How to Polish and Buff Hardwood Flooring

Posted by Sandpaper America on Jun 10th 2021

How to Polish and Buff Hardwood Flooring

There are various options to choose from when it comes to flooring, such as carpet, laminate, ceramic, tiles, and more. Although these are all popular choices for home and property owners, nothing stands out more than real hardwood flooring. By far, this is the most admired and desired floor type for residential and even commercial properties. Hardwood is a wonderful asset, but requires a great deal of attention for long-lasting stability and shine. One way to achieve this is to polish your hardwood floors.

To learn some tips for this process, continue reading and catch up on how to polish hardwood floors in your home or office building.


How to Clean Hardwood Floors

It is helpful to know how to properly clean hardwood before attempting to polish your floors. Dirt, dust, debris, and more need to be swept away and removed before any sort of polishing begins. Ignoring this responsibility can cause permanent scratches and scrape marks on the surface of the floors. It is important to follow manufacturer’s instructions on any bottle of cleaning solution or product before dispensing it on your hardwood flooring. There are unique and specialized cleaning solutions made specifically for hardwood floor care. If you do not have one of these specialized cleaning agents, you can use a few household remedies.

Here is a quick guide on how to clean hardwood flooring using proper and safe techniques:

  1. Clear the surface area of obstructions (i.e. furniture, rugs, etc.)
  2. Use a soft bristled broom or light-weight vacuum cleaner to sweep away dust, dander, dirt, and debris.
  3. Gently mop the surface with a hardwood floor cleaning solution or a safe homemade solution (i.e. warm water with mild dishwashing liquid).
  4. Do not use oil or wax products to clean hardwood floors.
  5. Repeat mopping with a clean mop and water only.
  6. Hand dry with clean towels thoroughly and completely.
  7. Be sure to dry floors quickly to avoid wood warping and distortion.

Now You are Ready to Begin the Polishing Process

Once your floors are perfectly clean, you can begin to polish them. It is important to understand the floor polishing process in and out before attempting a job on your own. It is always recommended to consult a professional service for advice and assistance. This is going to promise the best outcome for a person who has never polished a floor. If you are all set for the project, below is a quick guide to polishing hardwood floors in your home or office.

To Polish Hardwood Flooring:

  1. Use a professional buffer machine (rented units work well) and buff the surface of the hardwood floors.
  2. Be sure to follow all manufacturers’ instructions on the machine.
  3. Be sure to remove wax coating if any. Use a wax stripper or a commercial mineral spirit. These are available at most home good or appliance stores.
  4. Allow floors to dry completely before applying a new coat of wax.Use clean towels and rags to apply the wax to the hardwood floors.Start inwards in small areas, and then make your way outwards as you work.
  5. Allow wax to dry completely.
  6. Re-buff the floors to achieve your desired shine and luster.

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