"When I bought this house, it was was filthy, smelled horrible from outside even, was rodent and roach-infested. Counters, floors were wet and rotting. Everything had to be torn out and rebuilt. Now my home is beautiful. The bathrooms are lovely. There were no short-cuts or rush jobs, or anything left unfinished. I’ve had neighbors and friends who are in building and construction admire and compliment the high quality of the work done on my home. Most people who come in comment on the beautiful flooring, or the cleanliness of the walls and ceilings. I live in a quiet, gated community and there was never a complaint about a mess outside or noise. Very clean."
Besides feeling icky grit when walking barefoot in your home, not mopping the floors can create health risks. Pollen, dirt, dust, and overall filth lead to allergen, bacteria, and even mold buildup, polluting your home and creating an unhygienic environment. You also risk damaging the floors due to stains and scratches with neglect. Lastly, your home will become less inviting due to odors from the lack of cleaning.
You should strip and wax hardwood floors every six months to two years. The actual length of time between stripping and waxing depends on the wear and tear that the floors see. Stripping and waxing floors can help repair hardwood floor damage and give the room a fresh look.
Yes, vinegar and water can strip wax. For a DIY wax stripper, mix about a quarter cup of vinegar with one gallon of warm water. You can also mix one cup of cream of tartar, one cup of white vinegar, and one gallon of water. Before using it on a large area of the floor, you should test it in an inconspicuous place to make sure it works like you want it to.
A floor polisher won’t remove scratches from a wood floor, but the polish can fill in surface scratches and make them all but invisible. If you run your fingernail gently over the scratch and it doesn’t catch, chances are that the polish will hide it. If it does catch, you might want to have your floors fully refinished, and you might need to have a professional floor sander in for particularly deep scratches. When in doubt, call a professional floor polisher to determine if polish will fill in your scratches or if you need more in-depth services.
To maintain vinyl and linoleum floors, regular sweeping and damp mopping are recommended. It is also important to avoid using harsh chemicals, as this helps maintain the floor's appearance and integrity while preventing damage.
The Crowell, TX homeowners’ guide to floor polishing services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
It’s impossible to keep floors damage-free over the years. Thankfully, the cost to refinish hardwood floors is far less than the price tag to replace them altogether.
Polished concrete floor costs depend on the size of the area you’re targeting and the style of concrete floor. Our guide breaks down all the cost factors.
With so many types of polished concrete floors to choose from, you should first learn about the classes of grinding, levels of polishing, and color options.
