How To Make Hardwood Floors Look New Without Refinishing
Homeowners often go for the refinishing option when it comes to making their hardwood floors look original and new again. While refinishing could be the best way to keep your hardwood look new like it is just being bought, it is quite expensive. The process requires sanding, staining, and sealing which swallow a lot of time or days to accomplish. Normally, quality and daily maintenance of your hardwood floor is a better option than having to repair it and that is why this article is centered on how to make hardwood floors look new without refinishing
Hardwood floors are designed in such a way that it is durable for decades but the constant spills, scratches from shoes and moving furniture, and scuff marks are doing more harm and could ruin the good-looking hardwood floor. To ensure your hardwood floors maintain their new look, follow the necessary methods to achieve this. In this article, we addressed several natural ways you can use to make hardwood floors look new without refinishing.
How to make your hardwood floors look new without refinishing; different natural ways.
- Properly sweep the hardwood floor
Sweeping and vacuuming the floor daily is very important no matter the choice of your cleaning product. Purchase a quality doormat to place at your entrance to prevent inviting small stones and dirt which could damage the wood floor. You can get a good sweeper product or simply go for the regular broom.
After sweeping, the next step is to clean. However, there are various cleaning methods available, so it is crucial to make use of the one good for your kind of wood floor.
2. Clean your hardwood floors.
This step includes various cleaning methods with their pros and cons on how to make your hardwood floors look new without refinishing.
3. Cleaning with soap and water
Even though water is a no-no for wood floors, there are few natural ways that it can be used. Get a soap liquid of your choice and mix it with water in a bucket. Another widely used alternative is murphy oil soap. Take a small measurement of the soap and mix it with a gallon of water. Dip a mop in the solution and use it to wipe the floor, ensure to wring it well before applying.
Dry with sweeper pads or dry cloth. The main advantage is that it is easy to prepare, cost-effective, and natural to use. You need to be extra careful when using this method as excess water could damage your floor, make sure to mop it well. If the stains on the wood floor prove stubborn, mix half a cup of murphy soap instead and follow the same procedure.
4. Cleaning with vinegar and water
Vinegar is a natural floor cleaner so it is safe to use within environments and for the house owner. Acidic vinegar is quite effective at cleaning dirt, dust, and grit. Even though, its concentrated form could cause damage to the wood floors so it is needed to dilute it. Measure two spoons of vinegar into a bucket and mix with 2 gallons of warm water.
You can choose to add olive oil to make the wood floor look shiny. Put a mop into the mixture and squeeze it to get too much water from the mop back into the bucket. Wipe the wood floor surface from one end to another until you are able to cover the whole floor. When you are done, get a dry towel and wipe the excess water on the wood floor. The bad side is that smell of vinegar doesn’t sit well with some people.
5. Cleaning with lemon juice and water
Lemon juice is also an acidic solution like vinegar and is also capable of removing dirt, dust, and grime off the wood floor surface. To clean your old wood floor with lemon juice, measure two teaspoons of lemon juice and mix with a gallon of water inside a bucket. You can also decide to add olive oil to earn a shiny look.
Dip a mop and wipe the floor until you ensure all areas have been covered. Dry the floor with a dry cloth or towel as excess water could damage the wood floors. Alternatively, pour the lemon juice solution into a spray bottle and spray it on the floor. Wipe after and dry with a towel. When lemon juice solution is used in large quantities, its acid content could destroy the hardwood floor.
5. Cleaning with vinegar and baking soda paste
Vinegar and baking soda is a natural mixture a homeowner can make use of to make hardwood floors look new without refinishing. If you get pet urine stains or scuff marks from shoes on your hardwood floors, your floor savior could be vinegar and baking soda paste. Mix the vinegar and baking soda until it forms a uniform paste.
Take part of the mixture and apply directly to the stains or scuff marks. Allow the paste to remain there for a few minutes before you wipe it off with either a cotton swab or paper towel. Using this method, you don’t need to bother about getting liquid to damage your wood floors as it doesn’t leave behind any standing water.
6. Cleaning with water and black tea
Another excellent natural means of getting rid of dust, dirt, and grime off the surface of your hardwood floor is through the use of black tea. It helps to dislodge dirt and grit and leaves the floor looking shiny. Boil 4 cups of water and pour into a bowl, dip about 3 to 4 black tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for up to 15 minutes.
Once done, remove the tea bags and dip a cotton swab into your solution. Use it to wipe the stained areas on your wood floors to get rid of dirt and grime.
7. Polish your floor
Another important step you need to take is to polish your hardwood floor. Just sweeping, vacuuming and cleaning won’t bring the result you are expecting which is why this step is crucial. What you are required to do is to polish them with wax to smoothen the floor surface. Wax polish will help to cover up the noticeable scratches on the wood floor.
This process is quite different from the normal cleaning procedures. Pour the polishing solution directly on the hardwood floor and use a mop to spread it. You can also cover up scratches, holes, and scuff marks with the polisher. Allow the polishing solution to dry after the application. This process can be done every three months to maintain the hardwood shiny look.
Another option is to make a homemade wood floor polish. A homemade wood floor polish will help in gaining back the glossy look of the wood floor with no risk of toxic effects. To prepare the homemade polish, measure two spoons of olive oil and mix with a spoonful of vinegar inside a bowl filled with two cups of warm water.
You can decide to add lemongrass essential oil into the mixture to get rid of pet urine odors. Pour the solution into a spray bottle, spray the solution on the hardwood floor and simultaneously wipe the floor with a mop.
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How to protect hardwood floors from damage.
To keep your hardwood looking new and glossy, the first step is to try as much as possible to avoid damage. It is imperative to always clean your floor daily as dirt, dust, grime, and dust can get into them anytime you walk on them. Sweep and vacuum the floors every day, it is a good choice to invest in a quality air purifier to eliminate airborne dirt and other irritants.
Scratches on wood floors are quite stubborn to get rid of without refinishing, so it is important to avoid rough sisal area rugs or scratchy area rug backings. Also, avoid walking on the hardwood floors with high heels that could cause scratches. Buy cotton rugs or soft jute. Avoid dragging furniture on wood floors.
You can attach a felt stopper or soft cork under their legs to keep them from scratching the floors any time they are moved. You must know that ssome items could cause stains on your wood floors. These materials include paint and varnish, oily materials like cooking oil and grease, paint strippers, and nail polish remover.
Make sure to keep those materials away from causing stains and discoloration to your hardwood floor. If you follow all these hacks for reducing damage caused to your hardwood floors, you would rarely need to refinish your floor.
Conclusion: How To Make Hardwood Floors Look New Without Refinishing
To answer the popular question among most homeowners, ‘how to make hardwood floors look new without refinishing?’ Bringing your hardwood floors back to shape and making them appear shiny is very much possible without refinishing. Maintenance and care are the keys to achieving this purpose.
Ensure to sweep the wood floor daily, and clean with either soap, vinegar, lemon juice, or black tea. Polishing your hardwood floor will also help in removing scratches and nicks along wood floor surfaces.
