Choosing the right maintenance product for your wood floor is important to maintain its beauty and finish. The type of finish on your floor will dictate the products you will need for regular maintenance and cleaning. If your floors are new, your installer or builder should provide you with information about your floor’s finish and manufacturer. If your floor is older, or if this information is not available, you should contact a wood flooring professional to determine the type of finish on your floor, and the proper products to use for maintaining your floors.

To determine if your floor has a wax finish, apply two drops of water in an inconspicuous area, corner or behind a door. If white spots appear under the drops of water within ten minutes, the floor has a wax finish. To remove the white spots, gently rub the spots with #000 steel wool dampened with wax.

To maintain a wood floor with a wax finish, dust mop or vacuum regularly. Buff the floor periodically to restore shine. When buffing no longer restores shine, waxing may be necessary. Use a cleaner and liquid wax specifically designed for wood floors. Apply the wax evenly, allow the floor to dry, and buff to the desired luster. If the wood floor has dirt build up or the wax is discolored, use a combination liquid cleaner/wax made specifically for wood flooring. Make sure it is solvent rather than water based. Spread the liquid cleaner/wax with a cloth or fine steel wool, and rub gently to remove grime and old wax. Wipe the floor clean, let it dry for about 20 minutes, and buff.
Depending on traffic, a properly maintained wood floor with a wax finish should only need waxing once or twice a year.

If your floor was installed or last serviced before the mid 1960s, it probably has a shellac or varnish finish. To determine this, scratch the surface with a coin or other sharp object in a corner or other inconspicuous area. If the finish flakes, it most likely has a shellac or varnish finish. These finishes rarely are used anymore and require full sanding to remove the old finish before new finish can be applied. You should contact a professional to achieve the best results.

If your floor was installed or last serviced before the mid 1960s, it probably has a shellac or varnish finish. To determine this, scratch the surface with a coin or other sharp object in a corner or other inconspicuous area. If the finish flakes, it most likely has a shellac or varnish finish. These finishes rarely are used anymore and require full sanding to remove the old finish before new finish can be applied. You should contact a professional to achieve the best results.

You can determine if your floor has a surface finish by either scratching the surface with a coin or other sharp object in a corner or other inconspicuous area, or by applying two drops of water in an inconspicuous area, corner or behind a door. If the finish does not flake from scratching with a coin, and white spots do not appear from the drops of water, the floor has a surface finish.

To maintain a wood floor with a surface finish, dust mop, sweep or vacuum regularly, and clean periodically with a manufacturer's recommended cleaner. Do not use wax on a surface finished wood floor. When cleaning no longer restores shine, recoat the floor with a surface finish. The frequency of recoating will depend on the amount of traffic on the floor.