How To Make Wood Floors Shine Without Wax

Wooden floors are among the classy flooring options. The flooring has a smooth surface that is easy to clean and warm to feel. The finishing on the wood surface gives it a glimmer that makes the room glamorous. Hardwood flooring provides a fascinating beauty that is worth beholding. However, maintaining the beauty of wood flooring remains a challenge for many homeowners. Did you know you can make wood floor shine without wax? Well, below are proven ways of transforming your wood floors from grim to gleam.

step 1: Preparation of the room

Arrange the furniture in the room in a way that will allow easy cleaning of the floor without obstruction. You may prefer pushing the furniture against the walls to create ample space for shining wood floors. Remember not to drag your furniture across the floor surface as it may cause ugly scratches.

step 2: Sweeping

Daily sweeping of the hardwood floor surface removes the dust, grit, dirt and protects the finish while mopping. You should always take great care not to use scouring brooms as they will cause scratches on the floor surface. Instead, use soft microfiber mop pads or a brush with soft bristles. Sweeping is always the first step of shining the wood floors without wax. Glide the dust mop gently on the floor surface to remove abrasive particles.

step 3: make wood floor shine without wax

After sweeping the hardwood floors using a dust mop, wet-clean the floor surface. Before you think of any other cleaning detergent or chemical, try mopping the floor with clean water. Wring your mop well to ensure you do not apply more water that may over-saturate the floor. Remember, water is the worst enemy of wood floor; thus, you should avoid excessive wetting of the wood surface.

Avoid big spin mops that may get your floor super wet. If your floor is excessively dirty, you can use a mild cleaning agent to get the dirt off the floor. Do not use concentrated detergent to clean the floor as it diminishes the admirable luster and may also leave streaks on the floor when dry. This step is instrumental when it comes to natural restoration of wood floors without waxing. Always make a new solution when the water is dirty. Using dirty water will leave streaks of dirt on the surface of your wood floor after drying.

Do not rinse the floor but instead, buff the entire hardwood floor surface with a dry absorbent towel to eliminate all the moisture from the hardwood floor surface. Rinsing adds more moisture on the surface of the wood that may pose a warping risk.

How to shine wood floor with home-made polish

Vinegar has always been in use as a natural cleaning agent that is readily affordable and effective in a wide range of cleaning at home. For this case, you can follow the steps below:

  1. Mix about a quarter cup (60ml) of distilled vinegar in every one gallon (3.8 L) warm water and mix well for effective action. Since vinegar is an acid, avoid using more than the recommended volume as it will wear out the floor finish.
  2. Add a few drops of essential oil to the solution. You may consider using lemon or lavender oil to keep the fragrance on your floor and make your room smell fresh.
  3. Dampen the mop and wring properly to avoid excess solution from spilling on the floor. Consider using micro-fiber mop or spray and avoid using a cotton mop as it may be difficult to twist.
  4. Go over the floor mopping and ensure no water-pooling is evident on the wood floor surface. Check on your water to ensure you do not leave streaks on the floor surface when dry.
  5. Go over the floor again with the shining solution for the last round before leaving the floor to dry.
  6. Use a moist mop to reduce higher chances of water-soaking on the wood that may result in another serious problem.
  7. Leave your floor to fully dry, and the shine will be noticeable.
  8. Rearrange the room and ensure you have a doorstep rug to trap dust and other likely debris from getting into the house.

The above procedure presents you with the cheapest way of how to clean wood floors.  The method will help you to keep your floor more organic and free from some residual chemical present in commercial wood floor polish.