All You Need to Know About Waxing Hardwood Floors (2023)

FAQs

All You Need to Know About Waxing Hardwood Floors? ›

All hardwood floors, whether made from new or recycled wood, or even vintage floors that have been in place a century or more, need periodic waxing. Floor wax helps seal the porous wood surface, protects it from stains, hides scratches and dents and increases shine.

All hardwood floors, whether made from new or recycled wood, or even vintage floors that have been in place a century or more, need periodic waxing. Floor wax helps seal the porous wood surface, protects it from stains, hides scratches and dents and increases shine.

Apply the wax lightly and evenly (per package instructions), working it into the surface. (If you prefer soft wax, use the liquid-equivalent of paste wax.) As the waxed surface dries, it will appear cloudy. Buff to a shine with a clean towel, an electric polisher, or a terry cloth-covered sponge mop.

Avoid wet-mopping floors with water and using household cleaners, as this can strip the wax coat off or damage the wood. To keep dust at bay before it dulls the finish, dry mop waxed floors as often as necessary with a microfiber cloth pad or vacuum-clean with a dust brush attachment.

Follow these tips to prolong the life and luster of your waxed hardwood floors: Re-wax floors at the interval recommended by the manufacturer. Generally, solid wax coats can last 2 to 5 years, and liquid wax coats 1 to 2 years.

In general, we recommend blocking off the area and keeping foot traffic off of the floor for at least 8 hours after you've finished. If you open the floor before the finish completely dries, occupants can track contaminants onto the floor which can get stuck in the finish.

WAXING SCRATCHES AND SCUFFS OUT

Scuffs and shallow scratches can be fixed with a floor wax, many of which are made just for floors. This wax seeps into shallow scratches, filling them up to give you a smooth floor surface again. To apply a wax, simply wipe it onto the damaged area with a clean, dry cloth or sponge.

Wood oils or more specifically 'hard wax oils' are more durable and water resistant than waxes. Waxes are softer, less durable and are easily stained and marked when in contact with water.

Apply Floor Wax

We recommend applying anywhere from four to 10 layers of wax coating to achieve a durable, long-lasting finish that won't require immediate stripping after only a few buffing sessions. However, for high-traffic areas, you may want to apply additional layers of wax.

Do NOT clean your floors with Murphy's Oil Soap, Mop and Glo, Orange Glo, Swiffer Wet Mop, furniture polish such as Pledge, vinegar, ammonia, or any pine cleaners! All of these cleaners, over time, will dull and damage the finish.

How do you keep waxed floors shiny? ›

The two main options start with dust mopping daily with a treated dust mop or vacuuming with a floor tool. Vacuuming will physically remove more soil, sand, tiny particles but the treatment applied to the dust mop can give an extra daily sheen.

Shine and polish wood floors

An easy way to fill in microscratches and shine wood floors is to polish your floors after mopping. After dusting and spray mopping, use a designated microfiber mop pad to apply polish to wood floors to add shine.

You can usually identify wax by feeling the surface. For lack of a better term, the surface will feel waxy. Using the side of a coin, you can lightly scrape an inconspicuous area and you should see a waxy buildup on the side of the coin. Add a few drops of mineral spirits to the surface and cover with a shot glass.

Allow the wax to dry for about 20 minutes and then buff to a sheen with a cotton cloth or a Liberon wax polishing brush. If the wood is new or very dry you may need to apply another coat. Then sit back relax and enjoy your furniture.

You need to wait until the wax dries. That will take about 30 minutes, depending on how thick you've applied it – or how many layers you've applied (applying multiple thin coats is better than one thick coat).

Keep the waxed area clean, and avoid heat and friction during the next 24 - 48 hours. This means: No hot baths or showers (cool to lukewarm water only). No saunas, hot tubs, massage or steam treatments.

DON'TS: THE FIRST 24 HOURS AFTER YOUR WAX:

Don't swim. Don't wear tight or non-breathing clothes to avoid infection: waxed skin needs air. Avoid perfumed products on the waxed skin. Avoid touching the waxed skin: the empty follicles are easily infected by bacteria and need some time to settle down and close.

A "wax mop" is simply what the name suggests, a mop head used to distribute a coat of wax evenly upon an unfinished floor surface. Usually the final step to the stripping and waxing process.

A 1:1 mixture of cooking oil and white vinegar is the most effective way to remove scratches from wood furniture. Dip a rag in the mixture, and rub it on the scratch. Allow the mixture to sit for 1-2 minutes before wiping away excess liquid.

Hard-wax oil finished floors are more water resistant than polyurethane-finished floors because they more readily allow for expansion and contraction. A polyurethane-finished floor essentially creates a plastic film over the wood, which can trap moisture and damage the floor.

How many coats of wax on wood? ›

If you're covering unfinished furniture, plan on applying a total of 3 layers, but remember to buff the wax between each application. Once you finish waxing and buffing the furniture, wait about 30 minutes before placing things on the furniture or using it.

