whats the best way to wash a hardwood floor? thanks in advance!

-- fred in wi (sixuvusmeyers@aol.com), July 05, 2001

Answers

I use a "almost damp" cloth with a little vinegar. What I do is use a spray bottle and spray lightly onto a clean cloth. Every so othen, but not much I will buy a hardwood floor cleaner because it seems to bring a shine back to the floors but don't use too much because it can get to be a build up. If it does just go back with water/vinegar mixture. You know that is how I clean my ceramic floors too, of course I use a wet mop instead of lightly sprayed cloth!

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), July 05, 2001.

I allways use Murphy's Oil Soap. I'd damp mop with it then buff it by walking a towel across. It brought the shine out really nice and smells great too. Its also good for cleaning leather, I use it on my horse tack.

-- Stacia in OK (OneClassyCowgirl@aol.com), July 06, 2001.

You must have been reading my mind.... LOL:):) This morning I was making breakfeast and thought about having to mop floors today. We have a fairly new home, we just bought this farm, and the living room had hardwood floors. I thought about Murphy's Oil soap, that does work well, but for the life of me i couldn't remember the cleaner that I would buy to clean wood paneling, maybe Scotts? I used that on my hardwood floors yrs ago when we rented an apartment.... it is Scotts Liquid Gold,.... finally remembered. Anyways... I would invite over my brother in-laws (they were 12 or so) and we would tie cloth diapers on our feet and have a skating party across the floor. We had this huge living room, all of it hardwood floors. But that was yrs ago.

But anyways.... i was going to post about cleaning hardwood floors.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), July 06, 2001.

When you are cleaning any wood surface the first question is “What is this finished with?” Oil, lacquer, varnish, polyurethane, and so on. Each one has different requirements. If possible check with the installer or mfg. Some will take water and some won’t . Assuming the finish is a new formula floor varnish, water and a mild soap work well. Scrubbing will take the finish off so let the cleaner do the work. The most importantly, wipe the surface dry. Standing water and cleaner will dissolve the finish even these new plastic floors. I personally like the new polyurethane floor finished, they last a long time.

-- F. Scott Lewis (farleigh_lewis@yahoo.com), July 06, 2001.

This is a true story, sounds like a joke. Many years ago we were stationed in Germany. In Europe they have either ceramic or wood floors, even walls. Anyway I was a complete idiot on how to clean these wood floors and get aload of this, the townhouse was built on 7 levels, one to one & half rooms on each floor. 45 steps to the telephone! I Pledge the staircase without thinking. My poor husband took a hike down the stairs and we all had to hold on to the staircase for a good month as we slowing walked this stairs. I know sounds stupid and I was stupid.

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), July 07, 2001.

oh how i miss hardwood floors... I personally can't stand carpet. It's a dirt magnet. When I had hardwood which was polyurethane finished, I'd mop once a week with straight ammonia 1 part to about 10 parts water. Twice a year I'd mop wth Murphys oil soap and apply a good soft wax using a floor buffer I borrowed from work. You can rent floor buffers from tool and equipment rental stores also.

-- somebody (something@somewhere.com), July 07, 2001.

Our friend who installed our wood floor told us to stay away from soaps and cleansers (including Murphys). He recommended just using vinagar and water, nothing else.

-- Joan (JTYTOR@pressenter.com), July 10, 2001.

re: Joan's message, I have used hardwood cleaners and the vinegar & water. I like the look immediately with the wood cleaners but....it tends to leave an almost polish look and when you walk on the floor it looks like it needs polishing again. With the Vinegar & Water you don't get a polish look but you can walk forever on it without a smear look. Do you know what I mean like smearing your fingers on a piece of furniture after pleding it!

-- Debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), July 10, 2001.