How to Get Rid of Cloudy Wood Floors
How to Get Rid of Cloudy Wood Floors
Wood floors are supposed to have a beauty and lustre that bring out the best in your living space. When floors get dull or cloudy, they can be difficult to fix. It’s possible, but without proper knowledge, your efforts to restore the look of your wood floors can actually make matters worse.
Identifying the root causes of cloudy or milky-looking wood floors can help get you to a proper solution - without hours and hours of trial and error.
- Improper application of finish: If finish is applied over a layer of stain, or previous coats of finish aren’t fully dried, the solvent vapours trapped beneath the finish can create this look.
- Use of improper cleaners: With a market full of all kinds of wood cleaning products, picking the wrong cleaner gets easier and easier. The types of cleaners that were effective years ago might not have a good effect on modern wood floors. Products like oil soaps, paste wax and furniture polish should be avoided, as they're notorious for leaving a hazy, sticky build-up on your floor.
- Wax build-up: Floors that have a polyurethane finish do not need to be waxed. If you wax a floor that doesn’t need it, the wax will react negatively with the finish, and create a cloudy look.
- Cleaner build-up: When cleaning wood floors, less is more. A small application of cleaner on a microfibre mop is all you need needed to clean your floors. Hazy floors can occur when too much cleaner is used.
- Moisture issues: Water and wood floors don’t mix. While water can be used as part of the cleaning process, too much can damage a floor and alter its look. Avoid using a string- or sponge-mop to clean, since they don’t do a good job of absorbing water when they’re soaked.
To get rid of your cloudy wood floor, the solution is simple: dissolve and remove the offending layer, and use proper cleaning techniques to restore the floor’s look. Most cloudy floors are caused by build-up left by cleaners. There are different options, depending on the severity of the problem:
- Use an ammonia solution: An ammonia solution of about 2.5 dl (1 cup) of ammonia per 4 litres (1 gallon) of water can be used to dissolve the build-up that’s causing the haziness of your floors. Remember to use this solution carefully, so that you don’t further damage the floor with excess water.
- Remove the existing finish: A more aggressive approach, simply sanding and refinishing your floor will get your floors back to normal.
The most common cause of cloudy wood floors is using the wrong cleaner. Be sure to check with your floor’s manufacturer for their recommended method of maintaining your floor. If you can’t find this information, make sure you use a cleaner that’s designed to clean wood floors.
Bona products are specially designed to protect floors and the environment. Bona cleaners won’t dull your floors or leave behind any residue. Find the perfect products to clean, shine and protect your floors.
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner with Cedar Wood
Bona Premium Spray Mop for Hardwood Floors
Bona Hardwood Floor Polish High Gloss
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