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How to clean worn wood floors


How to Clean Old Wood Floors Without Refinishing (Step-by-Step Directions)

There are many reasons you may not want to refinish your old wood floors. You may have rental properties with wood floors that are in need of attention, and you simply don't want to make the investment. Or, you may not want to disrupt your family during the refinishing process. The reason could be financial, or it could simply be the hassle of the process. After all, the floors will need to be sanded, stained, and then resealed which can be an expensive, messy and difficult process.

If you decide to refinish your floors, it is something you can do yourself. However, many homeowners choose to hire a professional to do the work for them. Fortunately, it's possible to clean your old wood floors without refinishing them. This article will show you how and provide you with a variety of product options that'll help you improve the look of your wood floors for a fraction of the cost of a full refinish.

How to Clean Old Wood Floors without Refinishing (Step-by-Step)

Bringing your wood floors back to their stunning, shiny appearance isn't too difficult. If you want to clean your old wood floors without refinishing them, then follow these four simple steps:

Step One: Remove the Surface Dirt and Debris from your Floors

The most efficient way to remove the dirt and debris from your floor's surface is to use a wet mop. Below we've provided a video and product recommendations.

Step Two: Clean Your Floors

After removing the surface dirt and debris, you'll need to do a deep cleaning on your floor. There are many commercial floor cleaners (see a few of our favorites here) on the market today that are especially designed for cleaning wood floors.

In addition, you can even make your own cleaner from products you may already have in your cupboard. Here are several different methods.

Step Three: Apply a Restorer

If you're pleased with how your floors look after completing Step Two, you can simply skip this step. 

Overtime wood floors tend to lose their shine and often develop scratches and wear spots. Applying a restorer will fill in the scratches as well as adding a top finish to your floor. The restorer will not only bring back the shine, but also protect your floor. 

This step will allow you to restore your floors without actually refinishing them. Which means you'll be able to skip the sanding and staining steps altogether! 

Step Four: Regular Cleaning 

Now that your wood floors look shiny and new again, you'll want to keep them that way. The best way to do this is to clean them on a regular basis. 

A good rule of thumb is to sweep your wood floor with a spray mop every couple of days depending on usage. Then once a month use a cleaner to remove the deeper dirt that's worked its way into the floor.

How to Clean Old Hardwood Floors

Before you can work on restoring the shine, you'll first need to clean your wood floors. Although, you can use a traditional soft broom and dust pan, the best method is to purchase a hardwood spray mop.  

These hardwood spray mops are the most effective way to keep your wood floors clean on an everyday basis and should be used several times a week. They're easy to use and allow you to spray the right amount of cleaner to the floor exactly when and where it's needed.

There are quite a few spray mops brands available on the market today, and they're a very budget-friendly investment. The Swifter WetJet is a popular choice, however, the pads aren't reusable so you'll need to purchase both the cleaning fluid and the pads to restock.

Our favorite is the Bona Hardwood Floor Premium Spray Mop. It comes with a reusable microfiber cleaning pad, 34 oz of Bona's hardwood cleaner, and a refillable cartridge so you can purchase the cleaning products in larger sizes. The Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is the product we recommend to clean your old wood floors.

Bona Hardwood Floor Premium Spray Mop

This Bona Hardwood Floor Premium Spray Mop comes with everything you need to get your hardwood floors clean and keep them clean.

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This video covers how to clean and care for your old hardwood floors.

Watch the Video

How to Remove Scuffs from Old Wood Floors 

Once you've cleaned your floors with a spray mop, you may have noticed some scuff marks that you weren't able to remove. Moving furniture, pets, or even wearing shoes could cause your wood floors to scuff.

In most cases, you can remove scuff marks with a little elbow grease and baking soda. Here's what to do:

Cleaning Old Wood Floors with Commercial Cleaning Products

In many cases, especially if there's only normal wear, it's possible to use a wood floor cleaner or revitalizer to bring them back to their former stunning shine. Using these products allows you to clean wood floors without refinishing and without the hassle and expensive of sanding, staining, and resealing.

Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner

As we mentioned above, our favorite hardwood floor cleaner is manufactured by Bona. It's made specifically for cleaning wood floors and it's ready to use directly from the bottle. No mixing or measuring required. And because it's a water-based cleaning formula it'll dry fast and not leave a dulling residue on the surface.

The Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is specially designed for unwaxed, uncoiled, polyurethane finished wood floors. 

Another popular hardwood floor cleaner is the Bruce Hardwood and Laminate Floor Cleaner. It's also designed for no-wax hardwood floors. Simply spray it on and wipe off by hand for spot cleaning, or use a spray mop if you're cleaning the entire floor. 

