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Floor Waxing – Polishing and Cleaning Tips

Caring for floors, waxing, polishing, and cleaning, doesn’t have to be a difficult job if you follow certain steps. Step one is to keep the surface as clean as possible. In other words, don’t allow dirt, food, liquids, and anything else dropped or spilled to dry or build up; it will be mush more difficult to remove dried on soil. Some people are tidy and can get by with cleaning a kitchen floor once a week, or even less often. Those who aren’t quite as careful may need to wash more often. For spot cleaning, just mop with clear water in between scrubbings. In the meantime, spend time learning how to apply floor wax.

Once a year or so, depending on the age and condition of the flooring, you may want to consider removing built up floor wax. If you live in an older home and haven’t replaced the vinyl or linoleum, built up wax will eventually discolor. Rather than replace an old floor, try to strip the old surface and re-apply some shine every so often (#661 Fuller Brush Labor Saver Floor Finish).

It’s also a very good idea to get in the habit of vacuuming or sweeping floors everyday. This makes particular good sense in high traffic areas where you have vinyl, tile, or a similar surface. We don’t always see dirt until there are large amounts, but dust and other small particles can accumulate. Before we know it, we have a much harder job ahead of us in the floor waxing polishing and cleaning realm. The small bits of dirt get ground in as we walk on the flooring, and they’re tougher to get out. There’s no point in knowing how to apply floor wax until you take the old wax off if there is significant build-up.

Before we discuss how to apply floor wax, let us first review some steps to actually wash your floors.

1. Move anything out of your way that isn’t too heavy
2. Thoroughly sweep to get rid of any loose material
3. Pour your favorite cleaner onto the floor or have it in bucket ready to apply
4. Have a bucket of cool rinse water ready if it’s needed
5. Mop the floor with cleaner, squeeze the mop as dry as possible, then use the clear rinse water

How to Apply Floor Wax

Before you start, there are a few things to remember about how to apply floor wax. First, your floor should be clean and dry. To ensure that it’s as clean as possible, wash it and let it dry just before waxing. If you haven’t removed the old wax in a while, you’ll also have to go through the steps for removing built up floor wax.

Search online to read up on various methods for preserving your floors. You can discover many helpful household cleaning tips. In addition to the Internet, you’ll be able to find books and pamphlets at the library and book stores.

One way of removing built up floor wax manually is to mix detergent and ammonia with water and apply to the floor with a mop or sponge. This is one formula for a homemade wax remover. Wait a few minutes until the old wax starts to soften and then it’s time for some elbow grease. Use a stiff brush or steel wool to get down to the very base of the old wax. Another way is to use a non-abrasive wax stripper.

After removing built up floor wax, read the instructions for how to apply floor wax. The main thing is to make sure the floor is clean. Applying wax over dirt will only embed the dirt in the wax.

Read your floor’s warrantee to learn exactly what the floor is made of. Different materials call for various types of floor waxing, polishing, and cleaning. There are basic types of flooring that have been around for years (like vinyl and linoleum) (Stanley Magic Shield). Newer homes often have flooring made from marble, tile, hardwood, or wood composites, among other things (Stanley Wood floor Cleaner and Polish).

When you’ve reached the stage where you’re ready to learn how to apply floor wax, you’ll need to know if there is a specific wax you should be using. Instead of crawling around on your knees, buy a wax applicator.

Regular floor waxing, polishing, and cleaning is important for home maintenance. The chore doesn’t have to be a terrible experience. If you learn some helpful hints, you’ll be able to take pride in your beautiful, shiny floors, without unnecessary effort.

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