Give your timber floor a new-like lustre using some polish techniques. Imagine the beating your timber floors receive on a day-to-day basis from heels, drops, pet nails, children’s toys, shifting furniture from one position to the other to name but a few! As much as wooden floors are hard, their surfaces get scratches and scuffs hence need alternate refinishing after a while, a process that requires sanding the floors before applying a new finish. The process can be costly; therefore, one can schedule after every few years, but with the right product formulated for this purpose. It is a cheap way to restore the sheen on your wooden floors. You can use a flat-head-mop fixed with a microfibre plus a commercial wood polish to get your floor looking great.
Determining whether to polish your wooden floor or not depends on the finish it has. If it has urethane, a protective barrier on, the wood polish would be preferable, but those with penetrative finishes such as tung oil require waxing. If you use the wrong product, expect a host of issues and imperfections. So the most honourable thing to do is to determine the type of floor and finish before you cause a myriad of damages to your beloved wooden floor.
Steps to follow when polishing a timber floor
If you are not sure the type of floor you have, scrape off a bit inconspicuously hidden area of the floor with a sharp object. If you don’t get a clear material and the finish is smudged up, you likely have a penetrating finish on your floor. Stop it right there and start waxing the floor, polishing these types of wooden floors is not recommended. But if you scrape off a clear layer of material, then your wooden floor has a finish and therefore is safe for polishing. Even though you are sure of the type of finish your floor has, you still must test inconspicuous locations before dealing with the entire floor.
First of all, clear the floor of the furniture and clean the wooden floors to rid of dirt. Remove furniture from the room as much as possible for thorough cleaning. Vacuum or sweep the floor and then mop using a commercial solution for cleaning with warm water to outdo sticky grime if any. Rinse the floor using clean water and a water-dampened cloth to clear any residue. Dry the floor using a soft cloth or a clean towel.
Polish your floor beginning from the back corner and working towards the exit. Start by pouring a small amount of polish in ‘S-shape’ and work out a small area at a time following the wood grain direction. All the time ensuring there are no air bubbles before proceeding to the next area. Working a small area at a time allows you to have control over the amount of wood polish applied. A thin layer will dry quicker than a thick one but ensure you cover the entire floor.
Allow the floor to dry
Allow your floor to dry for at least an hour then you can allow light traffic inside. And wait at least a day before bringing back your furniture and other belongings. Now that your floor looks new, follow precautions for maintaining it, for example, place rugs at the entry points, and stick to regular cleaning and vacuuming. Skip homemade cleaning agents and those you suspect to contain vinegar and ammonia.
There is a difference between floor sanding and polishing, but both methods will keep your floors well-maintained.