Best way to clean old wood floor.

July 18, 2014 12:15 PM

My new place has an old hard wood floor that is in serious disrepair. Patched by metal signs, covered in particle board in parts. What is the best way to clean them?

I've been half assed sweeping weekly in my normal cleaning routine. My old place had wood floors that were painted. They were mopped every couple of months, and for my standard this was just fine. These floors aren't properly sealed and have a lot of cracks and gaps between boards. I'm worried mopping will damage the floors further. Any thought on the best way to clean? Should I just mop w Murphy's?

I'm renting and this is in a shared loft.

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posted by kittensofthenight to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

Best answer: Wow, those are a mess.

I'd take myself down to Home Depot and see what Rejuvenate can do for you. I'd do it in a really messed up spot on the floor, that's behind a piece of furniture or hidden in some other way as a test.

Hopefully, once you use it, your floors will be in a state that you can use a regular wood floor cleaner. Ask someone at the Big Box store, for their suggestions.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:27 PM on July 18, 2014

Best answer: I would probably just mop with murphy's and avoid the patchy areas where I'd just spot clean as needed with soap/water mixture.
posted by floweredfish at 12:28 PM on July 18, 2014

Best answer: Are they really hard wood, or soft wood? Hardwood floors are usually tongue & groove and don't separate as much or wear as poorly. Also not worth putting in as much effort. I would vacuum well, then paint with floor paint, maybe even stencil them. I would make the patches a steampunk feature, if I had painting skills, or energy.
posted by theora55 at 12:41 PM on July 18, 2014

Best answer: Those look like soft wood (Doug fir?) floors. I had great luck with linseed oil followed by floor wax. Then I could just sweep. Also, get some rugs.
posted by u2604ab at 1:00 PM on July 18, 2014

Best answer: Yeah, I'd use Murphy's, put down lightly and working in small areas at a time so there's less of a chance for it to soak in.
posted by drlith at 1:03 PM on July 18, 2014

Response by poster: Yeah, I guess they are soft wood. The oil/wax combo sounds good but I'll have get the roommates interested. Its a pretty huge space. For now I will use Murphys on the high use areas, in small batches. We do have plans to paint one large area used as a storage/work room. Maybe the oil/wax project can happen then.

Thanks!
posted by kittensofthenight at 1:08 PM on July 18, 2014