How to Buff Hardwood Floors and Make Them Shine

In any home, nothing beats the appeal of a spotless and shiny hardwood floor. When hardwood flooring is in a clean condition, it can provide your home with a strikingly gorgeous visual upgrade. However, regular maintenance is needed to keep the hardwood floors clean. To do so, buffing the floors will be a part of this methodical cleaning procedure.

Buffing does not take a very long time to complete, especially if your rooms are rather small. However, that doesn’t mean that you should rush the job outright. As long as you take the time with how you buff the floor, the job will be completed sooner rather than later. Afterwards, you can admire new shine and polish that your hardwood flooring now has.

Here is a guide on how you can buff hardwood floors and make them shine again:

Preparation

Buffing, as most cleaning processes go, cannot be done without some preliminary legwork. As such, you’ll need to ensure that all parts of your hardwood flooring are given a clean sweep first. Most hardwood floors, overtime, can become riddled with external layers of oil, grime, or both. These layers have to be eliminated before you can proceed.

There are many wax stripping products available that can help you out in this light. Attach this to your favorite sweeping apparatus, and make sure that you clean all parts of the floor. After this has been completed, wipe down the hardwood with a damp floor mop or rag of your choosing.

Buff Harwood Floors With The Right Equipment

All cleaning jobs will require a number of tools in order to effectively get the work done. Buffing is no different. There are a few supplies that you’ll need to get your hands on. Thankfully, you do not require a whole laundry list of equipment to purchase. For starters, a buffing machine and polishing pads are needed.

These pads will do most of the work when the time comes. However, you’ll also need to purchase a finishing product as well. This material will be applied after the buffing procedure has been completed. To get that unmistakeable shine, the tools listed here are imperative.

Safety First

As is the case with any manual labour, you will have to employ a degree of safety. Buffing your floors could seem pretty easy, but one mistake can severely injure your body. The first rule of safety to keep in mind is to simply take your time. No buffing job ever got completed in record timing; ensure that you are patient with the process.

Moreover, the buffing materials you will be using can sometimes be made out of toxic materials. Wear gloves and other protective equipment, so that you don’t harm yourself during the procedure. Don’t forget to protect your eyes as well!

Additional Cleaning

The first round of cleaning has to do with removing the superficial layers of wax that may be present. After you have completed this, you should expect to conduct another round of cleaning just in case. You can further prep your hardwood flooring by running your mop once more over the respective surfaces.

Make sure that the water being used on the flooring is warm. This allows the eventual buffing to be absorbed better. Once the cleaning has been wrapped up, let the surfaces dry for about fifteen minutes. You’ll want to also avoid using a towel to dry the floor, post-cleaning. The surface could become damaged with a manual, finishing touch in this light.

Buff Hardwood Floors

The buffing process itself comes down to working strategically. Since all hardwood floors will be different, you will have to use some deductive reasoning on where to start. For the most part, you will want to use the machine in a sweeping motion, starting with the left side of the room. As you buff the floor, periodically check the pad in the machine.

If the pad becomes dirty overtime, simply switch it out for a clean one, and continue. Another key tip to keep in mind is to pick your spot, and then work backwards. That way, you won’t be buffing over areas that may have already been buffed. Also, always keep the machine moving, and don’t keep it in one area for too long!

Post-Buffing

Once you have completed the process, your hardwood flooring should be left alone for another fifteen minutes. Afterwards, take a look at the status of the floor. If any spots look uneven after the process, you will want to buff that specific spot again. Continue doing this, until all parts of your hardwood flooring have properly been applied with the buffing product.