Both these products do an excellent job of cleaning wood floors. If your floor has lost it's shine, you can add a restorer. Each manufacturer offers a restorer you can use. The Bona Pro Series Hardwood Floor Refresher is easy to apply and will help bring your floors shine back, and the Bruce Wood Finish Restorer works much the same way.

Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner

This Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is a pH Neutral formula (7 pH) so you won't need to worry about damaging your floors finish.

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Rejuvenate High-Performance Hardwood Floor Cleaner

The Rejuvenate High-Performance Professional Hardwood Floor Cleaner will eliminate dirt and debris from your wood floors. The ionic discharging agents allows the cleaner to dry instantly without streaking.

If your floor needs a little help to bring its shine back, you can use the Rejuvenate Professional Wood Floor Restorer. Rejuvenate offers both a high gloss and satin finish product which allows you to restore your wood floors to your desired level of shine.

The Rejuvenate Professional Wood Floor Restorer fills in scratches and leaves your wood floors with a like-new shine. It's water-based polyurethane formula won't leave a waxy build-up, yet it'll bond to your existing floor's finish and protect it for normal wear-n-tear, and since it seals your floor, it'll resist stains and spills.

Rejuvenate High-Performance Hardwood Floor Cleaner

The Rejuvenate High-Performance Hardwood Floor Cleaner is designed to maximize cleaning power while minimizing streaking.

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Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner is an excellent choice for hardwood floor finishes. It's especially formulated to remove grease, dirt and grime on hardwood floors, and it even works on hardwood vinyl laminate and stone tile. 

The micro-filling technology will not only fill in existing scratches, but it'll also prevent new ones from forming.

This cleaner will lift dirt and grime from your floors and leave them shiny without streaks, and you won't need to worry about a wax built-up either. If you need to use a restorer to shine and polish your floor, you can use the Weiman Wood Floor Polish and Restorer to make your floors look like new again.

Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Weiman Hardwood Floor Cleaner is a great choice for cleaning your old wood floors. It'll rejuvenate your floors to their natural suppleness and sheen.

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Cleaning Old Wood Floors with Regular Household Products

You might be surprised to know that it's possible to clean your old hardwood floors with regular household products that you may even have in your cupboard. These products are inexpensive and may even be eco-friendly.

Although there are many homeowners that swear by these methods, we do recommend using a professional product (like those listed above) that's designed specifically for cleaning hard wood floors.

Vinegar and Water

Using a vinegar and water mixture will cut through the grime and dirt/debris build-up on hardwood floors. In addition, it'll leave your floors clean and streak-free.

However, using vinegar and water to clean floors is actually a controversial subject, so if you don't want to take any chances, you might want to try another option.

Even though this method has been the go-to cleaning process for old hardwood floors years ago, it isn't used as much because of the changes in wood flooring, specifically engineered wood floors.

The truth is, you should only use vinegar and water to clean hardwood floors, if you have engineered wood floors, you should never use vinegar because the acid will eat through the baked-in coating that acts like the old-fashioned wax which was manually applied to old hardwood flooring.

If you choose to use this cleaning option, you do need to pay attention to the type of vinegar you use. Just because you have balsamic vinegar in your cupboard doesn't mean you should use it (and for the record, you shouldn't).

You'll want to use either a white vinegar or a concentrated industrial vinegar that's designed for cleaning among other things.

Here's how to clean your old hardwood floors with vinegar and water after sweeping the surface dirt and debris:

Soap and Water

It's hard to go wrong cleaning your old floors with soap and water. It's easy, inexpensive, and unless you put down too much water, it's safe for your floors.

You'll need a  soft mop and dish soap (Dawn and Murphy's Oil Soap are both great choices). Then do a surface sweep first.

Here's how to clean your old wood floors with soap and water:

Lemon Juice and Water

Another cleaning method is lemon juice. There are even specially formulated wood floor products such as the Pledge Clean It or you can use regular lemon juice from a squeeze lemon.

The acidic nature of lemons will help remove stains and leave your floors disinfected, but keep in mind the acid can damage your wood floors finish. After removing the surface dirt and debris here's what to do:

How To Clean Hardwood Floors | Deep Cleaning Old Flooring

Countless homeowners fantasize about having luxurious hardwood floors that complete their home’s aesthetic and cause everyone who enters their house to sigh with envy.

On the maintenance front, however, most people are unaware of all of the maintenance work that comes with hardwood.

Continue reading to learn how to clean grime off hardwood floors or give our hardwood flooring experts a call with your questions.

 

How To Clean Old Hardwood Floors

 

How To Deep Clean Hardwood Floors

When it comes to the question of how to clean and shine hardwood floors, here are three main steps for how to properly clean hardwood floors.

