Waxing hardwood floors is a great way to restore the original shine of hardwood floors if they have not been taken care of for some time.
Waxing is also very beneficial to hide minor scratches and form a protective layer on top of the surface of your hardwood floors which can prevent further scratching in the future and help retain its pristine condition.
You can wax hardwood floors naturally using vinegar and olive oil. Waxing floors naturally is an easy and preferred task that can save you much money compared to commercial products. Besides, it is super-effective and can give optimal results after a few uses.
If you want to restore the shine of your floors without wax, go through this article on how to make hardwood floors shine without wax.
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How To Wax Hardwood Floors Naturally | Step By Step Guide
You can’t just apply the wax right away, as you need to prepare the hardwood floor first by cleaning it and removing all the furniture or any previous coating.
Below is a comprehensive guide that will help you navigate the entire process.
Before that, if you are still confused about whether to wax your wooden floors or not, do read this article should you wax hardwood floors to clear all your confusion.
Remove Furniture
Removing furniture from your hardwood floor is the primary step, as you want to get the plain clear for all your further proceedings.
Make sure to remove any carpets and rugs as well so you don’t miss out on any place.
However, if you have any fixed items on the floor, such as fixed cupboards, beds, etc., you will have to work your way around them.
Hence, if you’ve recently built your hardwood floor, it is best to wax it immediately before much stuff is placed on it.
Pro-Tip: Use a furniture moving tool to move the furniture around rather than dragging it and scratching your hardwood floors.
Moreover, if the items are light enough, you can pick them up and move them elsewhere rather than dragging them all along.
Clean & Disinfect
It is extremely important to clean your floor thoroughly before you attempt to put any wax on it or buff it.
Moreover, disinfecting is also important to ensure that no bacteria or infections get trapped under the wax and cause damage to your hardwood floors.
If you don’t know how to extensively clean your hardwood floors, here’s my detailed guide on how to disinfect hardwood floors naturally
Firstly, you must use a vacuum to clear away all the dust and residues of food and other items, such as lint or furs, that might be present on the floor.
You don’t want these to get trapped on the surface and under the wax; hence, it is only wise to remove them immediately.
You can’t wet mop the floor right away because if the floor is too dirty, you may create a puddle of mud and water or move dirt around.
Hence, once you’re done vacuuming, take a bucket of water and mop the surface to eliminate any remnants and dust particles that the vacuum could’ve missed.
You can also add your desired product and water in the recommended quantities.
After that, clean the surface with a wet towel or cloth to remove any dust that may have accumulated in the corners or edges, which might not be possible for the mop to remove.
If the surface hasn’t been cleaned for a long time and there is crusted dust, you can use a mild brush or a used toothbrush to scrub it.
This will remove all the dirt and grime stuck between the flooring boards. Use a paper towel to wipe the surface dry.
This will remove any stickiness which is not visible to the naked eye. Make sure to clean the corners and edges properly.
Good scrubbing can prevent dust and grime from accumulating in the intersection points and under the corners.
Once the surface is clean, you should use a spray bottle or a clean cloth to apply the disinfecting solution. Rub the solution on the table to polish it.
You may use kitchen towels or a clean, dry cloth. Working your way in circles and moving along the wood grain is best.
Doing so would eliminate any chances of scratching the surface and allow the solution to disinfect the wood thoroughly.
The time you need to let it rest on the surface varies according to the type of solution you have used. Please consult the guidelines mentioned above to avoid any unwanted inconveniences.
Now, use a dry paper towel and gently rub the entire surface 2 to 3 times. This will remove any extra moisture and lock in the shine your wooden furniture has just achieved.
Apply Hardwood Floor Wax
If you’ve cleaned the surface and ensured it is clear, you can now apply the wax of your choice. However, if your hardwood floor is already waxed, you must remove that layer before you can apply a new one.
You can use acidic solvents or bleach to remove the old wax or sand your floor to reveal the smooth surface underneath for new waxing.
However, you should clean the surface again, as the previous wax layer remnants will be on the floor.
Here is how you can wax your hardwood floors naturally:
- Wax solvents contain fumes that can harm human health; hence, it is best to check the safety factor first and wear a mask, gloves, and eyeglasses.
- If you apply liquid wax, it is best to remain standing as it will expand, and you wouldn’t want it to touch your clothes.
- However, if you are applying a solid wax, it is best to get down to the floor and apply it by hand.
- Use a sponge mop to apply the wax to the floor for liquid wax. Conversely, if using solid wax, you need a soft, lint-free cloth that evenly spreads the wax on the floor. A microfiber cloth would be highly suitable for such jobs.
- To apply solid wax on your hardwood floor, use a putty knife to take out approximately a spoonful and apply it on the lint-free cloth. Then, apply the wax to your floors with the cloth. You can pour liquid wax directly on the floor and then dip your sponge in it.
