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janetgia

Hardwood Floor products: Your favorites?

janetgia
15 years ago

We're moving in a couple weeks into our new home, a 1950's ranch that appears to have very nice hardwood floors under some very yucky carpeting. We'll be pulling up the carpet and hope to live with the hardwood floors. So, never having had wood floors, my questions are:

1. What are your favorite products for cleaning and then caring for hardwood floors?

2. Should hardwood floors be waxed, as well as cleaned?

3. If we find pet stains that cannot be cleaned, what are the options other than recarpeting?

4. Any favorite "hardwood floor care" websites or other resources you want to share?

Thanks!!

Jan

Comments (5)

  • newdawn1895
    15 years ago

    I have always used Murphy's oil soap for years on my wood floors.
    If you haven't tried Quite Shine by Halloway House to polish the floors you are in for a surprize. This stuff is wonderful and makes your floors beam. I remember years of putting on that paste wax (on my knees) and then buffing with a machine, never again. You can buy it here at Walmarts for under five bucks. I only do it about four times a year, it lasts and lasts.

    congradulations on your new home.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    15 years ago

    Since the carpet is coming up, reassess the condition once you see what you have. It may well be that a sanding to new wood is in order. Sanding will go as far to remove odors and stains as anything. For a nice non-plastic-y finish, look into Waterlox. A number of us have had excellent results with it; it will be the last time the floor will have to be sanded; Unlike poly, which cannot be touched-up, must be sanded off.
    Casey

  • patser
    15 years ago

    I agree with Casey about Waterlox. Once you have a finish on the floors, post carpet, the only thing I'd recommend using for cleaning is a spray bottle mixture of 1/2 water and 1/2 white vinegar. Don't waste your money on products - you won't need them. The mixture and rags - that's it.

  • janetgia
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Newdawn, thanks for the recommendation! Glad to hear there is something out there that has cut down on the time it takes to make things shine - I was dreading that!

    Casey & Patser... thank you... is Waterlox a re-finishing product, then, instead of a cleaning product? Also - if we do find stains and need to sand, does that mean sanding the whole room? (Probably not much chance of the new finish matching the old...?)

    Janet

    Here is a link that might be useful: Our new house

  • blackcats13
    15 years ago

    What a great house, congrats!! I've had old wood floors for the past few years in apartments I've rented. Sweeping often and cleaning with vinegar and water is best. Regular sweeping is key. For a quick wipe down I put a rag on my Swiffer and damp mop w/the solution. I don't use the Swiffer for anything else - don't like the chemicals. We will be pulling up old carpet in our new old house as well. We have lots of scrapping to do i think, but probably not sanding thankfully. There are gouges, but they don't bother me. Also, I saw a thread about Boda recently that I'm going to research more. I like to get a more thorough washing done every month or 3 then a damp mop can do, but don't want water sitting on the floor, and cant do the hands n knees cleaning anymore.

    Oh, also inspect your floor for gaps. From apt living where the floors haven't been taken care of I can tell you the gaps fill quite nicely with crud :P I don't know how to address that if it comes up though.

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