Those in the latter camp must content themselves with the fact that finishes of any type – poly, shellac, lacquer, wax – all change the wood's appearance. While they accentuate the grain and beauty of the wood, they also darken and deepen its color.

The gloss of a satin finish disperses light and more easily conceals dirt, dust, and pet hair. Gleaming satin floors will also maintain their new appearance longer than other types of finishes. A matte finish, on the other hand, works well to hide imperfections such as scuffs, dents, or scratches.

This is because wood is porous and waxing wood floors can help seal wood surfaces and protect them from stain and scratches. We recommend waxing your floors once every 6 to 18 months based on the amount of floor traffic.

We typically recommend that floors are professionally stripped and re-waxed every five to six months. Keeping them up to snuff is important, but don't do it too often, as your floors are just going to be exposed to more traffic, more dirt, and more damage in that short period of time.

Up to 1/2 inch should be fine. If your hair is any longer you may feel some discomfort when the wax is applied. It will also make it trickier for your therapist to get the job done. Trim excess hair down beforehand or shave and wait a couple of weeks for it to grow back before returning to the salon.

A floor's wax layer needs to be buffed the same as your vehicle's finish needs to be buffed after being waxed. A buffed floor is enlivened with its depth of patina and rich gloss. The wax is a sacrificial layer that is eventually stripped, reapplied and polished again; in so doing, wax prolongs the life of your floors.

The old layer of wax has dirt and grime stuck in it, and when you put a new layer of wax over the old one, you're encasing the dirt and grime, causing discoloration to show on the surface. Additionally, the larger molecules of wax simply stick to the surface (instead of chemically bonding).

Since vinegar is an acid, it will actually break down the finish on the surface of your floor, and over time it will reduce the shine, and leave a dull appearance. Using vinegar and water to clean floors can also lead to an excessive amount of water on the floor, which can cause swelling and discoloration.

To condition and shine when done cleaning, add some vegetable or olive oil to a little undiluted white vinegar and rub into floor—kind of like adding a finishing product for shine after you shampoo!

What is the best product to shine hardwood floors? ›

Overall, the best hardwood floor cleaner is the Murphy Original Formula Oil Soap, as it's affordable, effective, and compatible with multiple surfaces. If you're looking for a spray option, the Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is safe and easy to use.

If you want to clean your floors with items you already have in your pantry, simply grab a bottle of dish soap, a bucket, and your hardwood floor mop. Dish soap is a gentle cleaner that won't damage the natural wood, and it's perfect for light jobs and daily upkeep alike.

Murphy® Oil Soap Original Formula is safe for your home if used as directed. However, under certain circumstances, it can cause skin and/or eye irritation. If ingested or in contact with allergies, it can also cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Pine-Sol^® is safe to use on wood floors, though it is not recommended for use on unfinished, unsealed, unpainted, waxed, oiled or worn wood.

Wax finishes are easy to distinguish due to the way they react to water. It is easy to mark them with water spills. In an inconspicuous area, corner or behind a door, apply two (2) drops of water. If within ten minutes, white spots appear under the drops of water, the floor has a wax finish.

Usually, ammonia is strong enough to strip the wax from the floors. Rinse the mop again and again and continue mopping the floor with ammonia water until the waxy film disappears. ⇒ After scrubbing the floor with ammonia water, allow it to dry completely. Also, check the floor that the whole wax has gone away.

Use an ammonia solution: An ammonia solution of about 2.5 dl (1 cup) of ammonia per 4 litres (1 gallon) of water can be used to dissolve the build-up that's causing the haziness of your floors. Remember to use this solution carefully, so that you don't further damage the floor with excess water.

Do not wet mop wood flooring. Damp is good. Dripping wet is bad. If you can ring out the mop or pad, you're working with too much water.

Floors have wax buildup.

This creates a shine but can look dull over time and as the wax builds up. Even when you properly apply wax only annually, soon your hardwood floors look dull. You can strip this paste wax with mineral spirits or through the help of your floor refinishing experts.

When should I wax my hardwood floors? ›

How often you wax wood floors depends on the amount of footfall in the room. As a general guide, wax every six months, but in a home with only one or two people, you could get away with once a year. In a commercial building where a high number of people visit, waxing much more often may be necessary.

Dusting and cleaning waxed wood floors

If you spill food or drinks, wipe it up immediately to prevent any permanent damage or staining. Sweep or vacuum-clean your wood floors as often as necessary. Use Bona's mild, specially-formulated Wood Floor Cleaner for the best results, or the Bona Wood Floor Spray Mop.

If the oil beads on the surface then the piece is most likely finished with shellac, lacquer, varnish or polyurethane. Wax – You can tell if wax has been applied by lightly scraping your finger nail in a inconspicuous area to see if a scratch mark is left.

Apply Floor Wax

We recommend applying anywhere from four to 10 layers of wax coating to achieve a durable, long-lasting finish that won't require immediate stripping after only a few buffing sessions. However, for high-traffic areas, you may want to apply additional layers of wax.

