Cleaning Old Untreated Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors add a beautiful touch to just about any room but there s some debate about the best way to clean them.

Cleaning old untreated hardwood floors.

But because the wood lacks the protection of a sealer it is imperative that water and other liquids do not stand on the surface of the unsealed wood for long periods of time. Hardwood floor cleaning and maintenance steps. Hardwood floors provide a natural and beautiful look to your home. The problem with cleaning untreated floorboards is the risk of everyday products and methods that can cause damage to the raw wood so here are three categories do not do s do with caution s and do regularly s to help you get the most out of your floor.

While these floors are beautiful they can be more challenging to clean since you do not know what type of finish or sealer is on them. There are several different mixtures to use for hardwood floors and you ll. How to deep clean worn hardwood floors. Rub the product into the boards with either a soft pad or lint free.

Most modern hardwood floors are covered with a sealant that makes them resistant to stains. Floor installer michael dittmer who lives outside chicago dispatches a robot vac daily to keep an eye on his entire first floor. If the water beads the finish is in good condition and you should spray the floors with a. You need to use special techniques for cleaning heavily soiled hardwood floors without a finish.

These surface sealed floors are easy to maintain but there are also penetrating seal floors that don t have an outside sealant and should only be dry mopped during routine cleaning. Do not clean your untreated floors with the traditional bucket of. When used as a cleaning agent it can eradicate stains without damaging your floors. Because different floor finishes have unique care requirements the best way to clean hardwood floors will depend on the type of finish rather than the wood species e g cherry maple oak.

Unfinished wood or floors with worn down finish are a very different story and require another approach. To clean old hardwood floors start by using a plastic spatula or dull putty knife to scrape off any dried paint gum or other hardened materials. Most old hardwood floors will need resealing or refinishing so we will look at the standard cleaning procedures for untreated wood floors. Next sprinkle a few drops of water onto a worn area of the floor to test the soundness of the finish.

Mineral spirits is a petroleum based liquid often used to remove paint from brushes and other tools. Knowing how to clean old hardwood floors that still have a coat of finish is the easy part. Both of these agent s will deep clean your floors while leaving behind a natural shine. Unsealed wood floors can add a rustic charm to your home.