 

3 steps for how to clean dirty hardwood floors:
  1. Thoroughly Remove Dirt. Vacuum or sweep in order to remove debris that has accumulated on your floor.
  2. Mop Your Hardwood Floors. Once you have dealt with the dust and debris, mop your floors by applying a cleaning solution to your floor and using your mop to remove streaks and stains.
  3. Polish Your Hardwood Floor. The final step in your how to clean your hardwood floors tutorial is to polish your newly swept and mopped floors. Attach a polishing cloth to the end of your household mop and use a shine solution to restore a glossy finish to your floors.

 

 

Three Steps for Cleaning Old Hardwood Floors

Let go into depth a bit more and explore the process of cleaning your hardwood flooring.

 

1. Remove Dirt and Debris

Start by sweeping up any loose dirt and dust that accumulates on your floor. Hardwood floor experts highly recommended that you use a vacuum designed for cleaning. Look for a vacuum that does not use a rotating beater brush that can scratch and damage the finish, so you can clean up any dirt and debris safely.

Using a broom or traditional carpet vacuum cleaner for hardwood floors may cause sand, grit, and dirt to scratch the finish of your floors. This could expose the raw wood to moisture during the cleaning process or through daily traffic. Vacuuming up the debris eliminates this potential problem helps to keep the finish intact for as long as possible.

 

2. Apply Mop

After you remove all the dirt and dust off the floor, you are ready to apply your cleaning solution. Think of this as giving your floors a mop bath. The type of floor cleaner you use largely depends on the finish. Modern wood floors are sealed with polyacrylic, urethane, or polyurethane upon completion. This protects the wood underneath, and it makes cleaning a much easier task.

 

a. Determine The Type of Finish You Have

Older or original hardwood is usually sealed with a penetrating sealant, shellac, lacquer, or an oil-base finish before being waxed. These older floors require different cleaning products than a modern or recently installed hardwood floor.

An easy way to determine what kind of finish is present is by running a finger across a plank or strip of the floor. If it smudges, you have an older finish and sealant. If it doesn’t smudge, your wood floor has a hard, modern finish.

Never, ever use a floor cleaner that contains ammonia, abrasives, or alkaline products. These chemicals strip that sealant right out of the wood and dull your floor’s finish. Always use a hardwood floor cleaner with a pH-neutral soap, such as Murphy’s Oil Soap mixed with warm water and a mop.

 

b. Fill Your Bucket

Once you have the appropriate cleaner for your floor, mix up a bucket according to directions or apply the spray from a bottle as directed. There are many all-in-one spray mops designed for cleaning hardwood flooring. These tools simplify this task by removing the bucket from the general cleaning process. You still need a bucket of cleaner and a damp mop to do really deep cleanings.

 

c. Wring Out Your Mop

Wring the mop out so it is only slightly damp before applying it to the floor. Begin cleaning from far edges of the room and work your way towards the entry or doorway in a consistent pattern that covers the entire floor.

Remove water rings or stains from modern hardwood finishes with a little elbow grease and a cleaning cloth. Older, soft oil finishes for hardwood floors may require you to remove stains and rings with some steel wool dipped in floor wax. If this doesn’t work, try sanding it gently before applying mineral spirits and fine steel wool before waxing the affected area.

Never use steel wool on a modern urethane or acrylic hardwood floor finish. This creates an expensive repair that most people cannot complete on their own.

 

3. Polish and Shine

Apply the finishing touch when you clean your hardwood flooring with a polishing cloth attached to a mop. It is highly recommended that you use a wood floor shine refresher solution, or floor restorer in the case they are older, to give your floors a high gloss, like-new shine. You should apply a restorer at least every three to six months to keep your hardwood floor looking its best.

Finally, you should protect the high traffic areas of your home – like doorways, entryways, and staircases – with rugs or runners to prevent long-term damage. This also makes cleaning much easier.

 

Tips For How To Keep Hardwood Floors Clean

What are some practical tips that can be used to keep your hardwood floors clean? Let’s take a look at three different types of hardwood flooring and the best tips for keeping them clean and maintained.

  1. Vintage Hardwood Floors. When it comes to tips for how to clean old hardwood floors, you should avoid harsh chemical-based cleaning solutions and instead opt for a water-based solution.
  2. New Hardwood Floors. When it comes to the question of how to clean new hardwood floors, you should always follow the directions listed by the hardwood flooring manufacturer. Different new hardwood types may require different cleaning methods so it’s important to learn what’s best for your hardwood floor before attempting to clean it.
  3. Dark Hardwood Flooring. Now comes the question of how to clean dark hardwood floors. Dark hardwood floors are generally less forgiving than lighter shades of hardwood as dust will show up more easily. Make sure that you always remove your shoes and use felt pads on furniture to prevent scratches and stains on dark hardwood.

 

Learn how to remove hardwood floor scratches here.

 

How To Best Clean Hardwood Floors: Call An Expert

Don’t have the time to deal with maintaining your hardwood floors? Give our flooring experts a call today.

