The 3/8″ and 1/2″ strip floors have a much shorter life span, because only the top of the grooved layer can be sanded and refinished repeatedly. The 3/4″ thick strip floor has a wearable layer of about 5/16″. The 3/8″ strip floor only has a little less than 2/16″ and the 1/2″ floors something in between the two, at about 3/16″. Given the fact that labor costs for installation are about the same for each material, the thinner floors make little sense. The 3/4″ strip floor has 6-8 sanding and refinishing cycles in its life, giving it at least a life span of 150-300 years. Whereas the 3/8″ at best is only cycled thrice, giving it a total life of only 60-75 years. Who knows what costs and availability will be like that far into the future? Installing a long lasting floor now is a wise use of the Standing Tree Nation’s venerable bones. Not to mention it gives a boost to your property value too.
Strip floors are easy to install and whether they come in prefinished or unfinished they make for a straightforward do-it-yourself project. But you must realize these wood strips are meant to nailed down to wood, and the fastener and subfloor choice is as important as the floor itself. One of my most common questions in the Ask the Expert section of this web site is what do I do about wood floor squeaks? Why not avoid future squeaking by installing your strip floor correctly now? I’ll explain how.
Installing Strip Flooring and Avoiding Future Squeaks and Pops
In this article I will give you the inside story on how to nail down a new strip floor so that no future squeaks will occur. I will tell you the hidden truths about OSB (oriented strand board) subfloors. Believe me when I tell you that this article goes well beyond the “industry standard”.
Let’s start out by defining just what strip floor is. My definition may be different from many contractors, but I call strip floor any random length wood floor strips less than 4″ wide. They can however, be any thickness, 3/8″, 1/2″, but the 3/4″ strip is the most common in North America. The 3/4″ strip floor is also the most stable and durable. When a strip floor is too thin for it’s width it will have a tendency to warp, when great variances in indoor relative humidity occur. For instance a 1/2″ thick strip that is 3″ wide is a very poor choice, but a 1 1/2″ by 1/2″ strip should be quite stable. So, as a general rule, try not to exceed a 4 to 1 ratio of the width vs. depth, and 3 to 1 would be ideal. That makes the 2 1/4″ by 3/4″ strip floor the most stable and longest lasting hardwood floor. It has less of a tendency to warp and when it does shrink in really dry conditions, it forms smaller less noticeable gaps.
The 3/8″ and 1/2″ strip floors have a much shorter life span, because only the top of the grooved layer can be sanded and refinished repeatedly. The 3/4″ thick strip floor has a wearable layer of about 5/16″. The 3/8″ strip floor only has a little less than 2/16″ and the 1/2″ floors something in between the two, at about 3/16″. Given the fact that labor costs for installation are about the same for each material, the thinner floors make little sense. The 3/4″ strip floor has 6-8 sanding and refinishing cycles in its life, giving it at least a life span of 150-300 years. Whereas the 3/8″ at best is only cycled thrice, giving it a total life of only 60-75 years. Who knows what costs and availability will be like that far into the future? Installing a long lasting floor now is a wise use of the Standing Tree Nation’s venerable bones. Not to mention it gives a boost to your property value too.
Strip floors are easy to install and whether they come in prefinished or unfinished they make for a straightforward do-it-yourself project. But you must realize these wood strips are meant to nailed down to wood, and the fastener and subfloor choice is as important as the floor itself. One of my most common questions in the Ask the Expert section of this web site is what do I do about wood floor squeaks? Why not avoid future squeaking by installing your strip floor correctly now? I’ll explain how.
The 3/8″ and 1/2″ strip floors have a much shorter life span, because only the top of the grooved layer can be sanded and refinished repeatedly. The 3/4″ thick strip floor has a wearable layer of about 5/16″. The 3/8″ strip floor only has a little less than 2/16″ and the 1/2″ floors something in between the two, at about 3/16″. Given the fact that labor costs for installation are about the same for each material, the thinner floors make little sense. The 3/4″ strip floor has 6-8 sanding and refinishing cycles in its life, giving it at least a life span of 150-300 years. Whereas the 3/8″ at best is only cycled thrice, giving it a total life of only 60-75 years. Who knows what costs and availability will be like that far into the future? Installing a long lasting floor now is a wise use of the Standing Tree Nation’s venerable bones. Not to mention it gives a boost to your property value too.
Strip floors are easy to install and whether they come in prefinished or unfinished they make for a straightforward do-it-yourself project. But you must realize these wood strips are meant to nailed down to wood, and the fastener and subfloor choice is as important as the floor itself. One of my most common questions in the Ask the Expert section of this web site is what do I do about wood floor squeaks? Why not avoid future squeaking by installing your strip floor correctly now? I’ll explain how.