- It is best not to apply the wax on the entire floor simultaneously. The recommended method is to segment the floor into sections of 2×2 and work on those areas separately. You must start from the farthest corner of the room and make your way towards the door; besides, try to move along the flooring and parallel to the wood grain for best results. Rub the lint-free cloth or the sponge mop in circles for even application in the area. Once you’ve completed the work in one segment, move along to the next one and start working on it. This way, you must cover the entire room slowly and steadily.
- Once you’ve completed the entire room, it is time to relax a bit, as the wax will need to dry. Depending upon the product you’ve used, the time required can vary from 1 hour to several hours. However, you can use fans or blow dryers to fasten the process.
- Both solid and liquid waxes demand to be applied in multiple coats for them to yield the best results. The solid wax is usually thicker when dried and forms a protective coating layer over your hardwood floors, protecting them from dirt and grime. Hence, it would be suitable to have one layer of solid wax on a finished and almost two layers on an unfinished hardwood floor. Liquid wax, however, is much thinner and would require at least 3 coats on a finished floor. Hence, you must apply multiple coats and wait for each to dry before applying another.
- Once all the coats have dried successfully, you can see a white haze on the floor’s surface. This is an indicator that the surface is now ready to be buffed.
Buff The Floor
Although it is possible to manually buff the floor by rubbing it, getting an electric buffer is best to make the job much easier and faster.
If buying a buffer is not worth it for you, you can also rent one from your local market.
An electric buffer will help lock the wax into the surface and ensure that it provides the desired amount of protection against the dust and dirt on your hardwood floors.
It is highly important that you read the instruction manual carefully and operate the machine accordingly.
Installation and replacement of buffer pads is another important feature you must look forward to performing correctly.
Like waxing, you need to start buffing from the room’s farthest end and work toward the door.
This is because when you move back, you will be buffing the area you previously stepped on, hence, not having any uneven textures on the floor.
Moreover, you must go from left to right and always work slowly and carefully. Make sure you are holding the buffing machine with two hands.
The reason to go left to right is to move in sync with the clockwise motion of the buffer pads. If you go the opposite side, you will only be destroying the wax layer on the hardwood floor.
If you need clarification, test it on a small area to ensure you’re moving in the right direction.
Despite the size of the room, you need to check the buffer pads periodically to see if they need to be replaced.
It is highly possible that they get worked too much if the area you are buffing is too big.
Hence, it is important to ensure that you change the pads timely so that the buff can stay evenly distributed in places.
Furthermore, once you’ve completed buffing the entire room, you must manually buff it with a cloth because there are many places, such as corners and edges, which a buffer can’t reach.
As you wouldn’t want to leave them out, ensure you get them into the process too.
Which Wax Is Highly Recommended For Wooden Floors?
Solid Waxes are the most recommended for hardwood floors. There are various types of waxes available on the market; however, you can make a few in your home as well.
All of the waxes listed below work wonders on your hardwood floors and are extremely useful.
Natural Wax
You can make a natural wax at home using vinegar, olive oil, and some essential oils. However, it is not guaranteed to provide the same results as a commercial product.
Moreover, it is certainly going to polish your hardwood floors but might yield a different level of protection than you can get from a commercial product.
Also Read: What Does Vinegar Do To Hardwood Floors?
You only need vinegar, olive oil, water, and laver oil to make the wax at home. Add 2 tbsp vinegar, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp, and 2 tbsp lavender oil in 1 liter of water.
This solution is suitable for a 2×2 feet portion of your hardwood floors. You can estimate the solvent required for your floor according to the area’s dimensions.
Besides, this is only enough for one coat, and you will have to apply at least 5 coats to get a decent level of protection against dirt and grime.
A great advantage of natural wax is that it polishes your wooden floors and locks in the shine for a long time.
Whereas olive oil locks in the necessary moisture and forms a protective layer similar to an oil finish.
Lastly, lavender oil is a great way to add fragrance to your waxing solution and keeps the effect mild as it acts as a conditioner for wood.
Moreover, if you use this natural wax; you won’t have to use a disinfectant separately, as vinegar does that job quite effectively.
In addition, after you’ve completed the coats with natural wax on your hardwood floors, you will not need to buff them. Natural wax is an economical way to wax your floors, but it is hectic and messy at the same time.
Solid Paste Wax | How Do You Wax Hardwood Floors By Hand?
You can wax hardwood floors by hand using a lint-free cloth. This type of wax is very common in the industry, and many people prefer it as you don’t need to use too much of it.
Besides, unlike liquid wax, you can control the amount of wax you want to apply on a certain portion so it won’t run off.
However, it takes way longer to dry and can be a nuisance sometimes. Depending on the type of product you purchased, solid waxes can take 3 to 8 hours to dry completely before you can apply another coat or start buffing.
Besides, they are very hard to apply as you must make all the applications manually, making the entire task too difficult for many people.
Liquid Wax | How To Wax A Hardwood Floor With A Mop?
You can pour the wax on the floor and use a sponge mop to apply it on the hardwood floors. Liquid wax is usually cheaper and easier to apply due to its flowy nature.
You don’t have to apply it manually on the surface; you can simply pour it down. However, it offers a thinner coat than solid paste wax and would require more coatings to get the same level of protection as solid wax.
