OT Cleaning, griping & hardwood floors!

I'm sure there's something better than what I used, Leslie. I used Johnson & Johnson paste wax. Applied it with a soft rag (on hands and knees) and had a 2-brush buffer to polish it. A barely damp mop kept it nicely after that. BUT ! It did produce a gorgeous and slick as glass surface. I'm thinking that kind of application would be impossible for you and the results would be very dangerous. And ! you'll need to post Speed Limit signs all over the house. The furry gang slamming on brakes and skidding will mark up your floors. Maybe not with the latest finishes on hardwood but yours probably don't have a fancy finish. Polly

"Leslie& The Furbabies in MO." I do not like cleaning my house- but I try to do some cleaning every day so

I just got a steam cleaner for my laminate, vinyl and tile floors. It works very well, but the directions say that it is not to be used on unsealed wood floors. I think that would include yours; it could really mess them up!

Hang on, Leslie. I'm pretty sure John has hardwood floors. He ought to have his paintbrushes clean pretty soon. Isn't he assigned to the house painting brigade? Polly

Dust mop, baby. It will be your new best friend. Or the really big Swiffer if you can afford all the cloths you will need. Sweep everything into a corner and pick it up with your vacuum hose.

Cindy

Cindy, do you use a spray on product on your dust mop or something on the floor before dust-mopping?

I wish Swiffer would come out with a micro-fiber thingy so it could be washed and reused. When the shedding reaches it's peak, one swipe under the sofa will clog up a brand new Swiffer 'cloth'. Yeah, the cost piles up quickly!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

There are lots of 6" wide by forever batting scraps here. I chop them into Swiffer pad size and punch them on the Swiffer. We don't pretend batting actually sterilizes the floor but it picks up a whale of a lot of grass clippings, fabric snips and dirt. Don't know if batting grabs pet hair. Yorkies don't shed but they sure do have dirty feet. Some days I feel like my sewing room has more traffic than WalMart. Anyhow, free is good. Polly

"Taria" I have a thing that is like a Swiffer but has pads that are removable

First off, I have to admit that I am a cheapskate. Now -- go get a Swiffer or similar product, but do NOT buy a bunch of the special cloths you use and throw away. Instead, get a pack of the cheapest, thinnest wash cloths you can find. If you already have some on hand, so much the better. Old stained tea towels are excellent, too! Use a wash cloth or tea towel or whatever you have that is thin and washable as your Swiffer "picker-upper" cloth, and then toss it into the laundry. Save trees, save the environment, and save your money! As to a cleaning product, unless you get something really nasty on the floor that needs scrubbing, just use the cloth plain and dry most times, and very occasionally use the cloth barely-damp. That's all you need, really. (Another thing I use my Swiffer for is to wipe down bathroom and kitchen walls, which have "kitchen and bath" paint which is washable. I dip the washcloth into plain water, wring it out well, stick it on the Swiffer, and do the walls and even the ceilings -- that long stick handle and flexible joint makes it perfect! It works well and I don't have to get on a ladder or stool at all, which is safer.)

Leslie, please be careful with *anything* you put onto the floor. Almost anything will make it as slippery as an ice rink. If a product says that it doesn't make the floor slippery, it might still be treacherous when wet. I spent my 'formative years' in places with invariably polished, wood floors. It was a nightmare (in some respects - it does look lovely though!). I have done the hands and knees polishing (it is a very good position for anyone with a weak back!); but, in your circumstances, I simply wouldn't. You can sweep up bits - with anything (perhaps Polly's idea of batting, extended to using Hobbs fusible), and vacuum up the sweepings (as was suggested), and then a gentle wipe over with a barely damp mop or sponge to get off the sticky. I think you must reconcile yourself to a slightly less than glasslike appearance, for your own and the furbabies' safety. I do believe there are some finished which can be applied which give a non-slip finish, but I bet you have to take off all the polish already on them before applying it. It can't be worth it.

Whatever you do, please test with wet shoes, too. I have a lovely tiled floor in conservatory and utility room. It has a sheen, but is slightly grainy, and is not slippery. However, with wet shoes, or wet floor, you have to walk on it like ice. Things are so deceptive. We had our drive recovered with a kind of cobble surface. Would you believe when that is wet, and I have certain of my shoes on, I even slip on that - outdoors!! . In message , Leslie& The Furbabies in MO. writes

I have one of the small spray bottles I got at Wal Mart. I fill it with 1 part vinegar and 9 parts water, and I keep it handy to clean with. Actually it probably is 2 parts vinegar & 8 parts water. I spray this on my dust mop and dusting cloth and when it is damp it will pick up almost everything. A year or so ago there was something in the paper where this solution was used in London to clean the Queens almost 200 yr old table. I have been using this vinegar/ water for almost 10 years to clean and dust with. It works well in the kitchen and everywhere and you don't have to worry because it isn't toxic for the dogs & cats. Barbara in SC

White vinegar diluted in water, as you suggest, has been recommended for the woodwork of old pianos for years. I used to use it on my beautiful old piano (not all that often!). It does remove the 'bloom' that you sometimes get on old wood. . In message , Bobbie Sews More writes

When we bought our house in 1994, it came with hardwood floors in all rooms except the kitchen and bathroom. I had never had hardwood floors before. At that time, I was told never to use anything on my hardwood floors that I would not use on a mirror! So, I just vacuum them and then mop them with plain water. They look great and it's easy peasy! I will never have carpet again if I can help it.

Gloworm in Dayton

On Mon, 18 May 2009 19:39:08 -0500, Leslie& The Furbabies in MO. wrote (in article ):

We sweep ours and mop with vinegar and water. Cheap and easy and the floors look beautiful.

Maureen

Somewhere recently I read that people are buying Maxipads at the Dollar Store to use on their Swiffers!! Self-adhesive and all!

It depends on what kind of finish they have. I have fairly new hardwood floors, all with a good polyurethane finish. The floor guys that installed it told me not to wax them or use any sort of polish on them. If they have any sort of wax on them, they have to be completely sanded down to refinish; otherwise I think they can just add a coat of the polyurethane when they get worn. All I've ever used to clean is water or water with a bit of vinegar. Usually I just use a dust mop and occasionally the vacuum cleaner. I have an electric broom, but it's usually easier to grab the dust mop. Get a good dust mop -- not a cheapo discount store one -- it makes a big difference. I love the hardwood; it's wonderfully easy to take care of. It may someday have to be refinished, but should never have to be replaced.

Julia > I do not like cleaning my house- but I try to do some cleaning every day

Hi Leslie. I have used the orange glow stuff and it just sank straight into the wood. It cleaned it beautifully and wasn't slippery at all.The "guys" will love the smell I would think.

Forgot to say, the Orange glow stuff is just for initial cleaning. A mop or swiffer after that and just occasionally from there on!