Very good information here. I just had a cleaning person use Pledge orange oil furniture cleaner ALL OVER my house on my wood floors. It's a skating rink. Does anyone know how to remove it? I have solid, finished hardwood floors.

DO NOT use pledge or any of the other junk on any of your wood (floors, furniture, trim, firewood). No Pledge, Murphey's, Liquid Gold, or whatever other glorious name you find. They all contain chemicals that will ruin your finish in the long run. Endust is OK for dusting.

I also disagree with glass cleaner, some also have chemicals that will damage a wood finish.

Damp mops and rags (almost dry) with warm water so it evaporates quickly. There are solvents than can be used but unless you are a chemist, stay away from them.

Sometimes the manufacturers of floor finishes have their own cleaners, these will be acceptable, but you need to know what finish is on your floor. Run of the mill poly usually doesn't have a proprietary cleaner.

Your floors are slippery because Pledge has silicone in it and it is slippery. It also creates problems with refinishing down the road.

I bought a used cargo van once. When I went to pick it up they had cleaned the inside and sprayed something with silicone all over the rubber and vinyl parts to make it look "new". SALE CANCELLED! In a close closed area like that even the fumes will transfer to whatever is carried in there. Couldn't risk it being transferred to my work.

Yea Sophie, I know, this is an old post. I always take an opportunity to get this message out.

So you're suggesting mop the oily floors with damp clothes and warm water to get the oil off?

Cloths, not clothes :)

Since I don't know what kind of finish is on your floors, I don't know exactly what to tell you to use. The previous advice was for wood/finish that had already been coated with something foreign. In case you can't tell, I hate all those cleaning products, the always cause problems initially or in the future.

Not having all the details, here's what I would do, but maybe some of the floor guys can help out here.

Do all of this in an inconspicuous spot.

First try a dilute mixture of dawn (blue) and warm water. This may remove the oily residue.

If that doesn't work, try mineral spirits and then the dawn and warm water, followed by just water. (remember almost dry rag).

I would do all of this on your hands and knees by hand. No mops you don't have good enough control with them.

The slipperiness caused by the silicone is just going to have to wear off.

Thank you, I appreciate your advice!

Gutsy call Al F.

Taking the chance of incurring "Sophie's Wrath" again (haha).

@salcori2... The approach Al F. outlined is what I'd have suggested if I were as knowledgeable as him.

As he mentions, without knowing what's on your floors (besides the off the counter junk sold to spruce up yard sale furniture)... it's tough to suggest a remedy, so the best approach will be the least damaging... the very slightly DAMP cloth using a mild mix of Dawn Dish Soap, because it's less likely to leave a residue, as suggested. And perhaps a slight once over with just WATER (again, slightly damp... not soaking wet).

The rule of thumb we use is NEVER apply water in an amount that won't evaporate within SEVERAL minutes tops.

Another option is a diluted mix of vinegar & water, although you may develop the urge to have a salad mid project.

These approaches are ONLY suggested if you can ascertain that the flooring in question has a polyurethane or some other surface finish that will impede moisture from contacting the wood itself.

By the way... the largest problem with silicone based products, is that they basically saturate the surface, and make future re-coating, and in extended use... refinishing PROBLEMATIC.

Update: They sent someone else out. She used a smidge of Dawn dish soap and mostly water, then went over it with dry cloths. It definitely helped but there's still some oil left. She's going to come back and do another round of the same. At least now my kids and I aren't slipping! Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

After you clean the gunk off the floor, do not put anything else on them!

I will reiterate my suggestion on how to clean wood floors. If your floors are finished with a non-oil based, polyurethane-type finish, use a glass cleaner with water 1:3. Barely wet the mop.

You don't need a name brand anything. Check the ingredients for yourself. Hardware floor companies will sell you their own brand of cleaner. It is the same stuff. Do not use soap, wax, Murphy's or any other cleaner.

@ ylrdog; your are absolutely correct about not needing anything special to clean the floors. You are also correct about not using Murphey's or any other cleaner.

But...., all the ingredients in a product are not listed on the label. Pledge has silicone, not on the label, car waxes have silicone, not on the label, and on and on. Even the MSDS doesn't list all ingredients. When in doubt call the manufacturer's tech support. If they won't answer the question, don't buy their product.

