Repairing Hardwood Floors to Look as New as Recoating

Hardwood floors often withstand repeated abuse over time, particularly those sections of the floor located in high-traffic areas, and the finish that gives the wood its shine tends to dull. Bits of dirt can act like sandpaper and exacerbate the problem. In extreme cases, you may have to refinish the floor and apply a new coat of sealant. But you often can rejuvenate hardwood floors without applying sealant by cleaning them and applying a fresh coat of wax.

Vacuum
Dishwasher detergent or a commercial solvent-type hardwood floor cleaner
Bucket
Nylon scrubbing pad
Clean rag
Liquid or paste floor wax
Buffing machine

Instructions

- 1
  Vacuum the floor to remove all dust, dirt and other debris.
- 2
  Combine hot water and a moderate amount of dishwasher detergent in a bucket. Do not use a detergent that contains ammonia, lye, or trisodium phosphate. Although water may remove stubborn dirt deposits, water alone will not remove the old floor wax.
- 3
  Scrub the floor with the water and detergent mixture using a nylon scrubbing pad, then wipe the water and floor wax away with clean rag and allow the floor to dry. Use commercial solvent-type hardwood floor cleaner to remove any stubborn wax deposits. Do not use a water-based hardwood floor cleaner; some water-based products can blacken the floor.
- 4
  Apply a floor wax to the floor. You may choose either a liquid wax or a paste wax. Liquid wax takes less effort to apply than paste wax, but paste wax is more durable than liquid products. Regardless of the type of wax, follow the manufacturer’s directions closely.
- 5
  Polish the floor with a buffing machine equipped with synthetic buffing pads. Operate the buffing machine in the same manner used to operate a vacuum machine. You can rent a buffing machine from a home improvement center.

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