Cleaning oiled hardwood floors

[bullwhisperer]

Hi. We live in a ranch house with old hardwood floors. I've decided against waxing them, and just keeping them oiled and polished. I've really brought them back to life with boiled linseed oil/mineral spirits. With the tracking in, etc. waxing is going to be too much work. I bought a 2101 electrolux floor polisher to polish and buff.

I'm curious if anyone has any good ideas on how to keep them clean. I've heard mixed things on murphy's oil soap for oiled floors. I know it's not good for waxed or finished floors, but am wondering if it's good for oiled floors.

Looking for ways to keep them clean in between oiling and buffing.

 

[parwaz786]

The best option would be to vacuum with a straight suction vacuum, like a stick vac or a cylinder and maybe a steam mop would be a good idea, or a floor scrubber

 

[spiraclean]

No! Do not use a steam mop, it will cause the wood to swell and warp. This method should only be used on wooden floors that are sealed (i.e. polyurethane varnish), and even then you still have to use caution and be careful not to overdo it. Personally I would only ever use one on tile, but that's just me.

We don't have Murphy's Oil Soap in the UK, but having just researched it, this product should be fine for your floors. A product I am more familiar with is Ecover Floor Soap, which is similar other than being based on linseed rather than vegetable oil. Either way, the goal of this type of cleaner is to leave a very slight residue that will maintain the oiled finish, rather than stripping it right off like a conventional detergent would. I agree that an oil soap cleaner is no good for waxed or varnished floors, as the residue would only remain on top of said finish.

No need to scrub with a machine, a mop is just fine. For particularly stubborn spots, use either a coarse rag or soft hand brush dipped in the solution. Wring the mop out as well as you can after cleaning each section, and go over the floor again to get it as dry as possible.

Definitely vacuum rather than sweep, though. A broom will just drag grit across the surface of the floor. Vacuuming whisks it right up, so it can no longer do any harm.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

True

Steam and oil could get sticky. I use Murphy's Oil Soap on lots of different. It's made of vegetable oil, so, it should be ok. It's ALMOST dsafe enough to ingest.
Pledge also makes a nice floor cleaner. Perhaps AFTER washing, you could buff the floor with a nice HOOVER polisher. There are several different pads for various jobs. Good luck!
John

 

[bullwhisperer]

Thank you so much! I just bought a vintage electrolux floor polisher and it doesn't look like it was ever used. I will mop with the soap, dry and polish. I have done lots of searching, and it's hard to find out how to maintain old oiled floors. I guess finished floors are popular, so that is the reason it's hard to find anything on oiled floors.

 

[bullwhisperer]

Ecover

I found Ecover on Amazon, and it's reasonably priced, so I'm going to get that since it has linseed oil in it. Thank you again.

 

[Anachronism]

A 50/50 mix of BOILED linseed oil & mineral spirits, paint thinner or turpentine is a basic form of spar varnish (just add a japan drier). As for water based cleaners, I avoid such things, as the joints between boards are rarely water tight, causing swelling & discoloration along the joints.

As an installer & refinisher, I use an 18" Advance polisher with a buffing pad under the brush for major cleaning and between coats of finish.

 

[rinaric15]

Cleaning hardwood floors

It is always best to follow the recommendations of the manufacturers. If you have a prefinished wood floor, most manufacturers tend to offer recommended cleaning products that are pH neutral. If you have a wood floor finished in your home, it is best to follow the finish manufacturer's recommendations. If you purchase a commercial wood floor cleaner, make sure the label specifically states that it is "safe for polyurethane finishes." Do not use household cleaners, abrasives, or products that contain waxes, oils, or silcone. Waxes, oils, and silcones tend to build up and soften and dull finishes over time. Avoid furniture polishes and waxes, Murphy's Oil Soap (a vegetable oil cleaner) and any product that is not labelled specifically to be safe for "polyurethane" despite the claim to be safe for all floors.

The National Oak Flooring Manufacturer's Assoc. does not frown upon 1/4 cup white vinegar to 1 gallon of water. They state that damp mopping is safe for hardwood floors. This means using a mop squeezed nearly dry. Cleaner is best sprayed on the mop, not the floor. Do a section at a time. Toss down an old terry towel and rub back and forth in the direction of the wood grain, using your foot, to remove streaks and excess moisture. Never apply cleaner directly to the floor.

Do not use steam cleaners on hardwood floors. Wipe up all spills immediately as standing water and liquids will damage wood floors. Place mats inside and outside doors to catch grit. Grit is what they make sandpaper out of. The grit will sand off the finish. Place felt protectors on furniture and never scoot anything on floors. If you use vacuum, use brush attachment and not beater bar. Frequently running dust mop in high traffic areas will keep grit damage at bay. Depending on the amount of traffic, damp mopping should not be required more often than every two to three months. Over mopping and cleaning will tend to dull finish. Place runners and rugs in high traffic areas such as at entries, in hallways, in front of sink and stove, or wherever feet tend to contact the wood floor the most frequently.

Never wax a polyurethane finish. Wax will interfere with the refinishing process, causing stains and finishes to not properly adhere.

 

[brad845]

I have old southern pine floors from the early 1900's .. Like yours the poly and wax is gone completely .. Now with my floors they were covered in coal dust. I don't think you would need this part, but I happen to clean my floor with LA's Totally Awesome. Now for polishing I would say get some Old English Lemon oil, I have polished my floors a year ago and haven't had to touch them since (Other than vacuuming them) if you use the lemon oil (which you should it brings amazing results) dab some on a rag or paper towel, spread around, then take another rag or towel and buff to a shine. It also takes the squeaks out of your hardwood .. Now you would however need to use some type of clean first to take off all of the oil you can test the Awesome on a part of the floor and see how it does, then you can polish with lemon oil.
Before and After pics.

 

[brad845]

Note to some .. Murphy's oil soap doesn't hold a candle to Old English Lemon Oil. In my opinion Murphy's leaves behind a oily feeling after polishing, however with the Lemon oil it leaves behind a clean smooth surface.