January 20, 2020

How to Clean Hardwood Floors

Deep-Cleaning a Dirty Floor

To rid your floor of caked-up grime and dirt, you may want to deep-clean it.

For floors with a surface finish:

  1. Use a pH-neutral, wax-free and petroleum-free floor cleaner. You can also make your own homemade cleaning solution with few drops of dish soap and a gallon of warm water.
  2. Wet a sponge mop with floor cleaner and wring out the excess liquid so the sponge is only slightly damp. Mop one 3-foot section of the floor using a circular motion to pull up excess dirt and then move on to the next section.
  3. Rinse the mop using water, wring it out and continue mopping the floor to soak up the remainder of the cleaning solution. As when washing, wring out the mop thoroughly to prevent over-wetting the floor.
  4. Dry with a soft, clean towel.

For floors with a penetrating finish:

  1. Strip off the old wax coating.
  2. Wipe down the floor in 2-foot sections using a clean cloth saturated in mineral spirits.
  3. Let it sit for five minutes on each section before wiping it off with a fresh, slightly damp cloth.
  4. Using a fresh, dry cloth, wipe away any excess moisture.
  5. Reapply solvent-based floor wax using a cloth or an electric polisher to buff the wax into the floor.

Removing Hard Food Stains

  1. To remove caked-on food from a floor with a surface or penetrating finish, push the tip of a plastic knife under the lower edge of the debris and slide the knife upward gently.
  2. If your floor has a surface finish, rub the area with a clean, slightly damp cloth and follow it with a dry cloth to remove any excess moisture.
  3. If the floor has a penetrating finish and a bit of wax coating comes up in the process, reapply solvent-based floor wax using a soft cloth and buff it in.

Cleaning Oil and Grease Stains

You can use trisodium phosphate on floors with both surface and penetrating finishes to break down oil and grease. Before using TSP, make sure to wear gloves and protective glasses.

  1. In a large bucket, mix 2 tablespoons of TSP in a gallon of warm water. Fill a second bucket with warm water only.
  2. With a clean cloth dipped in TSP solution, and wring it out. Gently wipe the stained area using a circular motion.
  3. Immediately rinse away the TSP with a different cloth dampened in the plain water.
  4. Dry the area with a clean, dry cloth.

Removing Wax, Gum and Crayon Marks

Ice works wonders on hard-to-remove debris like dried wax, crayon marks and gum for both surface and penetrating finishes.

  1. After filling a freezer bag with ice, place it over the debris.
  2. When it becomes brittle, scrape it off with a plastic spatula.
  3. If the floor has a penetrating finish and a bit of wax coating comes up in the process, reapply solvent-based floor wax using a soft cloth and buff it in.

Removing Pet Urine, Ink and Water Spots

Pet urine, ink and water leave some of the most challenging stains and involve a little extra legwork, but it is not impossible to remove them. The steps below apply to penetrating finishes only. Do not use sandpaper or steel wool on floors with a surface finish. Instead, use a hardwood floor cleaner and a scouring pad made specifically for this type of floor.

  1. Start by lightly sanding the wood with extra-fine sandpaper.
  2. Gently scrub the area with 00-grade steel wool dampened with mineral spirits.
  3. Wipe away the spirits using a new, water-dampened cloth.
  4. Use a clean, dry cloth to remove any excess moisture.
  5. Apply solvent-based floor wax (or other type of finish that matches the original) to the area with a soft cloth and buff it in.