Product Review: Cleaning Wood Floors with Scott’s Liquid Gold and Other All-Purpose Cleaners
Learn the claims that Scott’s Liquid Gold makes. See what it really does to hardwood floors!
Scott’s Liquid Gold is a popular, long-standing wood cleaning product. The company was incorporated in 1954. The product is designed for paneling, cabinets and wood floors. The product is appealing because it is an all-in-one wood cleaner does all the wood in your house. However, an all-purpose cleaner will never do a good job on your wood surfaces. All wood cleaners clean the wood finish, not the wood itself. A cabinet and a wood floor have completely different types of finishes. If you are using an all-purpose wood cleaner on your wood floors and on your furniture, it is apparent that you will never see the results that you want. It is an easy-to-use product that has a one-step application process. It claims to clean and polish.
Scott’s Liquid Gold promises a durable, lasting sheen but it does not deliver. Its pleasant cherry-almond smell makes the product unique. Most of the other wood cleaning products have citrus scents like lemon and orange. Like many of the other products, it is a spray on. If you have read any of my other cleaning articles, it should be clear that most wood sprays that come in aerosol cans leave a film or residue because they contain waxes and other hard oils that sit on top of your floor finish. Scott’s Liquid Gold is no exception. It uses petroleum distillate. This wax will leave a filmy residue on your wood floor.
Scott’s Liquid Gold is not suitable for floors that have paste wax or polyurethane. The reason that it cannot be used on polyurethane is because it will make the wood floor slippery. If the floor is slippery, it means that there is a slick film on your floor. That rules out the majority of hardwood floors. The company states that paste wax and polyurethane are not penetrable finishes. Liquid Gold cannot penetrate into the finish to reach the wood. However, no wood cleaning product enters the pores of the wood. All wood floor cleaners only clean the surface layer. No wood floor cleaner penetrates into the wood itself. This seems like a very questionable explanation for why paste wax and polyurethaned floors are unsuitable for Scott’s Liquid Gold.
Scott’s Liquid Gold might be an all-purpose wood cleaner but it is not designed for all wood surfaces and finishes. It is not suitable for bleached or veneer, simulated wood or on painted, waxed, laminated, whitewashed wood, compressed or particle board, parquet flooring or deteriorated finishes. The product may alter the appearance of bleached or laminated wood. This long list of wood surfaces that it cannot be used on makes me very weary of the product. The company does not provide adequate reasoning for the long list of wood surfaces to avoid.
Scott’s Liquid Gold has the ability to alter the color of your wood floors by darkening them. Personally, this would make me unhappy because the color will probably look uneven. It is almost impossible to apply the cleaner perfectly evenly. To ensure a more even application, the company reccomends spraying the product onto a cloth. However, because the product is in a spray can, most people will just assume that they can spray it on. It does not seem intuitive to spray the product into a cloth.
Scott’s Liquid Gold is also sold as a product that removes wax build-up. There is however a serious disclaimer. It says that Scott’s Liquid Gold has the propensity to create white cloudy circles. This will occur if silicone products were used on the wood surface previously. If cloudy patches occur, it may require that the wood surface needs to be refinished. This is very serious. If you use a proper wax stripper for wood floors, this will not happen.
In conclusion, Scott’s Liquid Gold may alter your wood floor’s appearance. It may change the color of the wood. It also may leave a filmy residue that will be hard to remove. Scott’s Liquid Gold is not worth the potential risk to your wood floor, especially if it might mean a refinishing job.
Scott’s Liquid Gold is also sold as a product that removes wax build-up. There is however a serious disclaimer. It says that Scott’s Liquid Gold has the propensity to create white cloudy circles. This will occur if silicone products were used on the wood surface previously. If cloudy patches occur, it may require that the wood surface needs to be refinished. This is very serious. If you use a proper wax stripper for wood floors, this will not happen.
In conclusion, Scott’s Liquid Gold may alter your wood floor’s appearance. It may change the color of the wood. It also may leave a filmy residue that will be hard to remove. Scott’s Liquid Gold is not worth the potential risk to your wood floor, especially if it might mean a refinishing job. Cleaning Your Wood Floors with Black Tea
Learn about how the tannic acid in your black tea bags cleans wood floors.
