Hardwood floors are beautiful…except when they start to look dingy. Detergents and one-step clean-and-wax products leave behind residues that trap dirt, increasing the odds that it will be ground into the floor’s finish. Here’s a better (and cheaper!) way to get them to shine…
To revive your finished hardwood’s shine, mix equal parts of white vinegar and vegetable oil, and put the mixture in a spray bottle. Work small sections of the floor at a time. Start by spritzing the mixture and rubbing it in with a clean cotton cloth. With another clean cotton cloth, buff that section until it’s as shiny as can be. Then start on the next section of floor. And so on and so on and so on. Do this once or twice a year, whenever you think your floor needs some extra care.
Note that this “cure” is for treated hardwood floors, not bare wood. (Most hardwood floors are coated with polyurethane.)
Thanks to Don Vandervort, founder of the home-improvement website HomeTips.com, for help with this tip.
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