Tips to Rejuvenate Dull Hardwood Floors  

09/21/2022

Hardwood floors have retained their popularity for centuries because of their visual appeal and functionality. However, in order to be at their best, these floors require routine maintenance. Without proper maintenance, hardwoods floors can lose their shine over a period of time. When this happens, your expensive floor will look dull and unattractive. Therefore, if you are facing this problem, it is important for you to take immediate measures. Luckily, you can rejuvenate dull hardwood floors by implementing suitable restoration techniques.  

If you are serious about keeping your hardwood floor gleaming for years, you should try to find out what type of finish has been applied to it. It is important to know whether it has been sealed with a polyurethane finish or finished with a paste wax. If you are not aware of this, pour a drop of water on the floor. If the floor has not been sealed, the water will be absorbed quickly, leaving a spot. These floors should never be cleaned with water. On the other hand, if the water bead just sits on the floor and doesn’t get absorbed, the floor has been sealed. To determine if there is a paste wax finish, rub some fine steel wool lightly over the floor. If you find a waxy film on the steel wool, the floor has been waxed.    

What Makes Hardwood Floors Look Dull? 

There are some common issues responsible for making hardwood floors lose their shine.  

• Using a dirty mop or not dust mopping, vacuuming, or sweeping the floor before cleaning merely results in redistribution of the dirt. 
• Some cleaners can do more harm than good to the floors.  
• Using too much of water and cleaning products can sometimes be harmful for the floor. When acrylic-based liquid waxes are applied on polyurethane or wax finishes, your floor can look patchy or appear milky. You can get rid of this milky appearance by using elbow grease and mineral spirits. Also, please remember that hardwood floors can be damaged by undiluted vinegar, ammonia, pine oil chlorine bleach, etc. 
• After damp mopping or waxing a floor, finish the job by proper buffing. A dry microfiber mop can be used to buff the finish and keep it shiny.   
• Scratches can be a serious concern for households with pets. 
• Wax tends to build-up in floors that are not sealed with a polyurethane finish and paste wax for shine. Even if the floor is waxed properly once or twice every year, low traffic areas will turn dull because of wax build-up.     
• Delay in refinishing the floor.  

Clean Your Hardwood Floor Properly 

Keeping your hardwood floor shiny for years is not too difficult if you follow some simple tips.    

• In order to protect your floor from watermarks, any wet spills should be wiped up as they happen. 
• Dust mop, vacuum, or sweep your floor on a daily basis to remove dirt because it can wear down the finish and cause scratches.  
• Damp mopping is required four times a year during the change of seasons. However, if your floor has mud or sticky mess, a higher frequency may be required. While damp mopping, always clean in the direction of the grain, using a lightly dampened microfiber mop.     

Please contact us at Enoak for more hardwood floor cleaning and maintenance tips.