Black tea is becoming known as an easy, quick cleaner for wood floors. Regardless of its growing popularity, it is never advisable to wet mop your wood floor or use water to clean your floor. In most cases this seemingly innocent act will void your warranty. That said, cleaning your floors with steeped black tea is not necessarily a good idea if you do plan on keeping your warranty valid. It is definitely an unconnvetnitional method of cleaning wood floors. I personally would never recommend anything that would potentially void your floor warranty. It is completely your choice whether or not you want to try the black tea wood floor cleaning method on your wood floors but now you know the potential risk. Wood that is water-logged will swell, warp and possibly even rot. If you are going to use black tea, be very careful to use the most minimal amount of the cleaning solution on your floors.
To make the cleaning solution, steep about 6 tea bags in one quart of boiling water for about 10 minutes. (One quart is 2 tablespoons under one liter.) Discard the tea bags. Allow the tea to cool down before you use the solution. The black tea can be applied to wood floors with a clean, soft cloth. Alternately, you can use a spray bottle to apply it. Using a dry rag, go over the wet areas and quickly soak up the tea. The black tea solution should be applied in sections so that it can dry effectively. Some people will use a mop like a Swiffer to spread the black tea solution. The problem is that you have little control over how much liquid is being put on your wood floors and it will be tricky to dry your floors after. I definitely do not recommend the wet mopping technique. It could be a quick way to wreck your floors.
Some people will even dry mop after to increase the shine of their wood floors. This black tea solution is only meant for darkly stained floors. If the wood floors are light, it might leave dark streaks. If you have wood floors that are close to the color of black tea, it will restore your floor’s natural brown color. It is important to do a patch test in an inconspicuous area in case you are dissatisfied with the results.
Black tea will enhance the wood grain, giving your floors clarity and shine. The tannic acid in the tea gives wood floors a brilliant shine. Unlike a lot of the commercially available products, black tea doesn’t leave a sticky residue behind. It is a cheap, natural, homemade cleaning solution that anyone can make. This makes it an attractive cleaning solution. Keep in mind that if you decide to employ this cleaning method, you are running the risk of voiding your wood floor warranty.
To make the cleaning solution, steep about 6 tea bags in one quart of boiling water for about 10 minutes. (One quart is 2 tablespoons under one liter.) Discard the tea bags. Allow the tea to cool down before you use the solution. The black tea can be applied to wood floors with a clean, soft cloth. Alternately, you can use a spray bottle to apply it. Using a dry rag, go over the wet areas and quickly soak up the tea. The black tea solution should be applied in sections so that it can dry effectively. Some people will use a mop like a Swiffer to spread the black tea solution. The problem is that you have little control over how much liquid is being put on your wood floors and it will be tricky to dry your floors after. I definitely do not recommend the wet mopping technique. It could be a quick way to wreck your floors.
Some people will even dry mop after to increase the shine of their wood floors. This black tea solution is only meant for darkly stained floors. If the wood floors are light, it might leave dark streaks. If you have wood floors that are close to the color of black tea, it will restore your floor’s natural brown color. It is important to do a patch test in an inconspicuous area in case you are dissatisfied with the results.
Black tea will enhance the wood grain, giving your floors clarity and shine. The tannic acid in the tea gives wood floors a brilliant shine. Unlike a lot of the commercially available products, black tea doesn’t leave a sticky residue behind. It is a cheap, natural, homemade cleaning solution that anyone can make. This makes it an attractive cleaning solution. Keep in mind that if you decide to employ this cleaning method, you are running the risk of voiding your wood floor warranty. Cleaning Your Wood Floors with Dish Soap and Water
Learn the negative effects of cleaning your wood floors with dish soap and water.
Water and wood are not a happy couple. Water causes wood to expand, warp and sometimes even rot. Wet mopping a wood floor is as serious as loosing your warranty. Many consumers are skeptical about the different cleaning products on the market. This growing concern is primarily because various cleaning products contain toxic ingredients and they often do not deliver the results they promise.
That said, a lot of people use dish soap as an all-purpose cleaning product. One of the top dish soap pics for cleaning wood floors is Dawn. It is a widely available liquid soap. We all know that dish soap cuts grease and dirt on dishes very well. With this in mind, a lot of people feel it will do the same to their wood floors. They feel that their wood floors will be clean and shiny. It is a cheap, easy to make solution that anybody can try. This is why it is so appealing. Regardless of the outcome, I personally do not recommend cleaning wood floors with dish soap and water, but I will still show you how it’s done.
