How Often Should You Oil Your Hardwood Floors? The frequency varies depending on the level of foot traffic, dirt, and animals within that area of the home. A good rule of thumb is to re-oil your floors every 3 to 5 years.
Without oil protecting the surface, your wood will drink up any water and moisture. If this water gets into the wood, the floor will move and can cause long-term damage. On the other hand, with a protective oil coating, your floor is unable to soak up this moisture, therefore protecting your flooring.
Biannual or Annual Cleaning of Your Oiled Wood Floor
Vacuum to remove dirt and dust. Shake the container of wood conditioner well. Spray a section of the floor and spread evenly in the direction of the wood grain with a damp mop. Allow the wood to dry without rinsing.
Work in small sections on the floor, making sure you don't trap yourself in a corner! Only Polish floors every 2-4 months, or longer depending on the traffic in your home.
Don't Use Abrasive Products or Materials
Abrasive cleaning products or materials will damage the finish of your oiled wooden floor. They might also damage the wood underneath causing issues with the durability and the aesthetics of your floor.
Refreshing the finish
When there are noticeable signs of wear, we recommend that you try Osmo Liquid Wax Cleaner, thinly applied with a pad or cloth. With light buffing, it cleans and refreshes all in one due to its natural oils and hard waxes.
The best way to clean hardwood floors and keep them in shape is to stick to a regular schedule of maintenance. Sweep, dust or dry mop daily. Vacuum weekly. Clean heavy-traffic areas with a damp mop twice a month.
An easy way to fill in microscratches and shine wood floors is to polish your floors after mopping. After dusting and spray mopping, use a designated microfiber mop pad to apply polish to wood floors to add shine. Bona floor polish is easy to use and adds a protection and shine with every application.
For best results, mop your high-traffic areas no more than once a week. Other areas that see less foot traffic can be cleaned once a month, or (prepare to put your feet up) even once a quarter. Too much mopping can wear down the seal on your floors or oversaturate them with water.
How many coats will be applied? The standard for a hardwood floor is at least three coats. This consists of one seal coat (which may be the stain) and two coats of finish. Additional costs of finish may be applied depending on the need.
WOCA Hardwax Oil – Often used by professionals, this high-quality hardwearing oil is more expensive, but it provides a more effective result. Bona Hardwax oil – One of the most popular waxes available. Bona dries quickly, is easy to apply, and provides excellent coverage.
Linseed oil is one of the best oils to use for wood finishes because it penetrates deep into the grain of the wood, giving it a rich color and protecting it against moisture. If you want to clean your wood furniture with linseed oil, make sure to dilute it first with water.
Manufacturers and industry experts advise against cleaning hardwood floors with water because wood naturally expands when it's wet and can cause your floor to crack or splinter.
Use between 1 to 3 coats of oil, ensuring each layer is completely dry before applying a new one. Complete the process with a floor buffer to work the oil into the wood's pores and bring a lovely sheen.
An oil finish penetrates hardwood flooring, hardening and sealing the floor as it becomes one with the wood. A urethane finish on hardwood flooring creates a barrier that covers the wood with a layer of protective coating.
Since vinegar is an acid, it will actually break down the finish on the surface of your floor, and over time it will reduce the shine, and leave a dull appearance. Using vinegar and water to clean floors can also lead to an excessive amount of water on the floor, which can cause swelling and discoloration.
Your Cleaner/Water Ratio Is Off
Too much water means that the cleaner won't penetrate and cleanse the dirty floors like it's meant to. On the other hand, if you use too little water and a higher concentration of cleaner, the cleansing materials will stay on top of your wood floors after they've dried.
Olive Oil, White Vinegar, & Water: Mix all three of these natural ingredients together and you'll know how to make hardwood floors shine naturally. This mixture is one of the best ways to restore the natural shine back to your solid hardwood floor.
Vinegar and Ammonia: Cleaning products that have a base of vinegar or ammonia eat away at the dirt on your floor - and also the floor's finish itself. Overtime, the acid will wear down your hardwood, leaving you with splotchy patches that are difficult to revive.
The best mop for wood floors is a microfiber flat-head or string mop you can easily wring out. You can control the amount of moisture in the mop, and the microfibers pick up dirt and grime better than some traditional mops. Mix one tablespoon dish soap and one quart of water in a spray bottle.
DON'T: Clean with hot water. If letting water stand on real wood flooring is bad, using hot water to clean does the same amount of damage. Hot water can dissolve over time the luster of your floors finish and penetrates the wood a lot easier than cold. DON'T: Use oil, wax or citrus based cleaner.
As a general rule, furniture that has oil-and-wax finishes or stain-and-wax finishes should be oiled once or twice a year, or whenever the wood looks particularly dry.
When excess oil is left on the surface the oxygen in the air cures the surface leaving it sticky and easily marked. This is a common problem that strongly indicates that some excess oil was still present on the surface of the wood flooring after oiling.
Wood is very durable on its own. Natural oils enhance the durable nature of wood and allow the floor to be easily repaired if damaged.