Murphy's Oil Soap is not entirely safe on wood floors, despite many people saying so. Long term, this product will do more harm than good to your wood floors.
Murphy® Oil Soap gets deep into grime to break up dirt particles and it's safe to use on wood products like cabinets. Next, gather another cloth or sponge. You may also want to use an old toothbrush to get into crevices.
If you have a bottle of Murphy's Oil Soap under your kitchen sink or in your laundry room that you use to clean your hardwood floors, go get it and throw it in the garbage. Seriously, stop using it today. You can use it for other projects like furniture or cabinets but NEVER for wood floors.
Whether you're cleaning one area or all of your flooring, Murphy® Oil Soap is safe to use on hardwood floors.
When diluted properly, Murphy® Oil Soap Original Formula does not leave a residue. Despite the fact that it is called "oil soap," there is no "free oil" left behind. If you see a residue after applying Murphy® Oil Soap for the first time, it's likely that another cleaner was previously used.
CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR WOOD FURNITURE
A gentle, water-based solution such as Murphy® Oil Soap Original works well when cleaning and protecting the finish on your wood floors, furniture and cabinets.
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.
Start with a mixture of a safe, Natural Product Like Murphy® Oil Soap and hot water. Use a soft cloth and work your way over the surfaces of your shelves, chairs and desks, and notice if the wood is becoming cleaner. Even though oak is fairly strong, don't let it get too wet during this cleaning process.
1. Murphy Original Formula Oil Soap. This classic wood cleaner takes care of your wooden furniture, floors, cabinets, tile, and linoleum. In fact, we've also included it on our list of best wood floor cleaners.
The company continued to be run by the Murphy family for 80 years, when they sold it to Colgate. It is available in a concentrated liquid form which is then mixed with water, as well as pre-diluted form which comes in a trigger spray bottle.
Waste from residues : The product should not be allowed to enter drains, water courses or the soil.
Wood that you want to finish with oil must be thoroughly sanded, even new wood. It's important you make sure that the surface is completely scratch-free. In case of renovation, all previous treatments should first be completely removed.
Linseed Oil
It removes grease and grime without leaving behind any harmful chemicals. This makes it perfect for cleaning your kitchen countertops, sinks, floors, and other surfaces around your home. Linseed oil also works well as a finishing oil for wood furniture.
Oil Stains
When cooking oil affects wooden floors and surfaces in the kitchen, mineral spirits can help to lift the oil stain from both treated and unprotected wood. Apply it using a clean cloth and rub it into the wood surface, though not so much that you oversaturate the wood. The stain should rub away.
Oil leaves a residue, furniture spray creates a slippery surface (think ice-skating rink!) and wax takes time to apply and makes re-coating difficult. Don't use straight ammonia, alkaline products or abrasive cleaners.
You can use a broom or a vacuum without a beater bar (the beater bar can damage hardwood surfaces) to clear away the debris. But the best choice is a microfiber dust mop. The fibers in the mop attract and trap the dirt, and you can then toss the mop head in the washer so you have a clean mop each time.
Using a Dripping Wet Mop
For those moments when you must wet your floors, keep it minimal: opt for a floor spray or a nicely wrung out, damp mop. The enemy of hardwoods is moisture, and once water has gotten in, it's hard to get out—buckling, swelling, and warping will inevitably follow.
These versatile cleaners are made from natural vegetable oils, and are safe to use on any kind of wood—including flooring, chairs and cabinets. Dilute a gallon of warm water with this soap, and use a soft rag dipped in the solution to wipe down your cabinets.
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.
An oil-based finish will give your floors an amber hue. If you go this route, you'll need to wait about eight hours until the finish is dry, and expect a moderate scent.
Using a two sided bucket method (one side soap, one side rinse) or two buckets, mop with 1/2 cup vinegar with a drop of deter- gent or Murphy's Oil Soap mixed with warm water. The clean vinegar odor will go away shortly after the floor dries.