The dish soap has to be pH neutral to be effective. It has to be mixed with water in a spray bottle. You need to shake the mixture to evenly distribute the dish soap. This wood floor cleaning method must be done in sections to have control on how much water is used and how quickly it is dried up. Some people use a dry terry cloth mop to distribute the dish soap solution to their wood floors. A rag will also do the trick. It will be quite easy to accidentally leave behind some dish soap still on your floors. This means you will have a tacky residue on your wood floors. In fact, most people don’t wipe it off. They leave it on. This sounds like an ineffective way to clean your wood floors. Make a dish soap and water solution. Pour it onto your floors. Wipe it around. Remove all the solution you can with some fresh water on a cloth. Even if you are attempting to remove the dish soap, with some water, you will never remove all of it.
Not everyone takes the last step and removes the soapy solution. Commonly, some will just rub the soapy solution with a cloth into their floors and not remove it. These people actually think that they are buffing their floors. Personally, I think they are spreading the soapy residue all over their wood floors. However, if you have ever washed dishes, you know that you need to rinse them with water to get the soap off. It does not wipe clean, no matter what anybody tells you! You cannot just rub it off! Dish soap does not work like that! Those of you who plan wet mop your hardwood floors to remove the soapy solution, beware that this act in itself will more than likely void your floor warranty. There are many people who wet mop with clean, warm water to remove the soapy solution. Indeed this will remove the soapy solution but it is the worst thing you can possibly do to your wood floors.
Dish soap is not designed for wood floors. Some dish soaps have the potential to strip the floor finish or prematurely deteriorate it.
Films left on wood floors generally dull the floor. Removing the film left behind by the dish soap is another process. It requires the use of vinegar in a spray bottle mixed with a little bit of water.
That said, a lot of people use dish soap as an all-purpose cleaning product. One of the top dish soap pics for cleaning wood floors is Dawn. It is a widely available liquid soap. We all know that dish soap cuts grease and dirt on dishes very well. With this in mind, a lot of people feel it will do the same to their wood floors. They feel that their wood floors will be clean and shiny. It is a cheap, easy to make solution that anybody can try. This is why it is so appealing. Regardless of the outcome, I personally do not recommend cleaning wood floors with dish soap and water, but I will still show you how it’s done.
The dish soap has to be pH neutral to be effective. It has to be mixed with water in a spray bottle. You need to shake the mixture to evenly distribute the dish soap. This wood floor cleaning method must be done in sections to have control on how much water is used and how quickly it is dried up. Some people use a dry terry cloth mop to distribute the dish soap solution to their wood floors. A rag will also do the trick. It will be quite easy to accidentally leave behind some dish soap still on your floors. This means you will have a tacky residue on your wood floors. In fact, most people don’t wipe it off. They leave it on. This sounds like an ineffective way to clean your wood floors. Make a dish soap and water solution. Pour it onto your floors. Wipe it around. Remove all the solution you can with some fresh water on a cloth. Even if you are attempting to remove the dish soap, with some water, you will never remove all of it.
Not everyone takes the last step and removes the soapy solution. Commonly, some will just rub the soapy solution with a cloth into their floors and not remove it. These people actually think that they are buffing their floors. Personally, I think they are spreading the soapy residue all over their wood floors. However, if you have ever washed dishes, you know that you need to rinse them with water to get the soap off. It does not wipe clean, no matter what anybody tells you! You cannot just rub it off! Dish soap does not work like that! Those of you who plan wet mop your hardwood floors to remove the soapy solution, beware that this act in itself will more than likely void your floor warranty. There are many people who wet mop with clean, warm water to remove the soapy solution. Indeed this will remove the soapy solution but it is the worst thing you can possibly do to your wood floors.
Dish soap is not designed for wood floors. Some dish soaps have the potential to strip the floor finish or prematurely deteriorate it.
Films left on wood floors generally dull the floor. Removing the film left behind by the dish soap is another process. It requires the use of vinegar in a spray bottle mixed with a little bit of water. Cleaning Wood Floors with Pledge Wood Floor Products
Learn about the residue that Pledge wood floor cleaning products leaves on your wood floors.
Pledge is a popular product line that has been around for eons. It is owned by S.C. Johnson A Family Company, the same coorporation that owns Windex. With the help of aggressive advertising, Pledge has earned itself a place in many North American households over the years.
The Pledge product line is quite extensive. Not all of the Pledge products have been formulated for wood floors. Some of the Pledge products are meant to clean other types of surfaces. The Pledge products that are designed for wood floors are Pledge Orange Wood Floor Cleaner, Pledge Grab-it Dry or Wet Cloths and SC Johnson Paste Wax. Not everybody reads the label before selecting their cleaning products in the store. By mistake, some people try using Pledge Furniture Polish and Pledge Wipes on their wood floors but these are not meant for floors. The Pledge Furniture Polish has made many people with wood floors upset. Even though it says right on the label that it will make wood floors very slippery and it is strictly a furniture polish, people still use it on their wood floors and complain about how they have a skating rink after! Many people have taken serious falls because they used the furniture polish on their hardwood floors. It is pretty obvious that most people will be unhappy with the results of a cleaning product that they use on wood floors if it was never intended to be used on wood floors. It is just common sense!
