Why can't I have clean wood floors?!

[pixiewytch]

We are renting a 1920's home with wood floors. I've been here for six months and no matter how much I mop, sweep, swiffer, or whatnot, the floors are still filthy with ground in dirt. The kids and my feet look black within a matter of hours. It is really gross but I try to clean them regularly. I just don't know what else I could do? Any ideas that don't cost an arm and a leg?

[gottaknit]

Institute a "shoes off at the door" policy? It's the only thing that's worked for us, and I still have to sweep every day.

[Jodie]

Same type of house over here.

We have a shoes off at the door policy.
Sweep and vacuum several times a week and mop when I can get to it.

[pixiewytch]

Yes, we already do all of that and the floors are still filthy.

[texaspeach]

get some nice house shoes/slippers to wear

[MamaLeslie]

I wish I knew. I live in a '20s old house, and the finish is all gone from the floors. Makes it really hard to clean. Do your floors still have their finish on them? I really need to get the floors refinished, but it's just such a hassle, and I don't even own the place... which makes it seem like even more of a hassle.

Good luck. I have a slippers in the house rule to cut down on dirty-to-the-point -of-staining socks.

[pixiewytch]

Well, glad to know I'm not alone. I can't tell how much finish the floors have left but the house definitely needs TLC so I'm sure it hasn't been done anytime recently.

I try to wear slippers all the time myself. Getting the kids to wear them though is another story.

[4evermom]

Waxing them may help.

[ilikethedesert]

We have the same problem with our 1850s floors. We can't have the no shoe policy because sh is a landscaper and goes in and out a million times when he is home and wears big work boots, plus we have a wood stove and he's bringing wood, (and leaves and bark scraps) in all winter.
I love our old floors though and just have given in to the fact that my barefoot kids will have dirty, country feet and we will never keep white socks white in this house. I personally wear shoes or slippers most of the time.

I sweep or vacuum regularly and mop once in a while, but like you it doesn't make too much of a difference.

Think of it as character!

[onlyzombiecat]

I'm glad I'm not alone.

[cristeen]

Institute a foot washing as part of the bedtime ritual (if you don't do night-time baths).

We have a Hoover FloorMate that I bring out a couple times a year, just using water as hot as I can get it to clean the hardwood (no soap). The water always comes out like mud.

Really the only thing that's going to get them clean and keep them clean is regular scrubbing. That's more work than i'm willing to put into it, so I wear slippers or have dirty feet.

[LucyRev]

Originally Posted by MamaLeslie

I wish I knew. I live in a '20s old house, and the finish is all gone from the floors. Makes it really hard to clean. Do your floors still have their finish on them? I really need to get the floors refinished, but it's just such a hassle, and I don't even own the place... which makes it seem like even more of a hassle.

Good luck. I have a slippers in the house rule to cut down on dirty-to-the-point -of-staining socks.

UGH! I feel your pain cause I could have written your post. We do own this place, and our wood floor isn't the original though. We have these wood tiles, like parquet only not strips...just big squares with the grain alternating direction so I don't even know how we would refinish them. I spot clean the floors by squirting on some orange cleaner or Simple Green and then using a paint scraper. I hate it! I want shiny floors that don't suck up spills.

[mamadelbosque]

Have you tried, mopping and then waxing the floor? You should be able to pick up some no-rub floor wax at your hardwood store. Just mop, let it dry and then apply the wax and let it dry. You may have to do this a couple of times, a few days apart, but it should help!

[MamaLeslie]

I should try this. At the very least, it might seal some of that impossible dirt below the wax LOL!

[DreamsInDigital]

My hardwood floors are brand new and I have this problem. I love wood floors, but I hate them too.

[Breathless Wonder]

http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=128

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by mamadelbosque

Have you tried, mopping and then waxing the floor? You should be able to pick up some no-rub floor wax at your hardwood store. Just mop, let it dry and then apply the wax and let it dry. You may have to do this a couple of times, a few days apart, but it should help!

If your floors are not sealed though, you should never wax them. Wax will work into the open pores of the wood wherever the finish has worn off and permanently discolor the wood. If you go to refinish the wood, you will be able to see where the wax seeped through.

Originally Posted by Breathless Wonder

http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=128

My DH has been eyeing that little guy for a while now.

[MamaLeslie]

Originally Posted by cristeen

If your floors are not sealed though, you should never wax them. Wax will work into the open pores of the wood wherever the finish has worn off and permanently discolor the wood. If you go to refinish the wood, you will be able to see where the wax seeped through.

Good to know. Okay, so maybe I won't wax them LOL. I just don't want to have to move out all my furniture and my kids and get the floors done. Ugh.

[mamadelbosque]

::: our floors are pine boards and have been waxed dozens of times over the years, never been sealed, and sure, they've darkned, but woods going to darken no matter WHAT you do, unless of course you seal it. Waxing will only make it happen slightly faster... and the wax definetly wears off after a time. Which is why you have to wax occasionally. The floors here hadn't been waxed in years and years and years when I waxed them last summer/fall and they just soaked it right up. Helps keep you from getting splinters too (which used to be a HUGE problem around here!!).

[chel]

have you tried vacuuming the floors. I find it does a much better job than sweeping with a broom.