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How to Remove Wax Cleaner From Wood Flooring

Wax creates a barrier to protect flooring from spills, scratches and stains. Some manufacturers advise against using any wax on hardwood floors and will void their warranty if you use wax or wax-based cleaners on the floor. Many of these wax cleaners cause serious damage to a wood floor by pulling up the finish or making white marks on the top of the wood. Remove the cleaner before refinishing the floor to prevent the damage from worsening.

Things You'll Need

  • Mop
  • Mineral spirits
  • Plastic paint scraper
  • Towels
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Instructions

    • 1

      Soak a clean mop in mineral spirits and wring it so that it is wet but not dripping.

    • 2

      Mop the area immediately with the mineral spirits to remove the wax stripper residue before it does any damage. Apply a thin layer of mineral spirits but don't soak the floor.

    • 3

      Scrape the floor with a plastic paint scraper to remove any wax remnants on the floor.

    • 4

      Rinse the floor with clear water from a water-dampened mop.

    • 5

      Immediately dry the floor with towels. Never leave a wood floor to air-dry as this can cause warping.