Putting the non-wood floor cleaning products aside, the Pledge Wood Floor Cleaner promises to clean and condition wood floors safely. It also claims to leave no dulling residue behind. Pledge claims to protect against scuff marks. It promises to remove dirt build-up. It is a one-step cleaner that does not require any mixing or diluting. The pleasant citrus scent and the easy-to-use squeeze bottle make it an attractive product.
Even using the correct Pledge wood floor cleaner will leave your floors very slippery at first. Further, there have been some cases where Pledge actually damages wood floors. For example, if you use enough Pledge, overtime it might strip the finish. The wax in Pledge will often create a tacky film that will remain on your wood floors. Not everybody looks at their floors very closely after they have cleaned it. Some people think that their wood floors may look cleaner but not at all shiny. They may look duller than before you used Pledge. Most wood floors with Pledge will look streaky, especially where you have walked. Not as important but still worth mentioning, Pledge requires a large amount of product and it is tricky to work it onto the wood surface. On the label it explains to apply Pledge in an S shape to your wood floors. This method is recommended in order to apply the product evenly.
In order to remove Pledge requires ammonia mixed with a non-chlorinated cleaning product to remove the hazy, gray residue. The residue is the serious problem and you don’t want that on your hardwood floors!
That said, Pledge is less offensive than many of the other wood floor cleaners on the market. There are many people who are happy with its results. Personally, I do not recommend it for your wood floors. If your floor does develop a slick film from it, it will be hard work to lift it off. The pleasant smell and the one-step process are not enough to fool me!
In order to remove Pledge requires ammonia mixed with a non-chlorinated cleaning product to remove the hazy, gray residue. The residue is the serious problem and you don’t want that on your hardwood floors!
That said, Pledge is less offensive than many of the other wood floor cleaners on the market. There are many people who are happy with its results. Personally, I do not recommend it for your wood floors. If your floor does develop a slick film from it, it will be hard work to lift it off. The pleasant smell and the one-step process are not enough to fool me! Cleaning Wood Floors with Mop & Glo Wood Floor Cleaner
Learn the negative effects of Mop & Glo Wood Floor Cleaner and other water-based acrylic polishes.
Mop & Glo has been spelled a few different ways. People sometimes refer to it as “Mop ‘N Glo” or “Mop And Glo”. In case you are unfamiliar with it, Mop & Glo Wood Floor Cleaner is a trendy cleaning product that is a water-based acrylic polish. Like many of the other popular cleaning products on the market, Mop & Glo is a one-step floor cleaner. It makes many false and misleading claims that fool the consumer into believing that it is a quick, effective wood floor cleaner. It claims to leave no residue behind. It also promises not to dull wood floors, but instead it supposedly reveals the natural beauty of your wood floors. Mop & Glo specifies that it is only to be used on sealed wood floors. The cleaning product is not suitable for waxed, oiled and unsealed wood surfaces. The one-step process and the pleasant scent make Mop & Glo an attractive product.
Many people who have used Mop & Glo on their wood floors are very unhappy with the results. Similar to Orange Glo, Mop & Glo Wood Floor Cleaner leaves a cloudy white film on wood floors. Despite its claim to clean floors, Mop & Glo will make your wood floors look dirtier than they were before because the film is going to appear in streaks. Mop & Glo will discolor your wood floors overtime.
Cleaning up the Mop & Glo is just like cleaning up the Orange Glo. It is a headache! It requires an ammonia wax stripper to remove the sticky residue. Like all acrylic cleaning products, Mop & Glo is tricky to dissolve.
I personally do not recommend using Mop & Glo or any other acrylic cleaning polishes on your sealed hardwood floors. The result will only be a mess. It will be more work to clean up the residue than it was to apply the Mop & Glo!
Mop & Glo has been spelled a few different ways. People sometimes refer to it as “Mop ‘N Glo” or “Mop And Glo”. In case you are unfamiliar with it, Mop & Glo Wood Floor Cleaner is a trendy cleaning product that is a water-based acrylic polish. Like many of the other popular cleaning products on the market, Mop & Glo is a one-step floor cleaner. It makes many false and misleading claims that fool the consumer into believing that it is a quick, effective wood floor cleaner. It claims to leave no residue behind. It also promises not to dull wood floors, but instead it supposedly reveals the natural beauty of your wood floors. Mop & Glo specifies that it is only to be used on sealed wood floors. The cleaning product is not suitable for waxed, oiled and unsealed wood surfaces. The one-step process and the pleasant scent make Mop & Glo an attractive product.