Glass cleaner is not a safe product for any wood finish. Ammonia can ruin some wood finishes. Be careful. If you want a safe finish, with no soaps etc., stick with the old vinegar and water.

Please help!! I have a similar situation, only I (stupidly) steam cleaned my engineered hard wood floors after a huge milkshake was spilled on them. Now my floors look almost like the ones in the picture above. Very dull in the spots that were cleaned. I dried it right after, but it almost looks like a wax coat has been stripped off. Does anyone have any suggestions to bring the shine back, or are we going to have to replace it? (It's in a main area of the house and very noticeable. My husband is out of town and I'd like to try something before he gets back on Thursday!) :(

Oh dear. Steam can "cook" a finish. That "cooking" can show dulling or hazing (hazing is very common). If you have a wax finished floor (hardwax finish is very specific with hardwood so you need to check) it can be spot repaired.

I would guess the finish is NOT wax (even though you used the word "wax" I would guess this is a traditional urethane/polyurethane finish). If the finish is urethane/polyurethane (site finished) you can have a wood flooring professional (who is trained for site-finishing) to come in and see what can be done.

If this is an engineered hardwood, it is probably easier to cut out the planks and drop in new ones (from the left over boxes from your installation that you very wisely put away in storage).

No matter what you do, it will NOT be fixed by Thursday.

The company that makes streetshoe floor finishes has a system to clean a floor so it does not need to be sanded before refinishing. They clean the floor. If nothing else works I'd look into those products. The first product you use just cleans it. I presume the second product does etch it and you would not want to use it.

This may not be a product buildup problem. Whether or not this is real wood, you may have stripped off the outer finish.

If the floor is entirely smooth level, it is more likely to be wood, but if it is entirely smooth and level -- you cannot feel where one board ends and another begins anywhere, it may be a product other than wood.

If this is real wood, it may need to be sanded and a new finish added. If it is not real wood ... bummer.

You could try a buffer tool intended for car to see if this is a build up problem.

As a last resort, because it does look really bad, you could try rubbing it with fine steel wool along with the direction of the grain or even rubbing it in gentle circular motions -- not back and forth across the grain.

What, if anything, worked?

Tried the Dawn and it worked! I think the previous owners used some type of cleaner that caused a buildup and all of my attempts to clean the floors for the last 8 months have been in vain until now. Here's what I did on just one plank to test: I applied Dawn to a damp (warm water) Scotch-Brite Greener Cleaner non-scratch sponge. I had quite a bit of buildup and the soft side didn't remove it so I used the scrubby side and gently scrubbed until the plank felt smooth. I then wiped off the soap with a warm damp cloth and immediately dried it with a dry cloth. It looks really good so I plan to do the rest of the floor in small sections. Thanks for all of the great advice!

UPDATE: Ok, the Dawn does work but it's extemely labor intensive and messy. I was a little worried about trying denatured alcohol but tested it in a small spot and it works great! I still needed to get on my hands and knees and work a small area at a time but it works a lot faster and dries almost immediately.

I also had a terrible experience with Bona floor polish...worse product ever! My hardwoods weren't quite as bad as the pics here but they were bad enough. I spent a lot of money on cleaners and "special" mops and nothing worked. I was ready to spend over $300 on a buffer, pads and special cleaner! If that didn't work my last resort was to hire a professional! Yesterday, while in Walmart I saw Windex and had remembered reading online that it worked for a few individuals. I thought what the heck why not try it. I spent $3.12 plus tax on a bottle of Original Windex spray, I sprayed the worst area of my hardwoods with the Windex and then took a soft bristled brush and scrubbed a little followed by drying my O'Cedar mop. If I hadn't seen it work with my own eyes I never would have believed it! I finished my entire hardwoods and didn't even use the whole bottle! Some areas took two applications of Windex and a little harder scrubbing but it titled on all areas. My hardwoods look like brand new again!

@kathleen MK....Aluminum Oxide (AO) is a mineral poweder that is ADDED to urethane/polyurethane finish. Normally they apply the urethane and then DUST the plank with the AO....and then bake it/UV Cure. They do this as much as 9 times. This is how they create the "tough" finishes. They bake in 7-9 layers of AO to a low-grade urethane finish.

