Wooden floors
Nov 17th 2011, 11:33 am
#1
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Joined: Oct 2011
Location: Limousin, France
Posts: 14
Wooden floors
We've got lovely polished oak floors in our new house. We've never had wooden floors before so we're not sure how to look after them. What's the best way to clean them (obviously you can't drench them with a mop and bucket of water!) and what's the best way to keep them looking polished without turning the place into a skating rink? The floors are already quite slippery and pretty lethal with a rug on them! Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Nov 17th 2011, 11:54 am
#2
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,551
Re: Wooden floors
We've got lovely polished oak floors in our new house. We've never had wooden floors before so we're not sure how to look after them. What's the best way to clean them (obviously you can't drench them with a mop and bucket of water!) and what's the best way to keep them looking polished without turning the place into a skating rink? The floors are already quite slippery and pretty lethal with a rug on them! Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Nov 17th 2011, 3:33 pm
#3
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Joined: Aug 2008
Location: 32 Gers ; Between Toulouse and Auch
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Re: Wooden floors
There is a special product for mopping wooden floors which dries faster; it could work... but sorry >I cant recall the name!
Nov 17th 2011, 5:55 pm
#4
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Location: North Kessock, Ross-shire Scotland and Treignac France
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Re: Wooden floors
Try experimenting in the corner or under a cupboard.
Leave a drop of water on the floor for about 10 minutes. Try another small patch by wiping with a damp cloth.
A lot will depend on what has been done to the floor.
It could have been a polyeurathane varnish, a water based seal or old fashioned wax.
Leave a drop of water on the floor for about 10 minutes. Try another small patch by wiping with a damp cloth.
A lot will depend on what has been done to the floor.
It could have been a polyeurathane varnish, a water based seal or old fashioned wax.
Nov 19th 2011, 8:14 am
#5
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Joined: Oct 2010
Location: Salies de Bearn
Posts: 116
Re: Wooden floors
In the cleaners aisle of your supermarket is a facing or two of specialist cleaners, for tiles (carrelage) and for wood (parquets).
If your floor has been sealed (as mentioned above) then mild cleaner and warm water won't damage it. (instructions on the plastic bottle). If it hasn't been sealed, get a light sander on it to clean it, seal it with a special product called a vitrifier I think... (two coats) and then proceed with the parquet floor cleaner as mentioned.
If the floor is well sealed you don't have to "clean" them other than special spills. Vacuuming should be enough.
My particular problem with rugs is that every time I clean the wooden floors I have to shift them and usually there is some furniture on them as well. Otherwise you get a line/colour change on the wood around the rugs and furniture areas.
If your floor has been sealed (as mentioned above) then mild cleaner and warm water won't damage it. (instructions on the plastic bottle). If it hasn't been sealed, get a light sander on it to clean it, seal it with a special product called a vitrifier I think... (two coats) and then proceed with the parquet floor cleaner as mentioned.
If the floor is well sealed you don't have to "clean" them other than special spills. Vacuuming should be enough.
My particular problem with rugs is that every time I clean the wooden floors I have to shift them and usually there is some furniture on them as well. Otherwise you get a line/colour change on the wood around the rugs and furniture areas.