Many people who have used Mop & Glo on their wood floors are very unhappy with the results. Similar to Orange Glo, Mop & Glo Wood Floor Cleaner leaves a cloudy white film on wood floors. Despite its claim to clean floors, Mop & Glo will make your wood floors look dirtier than they were before because the film is going to appear in streaks. Mop & Glo will discolor your wood floors overtime.
Cleaning up the Mop & Glo is just like cleaning up the Orange Glo. It is a headache! It requires an ammonia wax stripper to remove the sticky residue. Like all acrylic cleaning products, Mop & Glo is tricky to dissolve.
I personally do not recommend using Mop & Glo or any other acrylic cleaning polishes on your sealed hardwood floors. The result will only be a mess. It will be more work to clean up the residue than it was to apply the Mop & Glo! Cleaning Wood Floors with Ammonia Based Glass Cleaners like Windex
Learn how to use Windex to clean your hardwood floors. It is great for removing filmy residue.
A lot of people with polyurethane coated wood floors are turning to glass cleaners like Windex and Glass Plus. Obviously, a glass cleaner is not designed for wood floors. It is formulated specifically to clean glass. However, Windex has become a popular floor cleaner with many positive responses. It is an alcohol and ammonia based product. Ammonia is a wax stripper, best suited for removing acrylic waxes on hardwood floors.
Glass cleaners have become trendy for wood flooring applications. A lot of commercial cleaning products use parrafin wax and various oils that are impermeable to polyurethaned floors. These products create a pool on the surface of the floor because they do not penetrate at all. Many of these household products claim to clean your floors but they actually make them look dull and dirty. Orange Glo is a common product that is used on sealed hardwood floors. This product has made a lot of people outraged with the grimy residue it notoriously leaves behind. The culprit of this filmy mess is in fact the floor cleaner of choice. In order to remove the filmy build-up, Windex has become a viable, inexpensive solution.
There are many different ways that are recommended for using Windex on your sealed hardwoods. Not all of these cleaning methods are safe for the longevity of your wood floors. A common technique is to mix Windex with warm water in a bucket. Ideally you really do not want to be putting water on your wood floors. Even if the mop is only slightly damp, you will be rushing to dry towel dry your floors after. This is not the correct method. Read on to the next page for a better way to use Windex on your floors.
Product Review: Orange Glo and Other Oil Products
Learn the dangers of Orange Glo on your hardwood floors!
There are a lot of orange oil-based products on the market. Orange Glo Wood Polish And Conditioner is a trendy product that uses the oil from orange peels as a cleaning agent. Its citrusy smell and natural ingredients make it a popular pick for environmentally savvy people. Orange Glo is a wood floor cleaning product that has had aggressive advertising campaigns featuring Billy Mays.
It claims to leave no oily or waxy residue on wood floors. Orange Glo also promises to remove dirt, grease and wax. Like many other wood flooring products, Orange Glo makes false and misleading claims. If you aren’t familiar with the wood product, Orange Glo is owned by Church & Dwight, the same company who owns Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. It is a very common household product available at Wal-mart and other big box stores.
Orange Glo restores the shine of polyurethaned floors, but only temporarily. In fact, wood floors look fabulous immediately when you use Orange Glo. Orange Glo leaves a grimy build-up or residue on hardwood floors. This filmy residue will appear in dull streaks that are very tricky to remove. The sticky residue can often be so thick that you literally have to scrape it off! Sometimes after the first or second application of Orange Glo, a homeowner will not notice the residue. It may take a few more applications to realize the problem.
This cloudy mess on the surface of wood floors has created a real stir. Typically the residue appears as a milky white film. Sometimes, if enough Orange Glo has been used, the residue can peel up from the floor. Depending on the quantity of Orange Glo used it may be so harmful to your wood floors that you will need to resand and refinish them. No matter how new or old your wood floors are, Orange Glo will often leave wood floors with a gummy residue.
After testing Orange Glo and being very disappointed with the results, I decided to call the company to see how they would respond to the residue problem. A representative from the Orange Glo customer service line told me to use an ammonia-based product to remove the residue. Orange Glo claims to leave no residue but their customer service team has a solution to the residue problem! Go figure! There is something very inconsistent with the product claims and how it actually works. However, vinegar, glass cleaner and rubbing alcohol are some products that I found work to remove Orange Glo residue.
