Hardwood floors.
by
Leslie M
+9
I was helping a friend with cleaing a house she was flipping. It had dark hardwood floors. She wanted the floors to shine because when you first open the door the first thing you see is 2 big rooms of beautiful hardwood floors. I cleaned them thoroughly and they were clean, but not shiny. I found a product that puts a shine on hardwood floors. I used it and the floors looked beatiful. Unfortunately she had the refridgerator listed on craigslist for sale and the person buying it came to get it right after the floor got mopped with the wood floor shine solution. It wasn't dry of course so it put obvious footprints from kitchen to front door. I took a damp mop, rewet it and tried to spread it so it would dry evenly, but it didn't work and looked awful. My last resort was to put more of the shine solution on it to cover up the whittish blotchy spots. It looked better, but still not great. I now question whether I should have even used the shine stuff at all. The stuff seemed like Mop and Glow. Does anyone know if I end up having to take it off of the floors, how to do it. Is there any product out there that takes if off, but doesn't leave it dull and like there is a film on? Thank you for any help out there!
8 answers
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The shine on floors comes from the protective "top" layer. In most cases with sand in place flooring this is done with a polyurethane product, either in oil based or water based. Personally I prefer the oil based hands down as it adds a lot more depth to the wood grain. The most common sheens are satin, semi-gloss and gloss. Glossy finishes are a bit more durable, but as they wear they become due due to microscopic scratches etc. The problem when working with gloss floors is the main wear area will become dull leaving shiny areas along the perimeter. This "contrast" exacerbates the visual look of wear, and is the main reason I recommend satin. It will look better and more uniform longer. You may have used some "mop and glow" type product with some crazy mixture of liquid plastic / wax or what ever. The best thing to "refresh" a floors finish is to do what is called a "screen and re-coat". Here the floor is very lightly "sanded" using a fine mesh screen. This allows a new coat of poly to bind better. This works great if the finish is not worn through to the base wood, and if the floor has not been "contaminated" with some floor polishes, soaps etc. Silicone cleaners and "oil" soaps should NEVER be used on a floor. You might have some luck "stripping" the floor with a floor buff and red buff pad using a light cleaner. Earlier this year I did a full sand on a homes main level just prior to it being listed. With "perfect" floors the homeowers got an offer two days after it was listed. If the home is empty now is the time to do the work.
KMS Woodworks
on Oct 26, 2013
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Yes, try the cleaning product down the stain aisle in Home Depot. It is a Minwax product to clean the floor and then there is a product that puts the shine back on. I told the the neighbor and she loved it.
The Garden Frog with C Renee
on Oct 26, 2013
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KMS Nailed it.
Spheramid Enterprises
on Oct 27, 2013
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KMS is right. When cleaning wood you don't use cleaners or shiny products on them. You can use products like Bona, or water, or water with a drop of dish soap. Mop, dry. I have a friend that used the wrong product on her floor they got down in their hands and knee's with a greenie and stripped their floors. I would suggest you follow KMS guidelines. He knows wood.
Sherrie
on Oct 27, 2013
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Thank you KMS and all of you for your answers. I wish I could go back in time and not have used that stuff. KMS when you say that you should never use "oil" soaps, are you meaning Murphy's Oil? I thought that was what most people use. C Renee Fuller, when you say after using the Minwax product to clean the floor that there is a product that then puts the shine on it, is that a Minwax product as well? I sure learned my lesson on this one. I wish I would have followed my gut on this, because when I first opened the bottle I thought this looks like Mop and Glo and I was hesitant to use it, but gave in to my reservations and use it. I just remember my friend (who was not there at the time) saying I want the floor to shine shine shine, and after cleaning it, it was not shiny, so I went and bought this stuff. Big mistake.
Leslie M
on Oct 27, 2013
- See 1 previous
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C Renee Fuller, do you think it would remove the shiny product I put on it? Like I said it appears to be similar to Mop and Glo.
Leslie M
on Oct 27, 2013
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sounds good, thank you so much. Boy did I learn my lesson, I'm surprised that stuff is even on the shelves. Thank you.
Leslie M
on Oct 27, 2013
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I always read your information and posts KMS. I need as much education I can get!
Sherrie
on Oct 27, 2013
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