How to Keep Waxed Floors Shiny

Hardwood Flooring

• 1

  Vacuum your floors every day. A buildup of dirt and grime can wear away the finish of your waxed floors, so it's important to rid of dirt on a daily basis. A broom with soft bristles is a safe alternative, and a dusting cloth tied to the bottom of the broom picks up leftover dirt.

• 2

  Avoid contact with water, which can damage the floor's wax finish. Use a dry or slightly damp cloth to clean up spills.

• 3

  Use pH-neutral cleaners that won't damage the wax finish.

• 4

  Buff your floors. Buffers add shine to floors with the use of a small amount of product. Buff from the farthest corner in the room inward until you buff your way out of the room.

• 5

  Apply a wax-based product to your floors in conjunction with a buffer. This will add a new layer of wax to your floors, so save this method for waxed floors that haven't responded to the less-invasive treatments.

Vinyl and Linoleum

• 6

  Vacuum or sweep your floors. A daily regimen will help keep your floors clean and shiny.

• 7

  Saturate the mop in lukewarm water and wring it out. Your cleaning regimen only needs to include small areas where grime or spills are located.

• 8

  Mop your floors more thoroughly if the floors are beginning to lose their shine. Mix warm water and mild dish detergent in a bucket. Mop the entire floor and follow with a mop rinsing of cool water. Don't mop near the floor's edge, as water can cause linoleum flooring to lift up from the floor.

• 9

  Apply a new coat of wax to the floors. Use a water-based or solvent-based wax for linoleum floors. Solvent-based wax is appropriate for vinyl flooring.

• 10

  Buff the floors if you are using a solvent-based wax. Follow the wax manufacturer's instructions for buffing.