You need to use special techniques for cleaning heavily soiled hardwood floors without a finish.
Worn down wood floors.
You may think that when a polyurethane or varnish finish on a hardwood floor becomes dull scratched and worn your only recourse is to call in a professional to sand the floors down to the bare.
Tips for fixing and cleaning worn out hardwood floors.
Over time it will still pick up a few scuffs and scratches which cause the surface to become dull.
Wood floors are durable and easy to maintain but they re still subject to accidental gouges scratches and heavy wear.
How to deep clean worn hardwood floors.
Test finish soundness by applying a few drops of water onto a worn area.
If the water absorbs into the wood the finish is unsound and water based cleaning products must be avoided.
Dampen a terry cloth towel and wipe down the hardwood surface.
How to restore the new look to old wood floors.
Scuff the worn spot with sandpaper.
Use a scouring pad or sanding screen.
Unfinished wood or floors with worn down finish are a very different story and require another approach.
Knowing how to clean old hardwood floors that still have a coat of finish is the easy part.
If the water beads for a few minutes the finish is sound.
The coarser paper will cut back the finish more efficiently.
No matter how fastidious you are at keeping your hardwood floors clean.
Consider these tips for common wood floor repairs.
If your hardwood floors are getting worn lightly scratched and grimy but you are hesitant to call a professional for an expensive refinishing.