Hard waxes are prone to crack if you leave them on the skin for too long. This might give you problems when it's time to remove the strip and you might have to reapply the wax on the area to pull all the hairs. Hard waxes yield great results when used on facial skin and bikini wax services.

In general, we recommend blocking off the area and keeping foot traffic off of the floor for at least 8 hours after you've finished. If you open the floor before the finish completely dries, occupants can track contaminants onto the floor which can get stuck in the finish.

Thus, it's best to wait until all coats have been applied and dried before walking through the room. After that final coat, your floors should be off-limits for 24 hours. This is the only way to avoid any damage.

Wax doesn't take long to dry, and there's no need to leave it on the paint for more than the cure time of 20 to 30 minutes. During this time you can detail the interior of your car, or grab a quick snack. Once you can swipe your finger across the wax and it doesn't streak, you're golden.

Don't exfoliate 24 hours to 48 hours prior to waxing to avoid irritation. (Though we absolutely encourage you to exfoliate a few times weekly in between wax appointments to keep skin soft.) Don't coat your body with lotions, potions, creams or any of the sort the day of your wax.

Our advice is to wait 24 to 48 hours so your skin has time to heal and hair follicles can close. Doing so will prevent any further skin irritation.

What do you need before and after waxing? ›

You'll need to keep your legs clean and dry for the first 48 hours after waxing, and also avoid anything that could irritate your delicate skin. The list includes exfoliating, strong sunlight, saunas, synthetic clothes, and steamy, hot baths (another reason to make the most of your pre-wax one).

Avoid wet-mopping floors with water and using household cleaners, as this can strip the wax coat off or damage the wood. To keep dust at bay before it dulls the finish, dry mop waxed floors as often as necessary with a microfiber cloth pad or vacuum-clean with a dust brush attachment.

Do NOT clean your floors with Murphy's Oil Soap, Mop and Glo, Orange Glo, Swiffer Wet Mop, furniture polish such as Pledge, vinegar, ammonia, or any pine cleaners! All of these cleaners, over time, will dull and damage the finish.

It is marketed as a wood floor cleaning product that has the ability to both clean and shine your floors. This is a major appeal to many people because it does multiple things at once. It cleans your floor AND leaves it looking shiny again.

Buffing a hardwood floor with a buffer is an easy and efficient way to restore its shine without sanding. Make sure that all areas are dry before you begin buffing. Put on the appropriate protective gear and attach the buffing pad to the buffer. It's important to give each area equal attention for a uniform shine.

Buff and polish it.

Buffing your floor is a great way to breathe new life into it without having to go the whole hog and resand it. In very simple terms, a buffer is a machine with a heavy rotating pad that uses its movement to create a professional looking finish on tired wood flooring.

Mix equal parts olive oil and vinegar, which work together to remove dirt, moisturize, and shine wood. Pour a little directly onto the scratch. Let the polish soak in for 24 hours, then wipe off. Repeat until the scratch disappears.

And stains, marks and scratches can be removed easily from waxed floors using Murphy Oil Soap.

Daily: Dry mop floors with a microfiber dusting pad and mop. Clean spills immediately. Weekly: Clean deeper with a vacuum designed for wood floors or use a microfiber spray mop and cleaner formulated for hardwood floors. Monthly: Polish wood floors every 2-4 months for extra shine and protection.

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.

What is the difference between hardwood floor polish and wax? ›

While polish and wax both serve a similar function– to make floors look their best– they do have some differences. For instance, polish is used to shine or restore floors, whereas wax is used mainly as a protective sealant.

Average dry times are as follows: Hard wax oils: 4-24 hours. Water-based finishes: 4-8 house. Oil-modified polyurethane: 12-24 hours.

The Wax will be dry to the touch very quickly but take longer to harden or 'cure'. The 'curing' process can take 5 – 21 days depending on ambient temperature. If you want to achieve a really good shine, allow around 24 hours before buffing.

Glass cleaners, such as Windex, aren't ideal for wood floors. Some are formulated with abrasive ingredients (such as ammonia) that can actually damage your floors and leave spots, notes Rosa Nogales-Hernandez, head home cleaning valet at Valet Living.

Best Overall: Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Spray. Best Concentrate: Murphy Wood Cleaner Concentrate. Best Vinegar-Based Cleaner: Aunt Fannie's Floor Cleaner Vinegar Wash Concentrate. Best Scent: Method Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner.

Wax finishes are easy to distinguish due to the way they react to water. It is easy to mark them with water spills. In an inconspicuous area, corner or behind a door, apply two (2) drops of water. If within ten minutes, white spots appear under the drops of water, the floor has a wax finish.

To tell the difference in a pinch, just rub your finger across the floor. Be sure to do this on a clean floor. If no smudge appears, the floor is surface sealed. If you do create a smudge, the floor has been treated with a penetrating seal, oil finish, shellac, varnish or lacquer, and then waxed.