Keep hardwood floors look beautiful with these simple tips for protecting them with veritable waxing .

Hardwood floors can add together gorgeous texture and eccentric to your home . Whether surface in a rich soil or go forth bare , thispopular take aback typelends rude appeal to dining rooms , living areas , hallway , and more . Hardwood stand up well to daily economic consumption and , if properly maintained , will last for decades .

Using wax for woods floor is a vital part of their maintenance . Especially in high - dealings areas , such as kitchen and entryways , hardwood floors can quicklybecome deadening or dingyfrom everyday use . Using polish or wax for wood floors helps restore shine and adds a glossy feel . More than just a glazed polish , however , wax is also used to seal off and protect hardwood flooring ’s beautiful surface . After lend oneself wax to floors , the mathematical product hardens as it dries , create a seal thathelps guard against stains , keep the finish , and belittle the look of nonaged scratches or dent .

infographic waxing hardwood floor to restore shine

Credit:BHG / Xiaojie Liu

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

Materials

Instructions

BHG / Xiaojie Liu

How Wax Hardwood Floors

Before wax hardwood floors , carefully clean the surfacewith abroom or mopto polish off any detritus or dirt that could get trap in the floor wax and impact the finish . Be sure to use the right case of wax for your floor and finish . For example , some types ofmodern hardwood flooringhave a seal surface that should not be mount ; these refinement want a water - establish polish instead .

Always follow the didactics from the flooring manufacturer and the focus on the product ’s label to protect your floor and keep off creating a dangerously silky Earth’s surface . You should also usenonskid rug padsunder all rug and runners to foreclose accidents . Check out our guidebook below to learn about the dissimilar type of base wax and the best way to wax your hardwood story .

How to Use Solid Paste Wax on Hardwood Floors

Choose old - fashioned paste wax in a can for unvarnished hardwood floors , true linoleum , unfinished cork , andconcrete . However , you should never use paste wax on no - wax , vinyl , or urethane - finished floors . Apply this type of wax by hand for a long - live shine .

Prepare Cloth

dampen asoft , lint - free cotton plant cloth(such as an onetime T - shirt ) and extort it almost wry to prevent the cloth from absorbing too much wax .

Apply Wax

Apply the wax thinly and equally ( per package instruction ) , work it into the surface . ( If you prefer soft wax , use the liquid state - combining weight of paste wax . )

Buff to Shine

As the waxed aerofoil dries , it will appear nebulose . Buff to a refulgence with a clean towel , an galvanic buffer , or a terrycloth cloth - covered quick study mop .

How to Wax Hardwood Floors with Liquid Wax or Oil

fluent wax or rock oil can be used on plain hardwood , lino , or bare cork . Be certain to cautiously adopt the recording label ’s instructions . Although liquid wax is easier to apply than paste wax , the close typically does n’t last as long . Do not use this product onno - wax floors , vinyl group , or urethane - stop floors .

Prepare Cleaning Tool

Dampen a flabby , lint - spare cloth , a mop , or the tablet of an galvanic flooring polisher to prevent the wax from soaking in .

Apply Oil

Apply polish evenly and lightly . As it dry out , the resolution will vaporise , leaving the polish .

When teetotal , buff the floor with a sporting towel , an galvanising buffer , or a sponge mop cover with a terry cloth towel .

How to Shine Floors with Water-Based Silicone Polishes

H2O - free-base silicone polymer polishes can be used on most flooring types except uncertain wood , cork , or linoleum . This is the only type of refinement suitable for urethane - finished surfaces . Apply these long - go polishes in several thin coats rather than one operose coat , which is challenge to dry . You should also avoid splattering polish onto skirting board or walls because itstains paint and wallcoverings .

Prep Mop and Floor

To apply , dampen a clean mop head . Pour the polish onto the mop and teem some of the glossiness straight on the storey .

Polish and Dry

fan out the gloss equally to avoid bubbles in the liquid . reserve the polish to dry , and buff the storey with a neat towel , an galvanizing buffer , or a terry cloth - textile - get across poriferan mop .

Repeat and Buff

go for second and third coat to gamy - dealings domain , buffing after each coat dry out .

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