How to Make Hand-Scraped Hardwood Floors Shine Again

The older look of hand-scraped wood flooring lends character to a room.

Hand-scraped hardwood floors are made to look naturally worn and aged. Despite the older appearance of hand-scraped hardwood floors that comes from chiseling, scraping and hammering, the floors are made with current flooring materials. Similar to regular hardwood flooring, your hand-scraped hardwood floor requires special care to maintain the appearance. To make your hand-scraped hardwood floors shine again you must clean them properly using supplies that don't dull the surface.

Things You'll Need

• Dust mop
• Bucket
• 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing detergent
• Wooden spoon
• Wet mop
• Clean cloths
• Club soda

Instructions

1. Wipe the surface of the hand-scraped hardwood floors with a dust mop. Remove surface dust and dirt that causes the wood to look dull.

2. Pour 1 gallon of warm water into a bucket. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dishwashing detergent to the water. Stir the ingredients to make a soapy solution.

3. Soak a wet mop in the detergent solution. Wring out excess moisture so the mop is only damp.

4. Clean the surface of the hand-scraped wood floor with the damp mop to remove stains. Dry the floor with clean cloths.

5. Dampen a clean cloth with club soda. Rub the club soda into the hand-scraped wood flooring. Use another cloth to buff the wood to a shine.

Tips & Warnings

• Mix one part white vinegar and one part cooking oil to create a solution for cleaning and shining your hand-scraped hardwood floor.

• Don't use oil-based wood soap on your hand-scraped hardwood floor as it can dull the surface.

Resources

• Armstrong: About Hand-Scraped Hardwood Floors