How to Use a Damp Cloth on a Sanded Wood Floor

Dip the rag in a bucket of lukewarm water. You can use any type of lint-free rag, but a clean, cloth diaper works well. Wring out the cloth as thoroughly as possible. By the time you're finished wringing, the cloth should feel a damp, not wet. You do not want the exposed wood floors to absorb any water; the cloth should be just damp enough to allow the loose dust from sanding to cling to it.

Shake out the cloth to lay it flat and slide it along the floor, following the grain of the wood to avoid leaving any streak marks that could show through the finish. The rag should sweep across the floor; do not press down on the cloth. Cover an area of about 1- by 3-feet.

Wipe a dry cloth across the area, still following the wood grain, to remove any moisture. If the is wood is wet while it is exposed, the water will raise the wood grain.

Continue working across small sections of the floor, first sweeping away the dust with a damp rag and then drying it quickly with a dry one. When the damp rag gets dirty, dip it back into the water to clean it off and then wring it out thoroughly again. Replace the dry cloth with a fresh one if it starts to become damp.