How do you clean a really old grimy hardwood floor?
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How do I clean a really dirty really old hardwood floor?
The floor is original and was laid in the 1900's. It is toenailed. This apartment is that old. It is inexpensive and around the baseboards it looks like soot. It'... See more
It depends on the finish, but I have done it with a very gentle cleaner and an old wax buffer. You can mop on the floor cleaner (could make it from orange peels and vinegar, even) and then use the buffer brushes to scrub. Use a wet vac to pick up the dirty water, mop to rinse, and repeat until rinse water is clear. Be sure to run fans and towel dry the floor so it doesn't warp. This should work on varnished or waxed floors.
How grimy? Bona products work well. You could hand scrub with Murphy's Oil Soap. If there is grease, use vinegar, but be careful to not let it sit too long.
If you have a carpet cleaner, you could also run that over the floor to scrub it with Murphy's Oil Soap in the tank (don't get too much moisture on the floor), and then suck up all the water. Then I would use some old towels on my feet to skate across the floor to remove any water traces.
If its an old unfinished rough wood floor, you can use a stiff brush like one of those outside palm scrubbers, and use lemon ammonia.
Thank you for your answers. I will try these.
What do you mean grimmy ?