Can I get my hardwood floors clean again after getting some sheetrock mud dust on them?

Laurie C
by Laurie C
  7 answers
  • You simply use a damp rag or sponge to clean up the spackle and dust. You may need to rinse it several times but that is all there is to it. Once clean and dry, depending on if they are finished with a poly coat or just stain, you may need to polish them to bring back any dullness that may have resulted because of the damp rag. Just do not flood the area with water. You may want to vacuum the floor first to remove as much of the dust as you can.
  • Laurie C Laurie C on Dec 30, 2011
    Thanks for the advice. We did just that and it worked out well. Would you ever suggest using Murphy's Oil Soap (1/4 cup to 1 gal. water) on poly coated hardwoods? I've read that it is fine and then I've read vinegar and water is better.
  • 3po3 3po3 on Dec 30, 2011
    There have been a few debates about that here on Hometalk. I guess I would lean toward vinegar because it's cheap and it's a great cleaner.
  • We use Murphy's oil soap all the time. The debate Steve is talking about is that some people had issues with the product as it left a film on things. We found, my wife and I that if you do not go overboard with the mixture it cleans well and leaves no film. We use the paste version a lot when we clean our horse's tack. It cleans all the sweat and horsey scum off of the leather quite well. But for you you can try a small area with the soap to see if you like it. Personally I do not like vinegar that much as I do not like the odor it produces. Even though it only lasts a few hours. Just must be one of those old folk things. Bob
  • Higgins const. Higgins const. on Dec 30, 2011
    murphys seems to soften the poly, making it almost impossible to screen and re coat. Then sanding is needed more $
  • Kristin Topping Kristin Topping on Sep 02, 2015
    Such an impressive article you have given here.If you consult professionals of certified flooring company you can discover more innovative ideas for this job. I also deal with flooring company in and around California that provides fabulous flooring ideas that suits any budget.Great article.
  • Tcs Tcs on Jan 05, 2016
    We recently moved into a new house full of hardwoods. They had not been cleaned in quite some time. Purchased a steam mop. Best purchase I've ever made. The contractor had splattered paint in one area and steam brought it right up! Water from steam not an issue. It evaporated within seconds of moving on to another area. No worries about water on floors!