dull drab dismal

[ccheryld]

a sub contractor sanded my 100 yr old hardwood floors and put either shellac or varnish(I was hoping for poly,but found that finish on there when I returned home). The workers who were sub contracted are long gone so I cannot ask which finish they put down.
Anyway...the lovely bright shine is now subtly beginning to get dull. I have been cleaning it with a slightly damp cloth..no solution or soap, but plain water.Tap water has chlorine, though.
What can I use to preserve or bring back the glossy finish?

 

[Nick]

Wood don't like water . Buy a gallon of Bruce hardwood cleaner at Home Depot .

Sounds like you need a Sanding and re-coat ..

 

[ccheryld]

Thanks for your reply, Nick!
First question: How do you get the floor routinely clean if not with a slightly damp cloth? If water is not good, how do you clean the floor after dusting it?

I have tried to add some thumbnail photos. The Floor, as you can see, does not need anything drastic like sanding or re-coating. My second question is how do I clean it to bring back and maintain the shine that is there. Olive Oil? Another simple floor treatment of some kind?

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[ccheryld]

Wood don't like water . Buy a gallon of Bruce hardwood cleaner at Home Depot .

Sounds like you need a Sanding and re-coat ..

also wondering if the Bruce will strip the varnish or shellac?
Does Bruce have water in it?

 

[highup]

also wondering if the Bruce will strip the varnish or shellac?
Does Bruce have water in it?

I looked that up and didn't find an answer, however Bruce did say this:

Can I mop my hardwood floors using hot, soapy water?

No. Water will prematurely age your hardwood floors and cause damage.

You didn't say "hot" but that's besides the point.
Even if Wood manufacturers are water based, they probably have something in them that keeps water from soaking into the wood, beading, and leaving any soap residue and over time, making the surface look dull... which is the problem you are having.
There's surely something in wood cleaners that makes the cleaner evaporate quickly and whatever the cleaning solution is made of, I doubt they would call it a soap. An examplw would be Windex. It certainly has water in it, and it is a cleaner, but not a soap. No, I'm not recommending you switch to Windex.
Try out a wood floor cleaner and see if that removes some old soap residue and brings back the shine.

 

[highup]

..oops, I just re-read and you said you din NOT use any soap. Still, try out a wood floor cleaner like Nick said.......... can't hurt. Maybe there's something in them that makes the floors retain their shine.

 

[ccheryld]

Thank you for replying.
However..I have NEVER used soap! All I have ever done is to use a SLIGHTLY damp CLEAN cloth on one of those Swiffer dusters. No soap, no solution , just plain water.
sorry did not see your reply. if I could delete this post I would.
But I definitely WILL get some of that Bruce stuff and try it on a hidden corner under a bed or something. THANKS!

 

[highup]

Thank you for replying.
However..I have NEVER used soap! All I have ever done is to use a SLIGHTLY damp CLEAN cloth on one of those Swiffer dusters. No soap, no solution , just plain water.
sorry did not see your reply. if I could delete this post I would.
But I definitely WILL get some of that Bruce stuff and try it on a hidden corner under a bed or something. THANKS!

You probabaly wrote before I typed my correction...... no biggie.
Maybe water alone didn't remove bare feet sweat, pet feet oils and walked in stuff from outside?
Report back and let us know if it does any good.

 

[Nick]

Thanks for your reply, Nick!
First question: How do you get the floor routinely clean if not with a slightly damp cloth? If water is not good, how do you clean the floor after dusting it?

I have tried to add some thumbnail photos. The Floor, as you can see, does not need anything drastic like sanding or re-coating. My second question is how do I clean it to bring back and maintain the shine that is there. Olive Oil? Another simple floor treatment of some kind?

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You don't want to use anything but hardwood cleaner ..

 

[Nick]

You should only have to sue a cleaner once a week or to , Depending on the amount of traffic ..