A well maintained hardwood floor can be an impressive sight; not so an old, worn, scratched and dull one. Here are some simple tricks to bring back the shine of your floor.
To sweep or to vacuum clean?
If possible, use a brush head when vacuuming; if you insist on using a broom, choose a soft one. Most vacuum cleaners have adjustable heads for cleaning the carpet and the floor.
Black marks
Don’t try to scratch off shoe sole marks as you may damage the floor. Instead, you can easily remove them with an eraser.
Washing the floor
Washing the floor improperly can cause the most damage. Ideally, as little water should be used as possible along with a highly absorbent sponge, and you should dry the floor with a piece of cloth immediately after having washed it.
A shine enhancing mixture
Use a homemade mixture instead of chemicals available in stores. Mix half a liter of warm water, 4 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Wash small areas at a time with the mixture, and immediately wipe it off with a dry, clean cloth.
Homemade floor conditioner
A scratched but still usable hardwood floor can be made to shine again with a homemade polish. Mix two parts of olive oil with one part of lemon juice; pour the solution in a spray bottle and spray it onto the floor. Proceed with small areas at a time, and rub the treated area with a clean piece of cloth.
Minor scratches
Minor scratches can be removed with solutions available in our home. Spread some transparent nail polish onto the scratched area, let it dry, use fine sandpaper to polish the area and then rub it with a dry paper towel.
A little trick
Scratches caused by chairs and other pieces of furniture can be avoided if you glue soft felt pieces onto the legs of the furniture.
Chemicals
It is a less ecological solution if you use a floor polish available in stores. These products either needs to be dissolved in water or used undiluted to clean the floor.
Carpets and rugs
A soft carpet can be a comfortable and warm solution, and it protects the floor at the same time. It is worth covering high traffic areas with carpets or rugs.
Floor restoration
Scratched, worn floorboards cannot be restored with homemade solutions. In these cases, the help of a professional is required for the whole floor to be re-polished and lacquered.