Class action lawsuits have been filed because some wood floors have been very badly damaged by Orange Glo. Many frustrated homeowners are trying hard to take Orange Glo off the market. It is a product that has made many people very angry. Unfortunately, with compelling advertising and a handsome spokesperson in the commercial, many people are choosing Orange Glo without doing their homework.
Now you know all the problems with Orange Glo. Hopefully you will be smart and never try it on your wood floors!
It claims to leave no oily or waxy residue on wood floors. Orange Glo also promises to remove dirt, grease and wax. Like many other wood flooring products, Orange Glo makes false and misleading claims. If you aren’t familiar with the wood product, Orange Glo is owned by Church & Dwight, the same company who owns Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. It is a very common household product available at Wal-mart and other big box stores.
Orange Glo restores the shine of polyurethaned floors, but only temporarily. In fact, wood floors look fabulous immediately when you use Orange Glo. Orange Glo leaves a grimy build-up or residue on hardwood floors. This filmy residue will appear in dull streaks that are very tricky to remove. The sticky residue can often be so thick that you literally have to scrape it off! Sometimes after the first or second application of Orange Glo, a homeowner will not notice the residue. It may take a few more applications to realize the problem.
This cloudy mess on the surface of wood floors has created a real stir. Typically the residue appears as a milky white film. Sometimes, if enough Orange Glo has been used, the residue can peel up from the floor. Depending on the quantity of Orange Glo used it may be so harmful to your wood floors that you will need to resand and refinish them. No matter how new or old your wood floors are, Orange Glo will often leave wood floors with a gummy residue.
After testing Orange Glo and being very disappointed with the results, I decided to call the company to see how they would respond to the residue problem. A representative from the Orange Glo customer service line told me to use an ammonia-based product to remove the residue. Orange Glo claims to leave no residue but their customer service team has a solution to the residue problem! Go figure! There is something very inconsistent with the product claims and how it actually works. However, vinegar, glass cleaner and rubbing alcohol are some products that I found work to remove Orange Glo residue.
Class action lawsuits have been filed because some wood floors have been very badly damaged by Orange Glo. Many frustrated homeowners are trying hard to take Orange Glo off the market. It is a product that has made many people very angry. Unfortunately, with compelling advertising and a handsome spokesperson in the commercial, many people are choosing Orange Glo without doing their homework.
Now you know all the problems with Orange Glo. Hopefully you will be smart and never try it on your wood floors!
Review: Method – Wood For Good Floor Care Cleaner
I know a lot of people out there want the newest wood floor cleaner out there. People ask me about new floor products all the time. Is there something better in a new product that has just come to market? One thing we do know is the environment has only become a recent concern for the majority of manufacturers. Only in the last few years have companies been thinking of sustainability when bringing new products to the marketplace.
Method is a new and extremely fast growing American company. They have done quite well getting their products carried in almost every large retail outlet in North America. The Method packaging is trendy with funky-shaped bottles and simple wording. It is a product that makes sense. Their products are also easy to use.
This company has a deep concern for the environment. Why? The owners were exposed to toxic ingredients and felt like it was time for a change. They have made their floor cleaner as well as their entire cleaning line both non-toxic and biodegradable. If you have little kids or pets, you need non-toxic floor cleaner. People are learning more and more that it is unfair to risk your little ones playing on your wood floors that can potentially harm them.
They clearly target their products to women. Method has worked hard to carefully craft cute slogans. Their fan group is called “people against dirty”! They focus on both personal care cleaners and household cleaners. They even make a wood floor cleaning product.
The Method wood floor cleaner is relatively inexpensive going for about seven bucks a bottle. It is scented with almond. Many people are used to citrus scents in cleaning products and don’t really care for the almond smell. The smell of almonds is not exactly a fresh, clean smell. The scent lingers for quite awhile. Method was smart to introduce a new fragrance to wood floor cleaning. Now, a lot of people who use Method products and smell almonds, have the association of clean floors. The smell grows on you and most people really like it after they have used it once. The smell is one of the main reasons people keep using Method. In fact, after become used to the almond smell, they are disappointed that they cannot find other cleaning products with the same smell.
Besides the smell, it contains no wax and is non-toxic and biodegradable. As Method says on their web site, “why would you use anything else?” (http://www.methodhome.com/product/squirt-mop-wood-floor-cleaner/?almond)
Method’s marketing is clever. They call it “wood for good floor care”. They make it easy to use, just squirt and mop.
Method is a new and extremely fast growing American company. They have done quite well getting their products carried in almost every large retail outlet in North America. The Method packaging is trendy with funky-shaped bottles and simple wording. It is a product that makes sense. Their products are also easy to use.
