Greenville SC Hardwood Floor Wax Removal Tips.
Greenville SC Hardwood Floor Wax Removal Tips.Hardwood floors are a traditional flooring option that is popular due to the natural beauty they add to a space. A wax coating can help extend the life of your hardwood floors by acting as a natural moisture barrier. This popular top coat for hardwood floors is a good choice, but it can turn dull over time due to dirt accumulation. Wax should be reapplied on a regular basis (as per manufacturer instructions). A natural accumulation will form over time, and in order to remove the wax buildup, the wood floor must be thoroughly cleaned before it can be sealed or re-waxed. The cloudy wax build-up can be removed with a few basic chemicals, but it is a labor-intensive, four-step process.
What You’ll Need Before You Begin: Stripping wax is not an expensive operation. To remove wax accumulation and get the job done correctly, only a few simple supplies are required.
- Mineral Spirits
- Microfiber Cloths
- Bucket
- Mop
- 0000 Steel Wool
- Rubber Gloves
- Knee Pads or Knee Cushion
- Broom & Dust Pan
Working with a small section of flooring at a time is most manageable. Working in a 4-foot-by-4-foot area allows you to reach in a single position. Use rubber gloves to protect your hands while working. Wearing old clothing is also a good idea because peeling wax may be a dirty operation. After you’ve cleaned all of the buildup and restored your hardwood floors to its former glory, read on for some advice on how to properly maintain the hardwood flooring.
4 Steps to Get Rid of Wax Buildup on your Greenville SC homes flooring
Step 1: Apply Mineral Spirits and a Soft Cloth.
Pour mineral spirits on a piece of fabric. Begin rubbing the mineral spirits into the wax covering in the direction of the wood grain. Wax will accumulate on the cloth as you massage. When one part of the cloth becomes unclean, saturate another section and continue. As the wax is removed, the cloth will turn a yellow color. The wax has been effectively cleaned when the wet cloth comes up clean. Working with mineral spirits and a clean cloth, remove all of the wax from the portion.
Step 2: Rub with Mineral Spirits and Steel Wool in
When the wax has been removed from the cloth and the cloth is clean, go to the next step. Moisten a steel wool pad with the same mineral oil and rub it over the same patch of flooring, making sure to rub in the same direction as the wood grain. Steel wool works easily into any deep crevices found in richly textured wood boards.
Step 3: Repeat with the Following Section
After removing the wax layer with mineral oil and both a cloth and a steel wool pad, proceed to the next section of flooring. Move in a logical manner so you can easily track where you’ve gone and what floors you still need to treat. Thick knee pads or a gardening cushion will keep your knees and shins safe as you remove the wax from your hardwood flooring.
Step 4: Mop with Hot Water
After the entire floor has been waxed, give it a final washing by wiping the surface of the wood with hot water to remove any remaining wax accumulation. Standing water can easily damage the surface of hardwood floors, so make sure to dry any remaining water. Working in sections with a mop, go over the area with a dry microfiber cloth on a dry mop.
As you can see, this does take some time. So if you would like Pioneer Concepts to handle this job for you, be sure to contact us for an appointment.
Tags: Greenville SC Hardwood Floor Wax Removal, Hardwood wax removal, hardwood floor refinishing, hardwood floor installation