Cleaning Oil Based Urethane Floors

It s important to remember that when you clean your hardwood floors you aren t actually cleaning the wood you are cleaning the chemical finish on the wood.

Cleaning oil based urethane floors.

Vinegar is mildly acidic and can cut through white mineral streaks so adding a 1 4 cup or 1 2 cup of it to your dish soap cleaning solution will create a good treatment for a floor that gets a lot of foot traffic. Polyurethane is actually the most durable hardwood floor finish. You ll find it in. That s a lot of time for dust to settle or bugs to land on the surface marring the final product.

Water based polyurethane has gained a lot of popularity over the years because of its low odor low toxicity and how easy it is to remove compared to oil based ones. A polyurethane or acrylic coating after you apply a water based finish to a floor and the water evaporates the film that remains is either polyurethane or acrylic which are both plastics. Because different floor finishes have unique care requirements the best way to clean hardwood floors will depend on the type of finish rather than the wood species e g cherry maple oak. Both water based and oil based products give off strong fumes as they dry although oil based is decidedly worse so proper ventilation is a must.

The guidelines that apply to cleaning an oil based hardwood floor finish also apply to water based. Polyurethane takes hours not minutes to dry. Once your new oil finished wood flooring has been installed it s necessary to vacuum up any dust dirt from the installation process and then clean the flooring with an oil refresher diluted with water using a well wrung out mop. Low ph cleaners can dull a polyurethane finish but some stains need more cleaning power than water and dish soap can provide.

After the film is hard it typically cures over a period. Here are our expert. The finish is the protective layer of your hardwood floors. The biggest difference is in appearance.

Polyurethane finished wood floors are more durable than the wax coatings of the past. Unlike oil based polyurethane water based polyurethane does not add color to the wood and will preserve its natural tone. Apply the finish in a clean well ventilated area. Water based and oil based polyurethane each offer good protection.

Oil based polyurethane has a slight amber or yellowish tint and can yellow even more over time which adds a bit of rich warm amber color to the floors if that s your goal.