How To Remove Wax From Polyurethane Floors

Wax can penetrate the wood making future paint or stain finishes or touch ups difficult or impossible.

How to remove wax from polyurethane floors.

There is more than one way to remove wax from an existing finish but none guarantee success. When the whole floor is stripped of wax to remove wax buildup give it a final cleaning by mopping the surface of the wood with hot water. Use a cleaner and water followed by mineral spirits then more cleaner and water. Wax floors are warm and inviting.

Experiment in a corner to see how strong it needs to be to remove the wax. Nothing adheres well to wax and even after cleaning the wood grain can become contaminated. Try working in sections with a mop and going over it with a dry microfiber cloth on a dry mop. Never use wax oil soap or acrylic floor dressings such as mop glow on your polyurethane finished wood floor.

They are however difficult and time consuming to maintain. Paste wax or acrylic wax. This is only recommended when absolutely necessary since steam can damage some hardwood floors. Wood floors that have many layers of mop and glo on them might require more serious methods.

Paste wax is generally cleaned by mineral spirits but water emulsifies it. Don t be satisfied with just a regular finish. Their soft buttery finish gives the wood a beautiful depth that simply glows. Furniture manufacturers often recommend paste wax as a furniture treatment to add sheen and protect the finish.

Three alternatives to polyurethane floor finishes. While waxes vary most contain an emulsion of paraffin or carnauba an extract from brazilian palm trees in a solvent when you apply the wax the solvent evaporates and only the wax coating remains. Sanding down the finish can drive the wax even deeper because the friction of sanding heats up the wax. To remove acrylic wax buy a stripper like armstrong new beginning.

Since coating the floor with polyurethane occasionally is expected you must always be careful never to apply anything that will interfere with a future touchup of the finish. Take care to dry any remaining water as standing water can easily damage the surface of hardwood floors. How to remove wax paste from furniture without damaging polyurethane. If the wax has hardened over decades use a damp towel and an iron to loosen the film and then scrape it up with a plastic scraper.