Here at Carpet To Go, we have years of experience helping homeowners install, clean, and maintain their hardwood flooring. If you are too busy to take weekly time out of your schedule to clean your hardwood floors, get in touch with our team of hardwood floor specialists today.

We’d be happy to offer you advice or send our flooring specialists to your home to help you with hardwood flooring maintenance issues.

 

How to clean and maintain wood floors

Small particles of dirt scratch the wood surface and the floor becomes dull. Therefore, you should clean your wood floor regularly to keep it beautiful for a long time.

In the case of lacquered floors , it is sufficient to wipe the floor with a damp cloth. A few drops of cleaning agent for wood and parquet floors will do no harm: when wiped, the floor is impregnated and its shine is restored.

In case of wooden floor , impregnated with oil , you must ensure that the cleaning and care products are suitable for the material. A wood floor and parquet installer will recommend the right product for you. Other wood protection and care products are not needed.

When using a vacuum cleaner: use a parquet brush to avoid scratching the wood floor.

The correct indoor climate is also important for caring for a wooden floor, so that the wood does not “work” a lot (shrinks and expands). Relative humidity around 50 percent is ideal. A climate in which not only we humans will feel comfortable, but also your wooden floor will be comfortable.

Humidity is often too low, especially during the heating season. A humidifier can help you with this. Indoor plants also have a positive effect on the indoor climate.

Sanding and refreshing the surface of wood floors

Over the years, it is recommended that a wood floor be deep cleaned by a professional woodworker. Sanding parquet removes ugly scratches, bumps and stains and ultimately refreshes the surface.

Remember that sanding changes the original look.

This removes popular features such as characteristic brushing, planing or colored surfaces.

The sanding process removes approximately 0.7 mm of the wood surface. The frequency of sanding depends on the wear layer of the floor.

The wood floor sander knows with a parquet machine whether the finished parquet can be sanded and how often. But first, he will need to inspect your flooring.

In general, wooden floors should not be sanded by yourself. Trust this dusty and time-consuming procedure to a professional. He has not only special knowledge, but also the necessary devices, and he knows how to use them correctly. After grinding, the floor must be closed again.

Specialized companies charge for sanding and sealing per square meter. Specify in advance whether travel expenses, installation of skirting boards, intermediate and final cleaning will be paid separately or are part of the service.

Furniture with wooden floors

Whether it's parquet or solid wood floors: wood floors are simply charming. They give the rooms a unique coziness. Wooden floors in residential areas (living room and dining room) are chosen more for appearance, and less for durability.

Light wood floors make rooms feel more spacious and airy. When decorating dark wood floors, it is important to find the right balance between light and dark so that it does not look squat. The combination of materials used to decorate a living space can also help in choosing a wood floor, its color and type of installation.

We hope our article was useful for you.

Wooden floor cleaning | How to clean laminate

Keeping your floor clean is no easy task, especially if you don't know where to start! This article discusses the most common types of flooring and offers tips on how to clean them, so cleaning any type of flooring will soon be a breeze!

Floor tiles can be cleaned with a normal floor cleaner, such as Glorix brand products, while tile joints should be cleaned using a soft brush and a light bleach solution. Remember to always read the instructions and test the product on a small and inconspicuous area of ​​the surface before use.

How to clean a cement floor?

Cement flooring is becoming increasingly popular due to its low cost, strength and durability. Even if you don't have a cement floor in your home, you'll probably find cement flooring in your garage or cottage and need to be cleaned from time to time. When washing a cement floor:

To make a cement floor shine, it needs to be polished from time to time. Rent a polishing machine from a technical service center or use the help of professionals.

How to clean a granite floor?

Granite looks elegant but can be easily scratched if mistreated:

Mini-survey

What distinguishing feature do you understand that the surface in the kitchen or bathroom is thoroughly disinfected?

Pleasant smell on the surface

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Gloss on the surface

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Characteristic sound when rubbed with a finger on the surface

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No stains on the surface

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How to clean a wooden floor?

Wood, like other natural materials, can easily deteriorate if not cared for properly. Before cleaning a wood floor, it is important to determine if it has a protective coating on it. If the floor is covered with a waterproof varnish, then it is protected. Unprotected floors are usually just covered with a layer of wax.

If your floor is covered with a protective layer, it can be thoroughly wiped with a mop:

Unprotected floor:

How to clean a terracotta floor?

Terracotta is the perfect choice for kitchens, bathrooms and other places in the apartment where there is a lot of foot traffic. Although stains are not so noticeable on terracotta, it collects enough dirt. Wash terracotta floors as follows:

How to clean a tiled floor?

Tiles are another handy material for high-traffic areas of the home, as well as floors that get wet often, such as bathrooms, kitchens or hallways.

Learn more