How do you rejuvenate old hardwood floors?

Author: Jaclyn Weissnat  |  Last update: Tuesday, June 17, 2025

  1. Prep Floor. The first step in learning how to refinish wood floors is preparing your floor and room properly. ...
  2. Remove Base Moulding. ...
  3. Rough-Sand the Floor. ...
  4. Sand Edges and Corners. ...
  5. Screen Sand Floor. ...
  6. Remove All Dust. ...
  7. Apply Wood Stain or Sanding Sealer. ...
  8. Apply Wood Finish.

How do you bring old wood floors back to life?

How to Make Hardwood Floors Look Like New & Bring Them Back to...
  1. Try buffing and polishing with a commercial-grade buffer.
  2. Use a hardwood floor polishing sealant.
  3. Clean markers with toothpaste and a clean cloth.
  4. Apply a wood floor cleaner or oil soap for a high-gloss clean.

How do you rejuvenate old hardwood floors without sanding?

To refinish old wood floors without sanding, use a no-sand refinishing product, such as a liquid sander or refinisher, which helps to clean and etch the surface. First, clean the floor thoroughly to remove dust and dirt. Apply the refinishing product with a mop or cloth, working in small sections, and allow it to dry.

How do I get my dull hardwood floors to shine again?

Well,There are a few ways to clean and shine wood floors. You can use a dust mop. You can also vacuum them. To shine them, you can use a wax or a sealant. You can buy these products at your local hardware store. Just follow the directions on the package.

What is the best thing to use on old hardwood floors?

Microfiber Cloths: These work great to clean spots and dry surfaces. Protective Gear: Put on gloves and goggles to stay safe when you use chemicals. Wood Floor Cleaner/Restorer: This helps with stubborn stains and brings back the shine. Putty Knife/Scraper: Gets rid of stuck-on gunk.

How To Restore Wood Floors Easily

How do you clean old neglected hardwood floors?

Use high-quality brooms and brush sets for efficient cleaning. Treat dirt spots or loose debris using a dry mop and a concentrated cleaner. Avoid bleach or excessive finishing products as they may discolor or damage your floors. For stubborn stains, use a damp cloth, ensuring it's wrung out properly.

Is Murphy's oil soap good for wood floors?

Murphy® Original oil soap is the one Mom and Grandma used to clean wood to a natural shine. Pull out the bucket and get nostalgic while cleaning wooden floors and furniture, cabinets, tile and linoleum. Murphy® Original Formula Oil Soap 4.1 out of 5 stars, average rating value.

Is Bona good for hardwood floors?

For excellent hardwood floor compatibility, we suggest our best overall, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner, which is a definite winner in our book.

Will vinegar make hardwood floors shine?

The finish is the protective layer of your wood floors. 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.

Is olive oil good for hardwood floors?

It might sound like a strange combo but lemon juice and olive oil will really bring out the shine of your hardwood floors. Add 175 ml of olive oil and 120 ml of lemon juice to 3.5 litres of warm water then just simply mop and leave to dry.

How can I restore my hardwood floors cheaply?

  1. Prep the Room. Remove all furniture, window treatments and rugs. ...
  2. Patch and Repair. Check the floor for larger holes or cracks and repair using wood filler and a spackle knife. ...
  3. Sand the Floor. ...
  4. Buff the Floor. ...
  5. Prep for Sealer or Stain. ...
  6. Apply Stain (Optional) ...
  7. Seal the Floor.

Is mop and glo good for hardwood floors?

The Wrong Cleaners for Wood Floors: Any cleaner that leaves a residue should never touch your floor. This includes Murphy's Oil Soap, Pledge, Mop & Glo, Orange Glo, or any cleaner that doesn't specify that it is a “No-Residue” product. If it has “Polish” or “Shine” in the name, it's probably a no-go.

How can I make my hardwood floors look good again?

Perform thorough cleaning on your floor and ensure it's dry. Add a bit of wood floor polish along with the room's corners, ensuring it takes the S shape. Then carefully spread the polishing with a flat-surface mop. Always work with the wood grain.

How to make old hardwood floors look new without refinishing?

Use a Revitalizing Product. A wood restoring product or revitalizer can help restore a wood floor to its original look. You can usually find these products in a hardware store. Try out the product in an out of the way corner before applying it to the entire floor.

How do you rehydrate hardwood floors?

Polish. pply a new coat of polish to revitalize hardwood floors. Now that your floors are clean and dry, applying a coat of polish is a great way to revive your hardwood floor's finish.

What is the lifespan of hardwood floors?

However, the simplest/most generalized answer is that hardwood floors can last anywhere from 25 to 100 years, potentially even longer. The most common types of hardwood used for flooring are oak, maple, and cherry. These woods are known for their durability and ability to withstand heavy foot traffic.

Is Dawn dish soap safe for wood floors?

The ideal mixture typically involves a mild solution of diluted vinegar with just a few drops of Dawn. This blend ensures that the cleaning power is strong enough to clean the floors without leaving any harmful residues or damaging the wood.

How to bring back shine to dull hardwood floors?

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.

Is pine sol good for hardwood floors?

You can use Pine-Sol® on wood floors, though it is not recommended for use on unfinished, unsealed, unpainted, waxed, oiled or worn wood.

Is fabuloso good for hardwood floors?

Is Fabuloso® Professional safe on wood? Yes, Fabuloso® Professional's formula works on all non porous hard surfaces.

Is Swiffer or Bona better for wood floors?

Suitable for Hardwood Floors: Bona is often recommended for hardwood floors, as it's gentle on the finish while still providing effective cleaning.

What is the best thing to clean hardwood floors with?

White vinegar is considered by many to be the best homemade cleaner for wood floors. After diluting it with water, you can use it to clean almost every room of the house. To clean your wood floors with water and vinegar, do the following: Mix one part vinegar with three parts water.

How to clean old hardwood floors from 1910?

Maintaining the floors takes much less time and effort.
  1. Vacuum. ...
  2. Washing solution: Gallon of water with a few drops of Dawn. ...
  3. Mop: Flat mop with washable Microfiber mop heads. ...
  4. Spray bottle to spray the cleaning solution on the floor. ...
  5. Dry the floor with a couple old bath towels/rags as you complete sections.
  6. Rinse and Dry.

Is Bona better than Murphy's oil?

Conclusion. So, the Murphy's Oil Soap vs Bona debate is over, and Bona wins. These are some of the best hardwood floor cleaners, but the flooring market is full of competitors. Their hardwood floor cleaner is said to be overall better by all the homeowners who have been using it for years.

Does Murphy's oil soap need to be rinsed off?

No rinsing

It has a pleasant smell and seems to do the job. I like that no rinsing is required.

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