It does NOT change the fact that you have urethane finish. Urethane (and many polyurethanes) are NOT 100% impervious to water. Layman's terms = a long standing water spill will ENTER the finish (leak through) and hit the wood below. Once it hits the wood = water stain. Water stains are permanent...until you SAND DOWN the finish and then sand out the stain (AO is expensive to remove ....can cost an extra $2-$3/sf MORE than a standard sand/refinish).

Gray wood = permanent.

As for your cleaning routine (I'm a horrible house wife so my floors get half of what you are doing...if I remember that month) = PERFECT!!! Yes. Vacuuming/sweeping is the MAJOR component to hardwood floor upkeep. A very lightly damp cloth (almost dry) is all a little dirt patch needs if the vacuum doesn't pick it up.

Bona cleaners are a once/month (yes...1/month) event. Again, I'm horrible at the basics and my floors look normal. Not perfect. Just normal. Over cleaning is what causes people's complaints about hazing and smudging. Keep up the good work! You're doing just fine!

In need of help as well.....been reading everyone's advice - my problem is we are about to move out of a rented home in 3 weeks. The floor already had scratches which is fine but I'm trying to either lighten up the scratches that we caused (my husband has been sanding them down and covering with polyurethane ) but I want to clean them up and get the dirt out of them so they aren't so noticeable when we leave - I keep hearing mineral spirits on google but not sure if that will clean. Already tried the vinegar mix, no luck. Any advice on just getting the dirt out of the cracks? Not cleaning the entire floor ?

@dhoag74 - First a caution about sanding out scratches and then applying polyurethane....this could be a situation where the cure is worse than the disease. The patch polyurethane almost NEVER matches the original for sheen = you have a patchwork quilt of shiny/not shiny all over the wood floor.

A poly pen would be the product of choice here. Just like a stain pen, only it contains polyurethane (in the right sheen), you apply a VERY thin amount of poly to the scratch itself. Problem: you can't "sand" the area. Clean yes...sand no.

Your with dirt between planks = old floor with wide gaps between the planks = black lines where dirt has gathered. Unless you caused the shrinkage of the planks (takes decades to do this) it probably isn't your fault.

As for getting it out: tooth brush with the SOFTEST bristles and some rubbing alcohol. Please work with HEAVY ventilation.

If you feel that isn't working, you can also look at TSP (on the tooth brush). I like to work with the "household cleaner" strength.

Photos of your floor would be helpful. Other than regular wear and tear, a hardwood floor that has been lived on is allowed to have scratches...and even dirt between the planks. This is considered "normal" for any hardwood. Especially if it is coming close to the sand/refinish time in its life.

This is helpful. It is a very old floor. The dirt between the planks is fine. My German Shepherd caused scratches that caught dirt. The scratches will blend in but I'm trying to get the black dirt out so we don't lose our deposit

Photos please...how old is "old"? A hardwood floor finish can last about 20 years. How long were you in the house? What can be considered normal wear and tear cannot be withheld. Scratches in a finish that is more than 20 years old would be hard to argue as "damage". It would be considered "end of life" and require new finish no matter who lived there.

If you mean that the scratches are SO DEEP that the RAW WOOD is turning "gray or black" then this is a different animal. When this happens the ONLY solution is a full sand and refinish. That could be a reason to withhold the deposit.

Again, words won't tell me if you have dirt between the planks vs. old vs. damaged planks that will require cause loss of damage deposit. Photos will tell me.

I use a very small amount of Dawn Blue soap and about 1/4 teaspoon of peroxide in a bucket of water. Will I damage the finish of my engineered wood floors? I use the same when I wash the car. It gets extremely clean and shinny. Please let me know if I am doing wrong.

Murphy's oil soap is the only cleaner I use on my hardwood floors, cleans the floor wonderfully and smells great and it is organic product. I don't ever use chemicals in the house or yard

Fascinating! So many righteous opinions, based on so little information. Someone asked for help, explained their situation honestly, and were roundly criticized and lectured. You wonder why politicians are dishonest? Because honesty gets trampled on. If the OP said they bought a house with a dirty engineered floor, added photos, they would have gotten better answers. What's that say about us?

