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Cleaning Up:  shining up hardwoods  |
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MustangSuzie
True Blue Farmgirl
634 Posts
Sarah
New London
Missouri
USA
634 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 18 2007 : 09:25:02 AM
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Hey gals...I'm getting rid of all carpets in my house. Now I need a good and natural way to clean them and shine them up. I have been using a mixture of white vinegar and castille peppermint soap on my other floors...it smells so yummy and cleans very well. But that doesn't take care of the shiny part. Any suggestions, recipes, ideas, etc?? I have company coming in about a week and would like to have it done before then.
Thanks!!
Blessings....
Sarah
www.mustangsuzie.blogspot.com
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2007 : 10:25:36 AM
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Depending on how degraded the surface is, you can actually wax them with beeswax (lots of buffing) but that can sometimes make a slick surface.
The other option is to do Tung Oil. You rub and buff it in, it hardens to make a semi-permanent finish that slowly seeps into the wood. You will need to reapply it ever couple of months if you floors are really dry, for probably about a year until the wood is saturated. It is really pretty though.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
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MustangSuzie
True Blue Farmgirl
634 Posts
Sarah
New London
Missouri
USA
634 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2007 : 11:24:22 AM
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The floors need to be refinished but since I'm not going to be in this house too much longer that is not something I am going to do. I just want to do something fairly quick and easy to make them look nice. They aren't exactly dry I don't think but the finish has been there since 1961, covered by carpet at times too.
Blessings....
Sarah
www.mustangsuzie.blogspot.com
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2007 : 11:53:59 AM
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I think the tung oil would be your fastest, cheapest, on nicest looking bet then and it makes a finish you can mop on as well.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2007 : 12:14:34 PM
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is there any varnish on them at all? At my house, the floors were sanded and then never refinished, and boiled linseed oil works great as long as you don't have thick varnish to put it on. It takes very little elbow grease, but still needs rubbed in by hand. no buffing, and you can't leave it thick or it will get sticky.
Cristine
Do what you can, with what you have, right where you are. - Roosevelt
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MustangSuzie
True Blue Farmgirl
634 Posts
Sarah
New London
Missouri
USA
634 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2007 : 12:36:57 PM
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Yes they are varnished, although it is wearing thin in spots. Where do you get tung oil?
Blessings....
Sarah
www.mustangsuzie.blogspot.com
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2007 : 2:38:44 PM
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2007 : 5:48:14 PM
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And the tung oil can be hand buffed- you don't have to rent a machine or anything.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2007 : 6:21:45 PM
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Sarah- How did the floors go?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
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MustangSuzie
True Blue Farmgirl
634 Posts
Sarah
New London
Missouri
USA
634 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2007 : 05:15:23 AM
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Oh my goodness Alee. I did find the tung oil and intend to give it a go, I just haven't had the time yet. It said that it needs to dry for like 12 hrs I think so I'll have to do it on a weekend when the kid are not home.
Blessings....
Sarah
www.mustangsuzie.blogspot.com
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2007 : 06:07:21 AM
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Yes, it does take a little while to dry, but it dries to the touch in an hour or less, but if you had heavy traffic, I suppose it could mar the finish a bit because it would still be relatively "soft". Let me know how it goes! :D
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
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Cleaning Up: shining up hardwoods |
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shining up hardwoods
