How To Tell If You Have Waxed Floors

If you have waxed floors it pays to have your own floor buffer so you don t have to rent one each time the wax turns dull.

How to tell if you have waxed floors.

You can carry out a few simple tests in an inconspicuous area of the floor to determine if the floor is sealed. If you have an expanse of gleaming wood flooring or have recently discovered a viable wood floor during a home remodel then you may be on the hunt for what type of wood lies beneath your living space. Finally you might need to buff the floor depending on the type of wax used to produce a shine. We are renters who have lived here for 4 years.

If you have a stain or discoloration in one area use a liquid cleaner specifically designed for wood flooring. These finishes are typically not compatible with a topcoat of polyurethane and have to be treated with the original finish or stripped completely. However these floors cannot be waxed or buffed in the traditional way only unsealed floors should be waxed. Dear home ec 101 i just read your post about cleaning hardwood floors and using either very diluted murphy s oil or vinegar and how you alternate between the two.

Many of these floors are then waxed. As the name suggests sealants either cover the surface or penetrate into the wood. Film finishes a scraping test can help you distinguish between other surface finishes such as polyurethane and a penetrating oil finish but you ll need a sharper blade such as that of a utility knife. Some floors have wax as the only finish or the wax is applied over polyurethane or a penetrating sealer.

If you can scrape up a gummy waxy residue. Shellac and lacquer finishes are sparingly used. Once you have determined that you have sealed and finished hardwood floors there are many options for cleaning including water based and liquid cleaners. If the lacquer thinner softens the finish you can follow up with a more conclusive test by applying a few drops of xylene to another spot.

Always follow your manufacturer s instructions about which cleaners are appropriate to use. Apart from these finishes hardwood floors may either be simply coated with wax or varnish. Wood floors are immediately recognizable for their worth durability and attractiveness. If it doesn t you have an oil finish.

My question is this. For waxed hardwood floors we suggest using a dry mop broom or vacuum regularly. If the xylene removes the coating then your floors are finished with a waterborne coating. Often this includes sweeping and mopping the floor before applying a coat of wax.

If the floor has a wax finish you ll have to strip the wax before you can restore the finish. Whether you rent a buffer or own one you ll want lambswool buffing.