave a film and Murphy Oil soap does. I wish I hadn't gotten the high gloss finish. I am glad someone asked question. Just need to make sure I wasn't crazy for using vinagar.

-- Kelly L. Drewis (kld@netins.net), March 02, 2001.

Wonderful to hear that others are in or not in the know as I am....I am not in the know. I have white oak wood floors, poly coated and have for the past 6mnths, using murphy oil soap every week to lightly mop. Had a floor guy in to give me a quote on the sand and recoat of the floor(the previous owners did it themselves and there are popped bubble marks and pooled areas of coating). The floors are wonderful.. and will be even more so after the sand/recoat. So, how the heck should I treat my floors? We only wear socks/bear feet in the house, I have kids and dust is why I light mop weekly. My goal: keep clean and remove dust and while doing so can make a groovy smell to fill the house...even better!

-- bwitt@guild.com (bwitt@guild.com), March 11, 2001.

FOR SEALED (e.g., polyurethane) hardwood floors:

When necessary, use clear vinegar and hot water to clean SEALED!!! floors. Completely wring out your applicator. NEVER NEVER NEVER use of Murphy's Oil Soap. Your GRANDMA may have used it on waxed floors but this is the 21st century!!!!! -- it can interfere with adhesion of re-coats of polyurethane in the future.

NEVER NEVER NEVER wax sealed wood floors. Wax can interfere with future re-coating of the floors, and often results in a slippery surface.

-- CB Gross (ergg@home.com), September 09, 2001.

Well, hope you are still reading some of the respondes to the question, and yes, DO NOT USE MURPHY OIL SOAP!! Murphy oil soap cleans real well, but what it does is softens the finish and makes it gummy. Your floors will get dirtier faster and faster, when you keep using murphys oil soap.

One part white vinegar to nine parts warm water, will clean your floors real nice. And if your floor does not have the same shine in which it had had, that means it is time to have your floors buffed and coated.

If by chance you are having your floors sanded and finished, may I suggest using water-based finish. Water-based finish dries in two hours, little to no smell, and the best thing of all, the finish will not amber like the poly-finishes does.

The water-based natural look is the best, in my opinion. And it is the easiest to maintain. I have been doing hardwood floors for l6 years, so if have any other questions, please feel free to send me an e-mail at philiphansen2002@yahoo.com

-- Phil Hansen (philiphansen2002@yahoo.com), March 09, 2002.