My wooden floors.....?

Question

I live in Military housing in Germany on a US base. and I think I have a few issues with the wooden floor in our Apt; that or they hate me... if they were alive that is.. But anyways. I have tried many solutions that are for mopping and they always seem to leave like a grey coverage and if you walk on them you see like footprints.. i have tried mop n glow, pine sol, the swifter wet jet for wood floors and they all seem to leave the grey coverage like its evern dirtier. What solutions can i use that would work to not have that happen. it seems like its even doing it on my tile floors too..

Answer 1

Try moping the floors with lestoil, it will remove any kind of gunk or film from wood floors.  That should give you a clean start.  Try using Mrs. Meyers all purpose cleaner if you can find it. If not then use Ecover all purpose cleaner.  Don't use any type of oil soap product, the will leave a film that will collect dirt.

Answer 2

It does sound like the finish its to the point that a re coat would be the answer. But you  said it is an Apt so that would not do you any good. The flooring bunching  up, with out looking at it and knowing if the apt has high moisture Hard to tell why it is doing that. IF you can find it product call Orange Glo  What ever product you choose make sure it is for Hard wood floors. Good Luck

Answer 3

There seems to be a residue left by the former tenant perhaps.

There is a soap, I hope you can buy it in your area, it is called "Murphy's Wood Oil Soap" its made to clean wood, floors furniture and leather. It is very mild and will not harm anything.  But you have a BIG job to get these floors to look better.  If you do find Murphy's soap  add about 3 tablespoons to 1 bucket of warm water, then as you wash your floors one section at a time, you wipe that section dry with a soft cloth.  You will need a lot of old cloths to do this,  I think it will work.

Good luck

Answer 4

Try to find a bottle of Bruce Dura-Luster No Wax Floor Cleaner.

Answer 5

might be hard water sounds funny but try filtered water

Answer 6

Mix some vinegar in your wash water,it works miracles removing all traces of soap residue.It is good to add a cup in rinse water of clothes for babies,sensitive skin,.Makes hair squeaky clean as it removes shampoo residue.It will NOT have a smell when it dries.It works on wood,veneer,vinyl,ceramic tile,any floor.

Answer 7

You might try some floor wax.. give'm a good buff

Answer 8

It sounds like you are merely applying solutions that contain a wax, and it is covering old wax that may have already been waxed, over dirt.

You should begin with a stripper.  Strip the old wax, then clean and wax again.

The boards you mention sound like expansion.  This is normal with wood from warm and cold tempertures.

If the spacing at tthe walls is less than recommemded, that can cause buckling.  

I don't know if that is the case or if you  can correct it without a professional.  If necessary, it will have to be trimmed back, on the floor.  You won't be able to remove it very easily.