Moreover, liquid wax is less dense, making it easier to dry, so you don’t have to wait several hours before applying the second coat on your hardwood floors.
Liquid wax is faster to apply and dry, which makes it a time-saving solution for your waxing requirements. Besides, it also allows you to divide the work into a number of days if you don’t want to do it all together.
You can apply 2 layers in one day and complete the task in 2 days without having trouble checking it for hours to see if it has dried.
Water-based Silicon Wax | What Is The Easiest Way To Wax Hardwood Floors?
The easiest way to wax hardwood floors is to use a water-based silicone wax and apply it using a sponge mop.
This type of wax is the perfect solution for those who find solid waxes too difficult to apply and want to avoid the mess that comes with liquid waxes.
The slightly thicker consistency makes applying convenient without increasing the drying time too much.
Moreover, it can be applied with a paint pad applicator, and you don’t have to get your hands tired by rubbing it with a lint-free cloth.
Silicon wax also provides an optimum level of protection and is very close to solid waxes. Hence, you would need almost the same amount of coating as solid waxes.
How Can I Keep Waxed Hardwood Floors Looking Great?
There are various ways you can prolong the health of your hardwood floors through waxing, such as re-waxing on schedule and cleaning the surface after removing old wax.
However, there are many other tips to make your waxes last longer, which will, in turn, increase the longevity of your hardwood floors.
Below are some important tips regarding waxing hardwood floors correctly:
- The greatest way to maintain the integrity of your floors is to re-wax at timely intervals. You can either consult the manufacturer’s instructions or see for yourself if the wax needs to be replaced. As a rule of thumb, solid waxes will last 2-5 years, whereas liquid waxes will last 1-2 years.
- However, it is possible that the manufacturer has not listed any re-waxing intervals. In such situations, you can dampen a cloth with mineral spirits and wipe it over a small area on your floor for inspection. If the cloth does not have any white residues and has come out clean or with too little wax on it, this is an indicator that you need to re-wax immediately.
- If you wax your floors again, make sure you completely remove the old wax layer first. Furthermore, clean the floor thoroughly after removing the old layer to prevent any remnants of the old layer from getting trapped under the new waxing layer.
- Too frequent or excessive amounts of wax can damage your hardwood floors and cause them to have a cloudy look constantly; this will also rob them of their shine and lush appearance.
- It is unnecessary to buff the wax only when all the layers have been applied, and the required coatings have been met. You can also buff the hardwood floors between waxing to ensure that the imperfections are covered and cured on time.
- Dust is the greatest enemy of waxes; hence, it is only wise to dry-mop or vacuum the floor every day to avoid any buildup that might ruin your floors’ look. Moreover, you can also use a microfiber cloth as it works wonders at removing dust.
- Wet-mopping is not completely banned, but you should avoid excessive water use on waxed floors for obvious reasons. If you want to wet-mop the surface, ensure the mop is properly wrung out before starting. Besides, it is best to use damp cloths for picking up dust and other such particles. Excessive water use can destroy the wax layer or make it dull and hazy.
- It is crucial to avoid spills and clean them immediately if they occur. As mentioned earlier, water can destroy wax. Hence, wipe off spills with a damp cloth and immediately dry the surface.
- If there are any stains on the hardwood floors or you want to clean them with a cleaner, you must do it in portions, as exposing the cleaner solvent to wax for a long time can be dangerous. Hence, segment the floor for cleaning and make sure to dry it as soon as you’ve completed cleaning. Wondering which cleaner you should use on hardwood floors? Check out our buying guide on the best bona cleaner for hardwood floors.
- In rooms where you have waxed hardwood flooring, it is quite suitable to place a doormat on entrances which can trap the dirt and suits and prevent it from being in contact with the waxed surface.
- Wax can get peeled if heavy furniture is dragged over it. Therefore, you may lift the furniture or use any furniture moving tool to get the stuff out.
You May Also Like: Why Does My Hardwood Floor Look Cloudy? Causes & Solutions
How Many Coats Of Wax Should You Put On A Floor?
Depending on the type of wax you’ve used, you might need 3-5 coats of waxing on your hardwood floors.
Solid waxes are usually thicker and take around 3 coats whereas liquid waxes are much thinner and ended almost 5 coats to meet the same resistance level.
Final Thoughts
Waxing is an excellent solution to protect your hardwood floors from actions of wind, water, and weather.
Leaving your hardwood floors exposed to wear and tear factors is not suitable. Hence, it would be best to consider waxing your hardwood floors.
Natural methods are suitable for waxing but you can also use commercial products if you want to.
As long as you follow the guidelines above and do not act impulsively, you will be fine with waxing your hardwood floors.
As a co-creator of FlooringFlow.com, Emma Sophia comes on board to answer all your questions related to any flooring problems. Together with John Henry, she’s gained extensive experience in fixing many flooring problems in their own house as well as in friends and family’s. Now, she wants to share her knowledge that she gained during floor remodeling, restoring, and DIY projects.