Orange glow made splotches on my floor. I had them screened and they look brand new.

solution to anyone having put Murphy oil soap on you're wood/laminate floor.I just bought a house 6 months ago where someone put it on the floor,it was a mess,i tried everything but one thing...dawn dish washing liquid,it safely removes oil from sea life etc.so i just tried it and all oil is gone...seriously i jumped for joy.This is the steps i took...don't put water onto the floor,you must do this by hand.Take a thick wash cloth and wet it with hot water,ring it out as much water as possible ,lay you're cloth flat on the counter then drizzle dawn over it,top of cloth to bottom without squeezing the bottle,just let it drizzle out,then rub you're hands all over the cloth to spread the soap...you will see suds so the run hot water ...as you are ringing the cloth out...rinse the suds without adding water into the cloth.Then dry you're hands and get a dry cloth"microfiber cloth is best",you will have little to no drying to do i used it to buff it...then start wiping"do a section and see the difference"and rinse you're cloth in hot water and repeat the steps over.I just cleaned 2000 sf. it took me most of the day but i am telling you it works and no more oil.I tried the vinegar solution and many more remedies and nothing worked until i tried dawn.I live in Ms. and was watching a dawn commercial cleaning oil from the sea life due to a oil spill and it hit me,I wasted no time to try it today...this has been a nightmare,you're floor is always oily and leaves tracks and smears minutes after moping...no more of that problem.

Dear Doane,

A well established hardwood flooring company (a "ma and pa" type store) will have the big machines to get the product off of your floor. It won't be cheap but it will be fast.

They can use a big machine with a screening pad to get up most of that gunk. They don't like doing it - because they go through SOOO many screening discs (I've heard of more than 12 discs being used in one home). All of their materials will have to be paid for (as part of your contract), but it can be done.

Start reaching out to those stores that have 25+ years in the hardwood flooring industry. They should be able to get the job done for you. I would bet it would come in at the same price as a "buff and coat" (national average = $3/sf). Maybe a snick less because they won't be using any product. It could be as low as $2/sf. But that's just a quick guess.

Vinegar & Water, then douche the floors.

If the hardwood floors look messed up after you put down polish, you can apply Bono floor polish remover or windex with some elbow grease. It's a pain but you can get your floors back. A professional is not needed but a lot of work on your part is involved. Sorry! I first contacted a number of flooring companies and was told by one of them that windex would do the trick and windex does not hurt surfaces, including wood floors. I had to get on my hands and knees, spray windex on a section of the floor, wipe, repeat. It gently removes the crappy floor polish I had applied, leaving the floors clean and healthy looking without hurting the color or flooring material. I had a solution that works, but it takes elbow grease. Bono floor polish remover is expensive and works no better than windex.

Everyone says don’t steam mop- I’ll post a before and after pic of floors that I steam mopped and then let air dry, then with a dry mop I mopped on a coat of Weimans hard wood floor polish......waa la! floors look beautiful.

Before

After

Will mineral spirits make my dull unfinished floors shine a bit? And can I put wax on unfinished wood? If so what kind?

So we are new homeowners and prefinished hardwood floors installed. We havw maybe mopped them six times in the last month. We didn’t know about using the manufacturer‘s cleaner until this evening. Thus far we have been using a small amount of vinegar. We tried a new mop the last two times and it has left a larger amount of water on the floor than “just bare wet”. Are our floors going to be okay? I’m very worried that we messed them up.

Hi I had my floors sanded and refinished with a Swedish finish the owner told me it was the best refinish. Well after a month he had to come back and redo it. then after three months back again! first he was trying to blame me. Then blamed the product. Welk it’s been a year and the floors Are horrible now I am afraid it won’t be able to be fixed. What should I do?

Heat. The hazing is from water trapped under the finish. Each cleaning product you used that had water but etched away just enough of the finish to trap water under it caused even more hazing. Grab a towel and an iron. No steam needed. Get it hot and check frequently. It won’t go away instantly just like it didn’t instantly look the way it does now.

Note my response is to the original post of this strand.

If this were me, the first thing I would try is to get down on my touche and scrub the floors by hand with a dampened "Streak-free" cleaning cloth. They have a slight tooth to them that 'scrubs' on a micro level, getting deep into the pores of a surface. It may be sufficient to get all those layers of cleaning residue off. Ongoing, it's the only thing I clean wood with. No chemicals, hardly any water. You can wring the cloth till it's nearly dry. It has the quality of a shammy. It cleans and polishes all in one go.