Moving Into a Home with Poorly Maintained Wood Floors

We recently visited a home that had some pretty bad looking real hardwood floors. The home was only about 12 years old but the floors looked much older due to pets and poor cleaning habits. The new homeowner initially asked us to come out and provide a quote to buff or screen their hardwood but after our inspection the homeowner agreed that we’re going to do complete hardwood floor refinishing.

The new owner informed us that when they looked at the house, they realized the floors were bad and noticed that the current owner had Orange Glo in the laundry room and suspected that’s what had been used to clean the floors. In a previous blog we talked about cleaning hardwood floors and as much as we don’t want to disparage or promote any particular product, we’ve seen more issues from this one than any other. The issue comes with the film that this particular product leaves behind. Any product that advertises that it seals or repairs scratches is leaving something on the floors.

Complete Refinish or Rescreening

This home was one of the worst we’ve run across. It seems that the homeowner didn’t sweep the floors before applying the cleaner so the pet hair, dust, and dirt were sealed into the floor with the cleaner. This is why we have to do a complete hardwood floor refinishing for them. If the previous owner had just been using the product a short time or had removed the dust before using it, we would have likely been able to use the buffing or screening process.

With screening or buffing for hardwood floor refinishing, only the top finish layer is removed. Because of the buildup and the pet hair trapped between layers of buildup, a screening would not have provided an even finish. With this homeowner’s floors we’re going to take it down to the wood and stain and seal them.

Is it too Late for Your Floors?

If your floors are beginning to look dull after cleaning them with a particular product, try a mixture of one cup ammonia to one gallon of water to remove the haze and stop using the product. You might find a steam cleaner works too. You’ll know that it’s working if you start seeing a gooey glue like substance as you clean. It will take a bit of scrubbing with a soft bristle brush but you may be able to save yourself the cost of hardwood floor refinishing.

If you’d prefer not to take the risk, call Seer Flooring. We’ll be happy to come out and inspect your hardwood floors and recommend the best process for hardwood floor refinishing. If your engineered wood floors are in need of attention, we can also screen or refinish most engineered wood flooring. Call 727-785-1930 to schedule your appointment.