Bringing old wood floors back to their proper shape and making them look even more impressive without having to refinish them is very possible. It is also very workable. However, we need to have enough knowledge in how to go about it and take a lot of care when it comes to the actual process. Cleaning old wood floors without refinishing does not necessarily need an expert but it needs some proper understanding of the dos and don’ts. Every single detail should also be taken into very keen consideration to make sure that no part of the floor is left out. Some of the procedures would need the use of basic chemicals, so we ought to know how to handle them too.
Cleaning in this case would mean thorough cleaning, something more than the normal cleaning routines. Making sure that every part of the floor looks all new again. Now, there are a number of steps that are involved in cleaning old wood floors when we are not thinking of refinishing. Let’s see what’s done in each step and how to do it perfectly.
Cleaning Old Wood Floors without Refinishing
Clear the floor
Since we need the floor to look all new again, we need to make every part of it clean. This would necessitate removing everything from the floor and remaining with a clear space to work on. This is a simple and basic step that just requires removing any household items and clearing the floor of any other things that might be there. After the floor is clear of anything that might obstruct the other steps.
Sweep off the dirt
Sweeping is a basic routine that we normally carry out on the floor. This time, we are going to do it a bit more thoroughly to prepare for the rest of the processes. Sweeping is important no matter what method of cleaning you would want to choose afterward. You might want some vacuuming after the sweeping to get rid of any tiny particles that might have been carried into the house.
This is usually easy when you have a doormat, which would make sure that very little of the small rocks are carried into the house. After sweeping, you can now select a preferred cleaning method and continue with the process.
Clean the floor using your preferred method
Now, there are several cleaning methods that you can select from. Cleaning in almost all the methods would need you to have some water with you. Here are some of them.
- Water with vinegar
- Water with soap
- Water with lemon juice
- Baking soda
- Use of standard wood floor cleaners
Any of the methods above can be very efficient when done properly and with a lot of attention to detail.
Water with vinegar cleaning would need you to mix 1/2 a cup of preferably white vinegar with a gallon of warm water, then gently mop it into the floor, make sure to cover all the parts, and keep the floor as dry as possible after the mop. Ensure the water does not get too dirty, you can change regularly during the process. Vinegar works excellently on hardwood floors and any other wood floors as well. However, it is highly recommended for hardwood floors.
When using water with lemon juice or soap, you can use cold water. However, make sure you mix just enough soap in the water and not too much soap. The water should not be too soapy. Make sure the soap is off the floor completely by the time you finish. You can consider using clear water on the mop after using soap on the whole floor. Lemon juice and soap are just affordable and easily accessible. When using lemon juice, you can follow the process used when using vinegar.
Standard wood floor cleaners
Wood floor cleaners would need no water at all. There are so many brands available in the market and you can select any of your preferred brands. The process of using them is the simplest. Cleaning using these wood floor cleaners just needs one to spray them on the floor and mop the floor. It is advisable to use a clean and dry mop.
Baking soda
Baking soda is not actually meant for cleaning but it is so effective in removing scuffs. Scuffs come as a result of walking with shoes on the floor, pet scratches, and moving furniture. The use of baking soda should be very simple. The process involves making the dish sponge mildly wet and adding the soda to it. Then use it to scratch the floor where there are scuffs.
Polishing up the floor
Sometimes, the cleaning methods above have a great impact but might not get rid of all the dirt or scratches that make the floor look untidy. Polishing up the floor might go a long way in giving the floor a new look. You would need a floor polisher to clean polish over the existing one, which makes it more basic and simpler than refinishing the floor Since we are cleaning old wood floors without refinishing.
Final Word
Making the floor look nice all over again does not have to involve complex refinishing that would take up so much time and funds. You can simply give the wood floor a new look by just cleaning it and maybe polishing it. Some of the main methods that we can use in cleaning old wood floors without refinishing have been discussed above.
They are basically less time-consuming and they are not far away from our normal cleaning routines. You can also have the floor cleaned and then polish it to give it a very clean look. Polishing can also be done regularly to keep the floor looking nice before you decide on refinishing the floor. The cleaning should be thorough and more often when we come to places that are regularly used like entryways.
Giving more attention should be given to such areas. Maintaining the floor after cleaning is also very important. Vacuuming should be done more than three times per week. All these should be done to keep the floor looking good without necessarily having to refinish the floor.