This company has a deep concern for the environment. Why? The owners were exposed to toxic ingredients and felt like it was time for a change. They have made their floor cleaner as well as their entire cleaning line both non-toxic and biodegradable. If you have little kids or pets, you need non-toxic floor cleaner. People are learning more and more that it is unfair to risk your little ones playing on your wood floors that can potentially harm them.
They clearly target their products to women. Method has worked hard to carefully craft cute slogans. Their fan group is called “people against dirty”! They focus on both personal care cleaners and household cleaners. They even make a wood floor cleaning product.
The Method wood floor cleaner is relatively inexpensive going for about seven bucks a bottle. It is scented with almond. Many people are used to citrus scents in cleaning products and don’t really care for the almond smell. The smell of almonds is not exactly a fresh, clean smell. The scent lingers for quite awhile. Method was smart to introduce a new fragrance to wood floor cleaning. Now, a lot of people who use Method products and smell almonds, have the association of clean floors. The smell grows on you and most people really like it after they have used it once. The smell is one of the main reasons people keep using Method. In fact, after become used to the almond smell, they are disappointed that they cannot find other cleaning products with the same smell.
Besides the smell, it contains no wax and is non-toxic and biodegradable. As Method says on their web site, “why would you use anything else?” (http://www.methodhome.com/product/squirt-mop-wood-floor-cleaner/?almond)
Method’s marketing is clever. They call it “wood for good floor care”. They make it easy to use, just squirt and mop. Review: Swiffer WetJet on Wood Floors Review
A lot of you have been asking if it’s safe to use your Swiffer WetJet on your wood floors so I thought it was about time to write an article on this topic.
The Swiffer WetJet is a mop that has received a lot of press and mixed reviews. The Swiffer WetJet is a mop that can be used on many floor coverings. The Swiffer is not recommended for wood floors even though many people do use it on their wood floors. The Swiffer company says that it is not recommended for wood floors. In fact, on their web site http://www.swiffer.com/en_US/mopping.do they say,”Do not use on unfinished, oiled or waxed wooden boards… because they may be water sensitive.” Many home owners do not do their research and try the Swiffer WetJet mop on their hardwood floors.
Often, homeowners do not actually know about their wood floors finish. They do not know when or if their floors were finished. Homeowners usually don’t know what kind of floor finish was used. Often people purchase their homes with wood floors already in them. Because they came with the home and they seem to look okay, many people will clean their wood floors just as they would clean their tiled or linoleum floors.
There are a few serious problems with using the Swiffer WetJet on any type of wood floor covering.
The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution is water based. Simply using the Swiffer WetJet product will void your wood floor warranty in almost all cases. When you put water on any wood floor, the water will absorb into the wood. It will make laminate and engineered floors swell especially fast because all they have is a veneer with several layers of relatively low grade wood underneath the surface. With hardwood floors, it may take a little longer to notice that they are water logged. However, allowing your floors to penetrate moisture invites the growth of potential mould and also causes permanent water damage. As much as people think water is a good cleaner, it will ruin your wood floors permanently.
The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution leaves white cloudy streaks on most wood floors. This dull film is caused by a build-up of the cleaning solution that is left behind on your wood floors. Once you have streaks on your floor, you have created more work for yourself because now you have to get rid of the streaks! Even if you try and pick up the cleaning solution or if you just let the cleaning solution dry on your floors, the white streaks will almost always occur. White streaks often make a floor appear dirtier than it was before.
The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution contains toxic chemicals. A lot of cleaning products pose health risks because they use toxic chemicals as their active ingredients. Unfortunately, often times even trace amounts of toxic ingredients are not safe to use especially for little children and pets. The Swiffer WetJet has had a lot of negative reviews regarding its safety. Some people are saying its a hoax but it is still an ongoing debate.
The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution leaves white cloudy streaks on most wood floors. This dull film is caused by a build-up of the cleaning solution that is left behind on your wood floors. Once you have streaks on your floor, you have created more work for yourself because now you have to get rid of the streaks! Even if you try and pick up the cleaning solution or if you just let the cleaning solution dry on your floors, the white streaks will almost always occur. White streaks often make a floor appear dirtier than it was before.
The Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution contains toxic chemicals. A lot of cleaning products pose health risks because they use toxic chemicals as their active ingredients. Unfortunately, often times even trace amounts of toxic ingredients are not safe to use especially for little children and pets. The Swiffer WetJet has had a lot of negative reviews regarding its safety. Some people are saying its a hoax but it is still an ongoing debate.