4 Ways To Wax Your Wooden Floor

Waxing your wooden floor is one of the most time consuming household chores. However, today you can access several methods to make it shiny without much difficulty.

If you spend too long without doing a good maintenance you will notice how, little by little, it loses its elegant and characteristic touch. This is because dirt makes it look dull and stained.

Also, the lack of wax accelerates the deterioration of the material since, by allowing moisture to be absorbed more easily, the boards tend to crack or twist.

Although the use of traditional wax is still in force, the truth is that there are currently other products that fulfill this same purpose. Therefore, in this article we want to share with you 4 effective ways to do this work that you can apply when you want to see the wood gleaming and clean. Take aim!

What should you use to wax your hardwood floor?

As the following work published by the Universidad de la Plata in 2012 shows, there are different details that must be taken into account before applying a product to this material.

Thus, if the floor is made of unvarnished wood (linoleum or cork), it is appropriate to use liquid wax or oil.  However, it is not recommended to use this type of wax on vinyl floors, with urethane finishes or that are not waxed.

As regards paste wax, it can also be used to shine linoleum or cork floors, as well as concrete and unvarnished floors. However,  it should not be used on vinyl material or with urethane finishes.

On the other hand, a great alternative is water-based silicone polish. This can be used on almost all floors, except those made of cork, linoleum or unsealed wood.

So, if you want to leave the wood with a shiny and renewed finish, you should know how to use these waxes that we have shown you, since their use may vary depending on each case.

Also read: 5 homemade solutions to polish furniture and wooden floors

Effective ways to wax your wooden floor

If you are already clear about the most suitable wax for your floor, the next step is to learn how to apply it correctly so that it leaves the material as new. Are you ready? Let’s do it!

1. Liquid wax and oil

• Clean the surface of the floor to remove any traces of dirt and dust.
• Dampen a soft cotton cloth with the liquid wax and rub it on the floor evenly.
• When it’s done drying, buff it off with a clean towel or buff.
• Once you notice that only the enamel remains, it will be because it is already dry.

2. Water-based silicone polish

• Sweep and wipe the floor to remove any dirt that accumulates on the surface and joints of the boards.
• Dampen a clean cloth and pour in some of the silicone polish.
• Apply a light coat on the wooden floor, avoiding bubbles.
• Then when it’s dry, buff the floor with a clean towel or buff.
• After applying each coat, you must wait for it to dry well before polishing it again before adding another.

4. Homemade wax and turpentine recipe

If you choose to use a homemade product, we suggest you make a simple recipe for grated beeswax and white spirit, two ingredients with an oily texture that leave the wood clean and shiny.

In fact, the next workshop held in the capital of Bogotá in 2014 invited several artisans to use beeswax in their creations and they were surprised, since it offered a natural finish that managed to highlight the characteristics of the wood itself.

In addition, this is a preparation that can be used both on floors and on furniture that begins to look dull or with patches.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup of grated beeswax (50 g).
• ¼ cup of white spirit (62 mL).

Preparation

• Pour the grated beeswax into a heat-resistant container and melt it in a water bath.
• When it begins to look liquid, stir with a wooden spatula and gradually add the white spirit.
• Mix until you get a homogeneous product and remove it from the heat.
• Wait for it to stand at room temperature and store the product in a container with a screw cap.

If the smell of white spirit bothers you, you can add some essential oils to minimize it.

Application mode

• Clean the surface of the wooden floor and apply the amount of wax that you consider necessary.
• Rub it with a microfiber cloth until you get the desired shine.

Choose the most appropriate method to wax your wood floor and give it the care it requires to keep that attractive appearance. As you can see, the way to do it is almost the same, only that sometimes it varies depending on the wax used.