How should I clean an unfinished antique wood floor?

Question

I'm helping a friend's family clean and restore their 1898 antique home. The floors are all wooden and I'm almost positive they have never been finished, but they have perhaps NEVER been cleaned and are now discolored from the dirt. What is a good / safe way to deep clean the floors without refinishing them right now?

I've heard a vinegar / water solution would be good, but other sites say that it is horrible for the floors. What is the best thing to do? Thanks so much!

(They don't have the money for large projects and I'm investing my own money into some of these projects, but we want to try to do what we can to help prevent it from being unsalvagable)

Answer 1

The last thing you want to do to unfinished wood is to get it wet, anything you put on it will soak into the wood causing it to warp and swell. The best thing for them is to have it refinished before it gets anymore damaged done to it. It will be money well spent and they will be able to clean it normally afterwards.

Answer 2

just sweep it . u can't mop because it's unfinished and moping would warp the floor. the best way to clean it is to sweep it.

Answer 3

have a flooring guy come and barrel sand it, stain it and seal it...

Answer 4

I would first use a mild detergent called Murphy's oil soap, it is for woods and I have used it personally with great results.  It took off years of nicotene and removed dirt and grime when I used it on kitchen cabinets that hadn't been cleaned in 25yrs.  I would scrub it down with that, follow the directions on the back for mixing.  I would also get some toothbrushes for the grooves and some bristled brushes for the big areas.

Once you have scrubbed (I would do it in small sections to make it easier) allow to dry for a good 24 hrs and let air circulate over it with open windows and fans.  

Once dry I would then use orange oil, you can spray it on and wipe, or you can also buy it in pour containers, but you will need to make sure you apply with with a rag and spread around.  Allow to absorb into the floor at least a day before walking onto it.  This conditions the wood and puts back oils that it needs.

You can buy both of these at retail stores or grocery stores.  I have used the orange oil for years on my antiques once a month and dust in between, it makes the colors of the woods come out beautifully and keeps things from drying out.

I don't recommend that you use anything with a wax type polish for one it will make it slick when wet and another aver time it just builds up and won't allow the natural colors to come through.

Answer 5

I have always used Johnson's Fine Wood Polish. You can find it at any general store. All you do is douse the end of a rag in the polish and run it over the floor. You can also put some of it directly on the floor if you want to cover a large area. It brings out the color and shine in even old wood without leaving a slippery or greasy texture, and it's inexpensive.

I would try Murphy's first to get any impurities off of the wood. But if you want a finished look on unfinished wood - try the Johnson's wood polish. I swear it will make wood right off of a tree look nice.