I need help with problem cleaning wood floors HELP!!!!

I have been cleaning houses and offices for almost twelve years and just today was told that the Murphy's oil soap i have ALWAYS used is messing some wood floors up...i am devastated!! Is this true? I found this site after trying to research and i am seeing many conflicting websites...I have been using this the whole time and have never noticed it bothering anyone's floors but this ladies is dull and now she is looking into refinishing and the guy told her that the oil soap is why it needs refinishing I take great pride in my work and would NEVER hurt anyone's floors.. I realize now that different finshes may need different cleaners...is there any one thing that would work on them all now matter what type finish???????.now i am afraid to do wood floors...
HELP ME
Deborah

 

Sorry about that...

Read up on these previous posts, it should help:

http://forum.doityourself.com/showth...floor+cleaners

http://forum.doityourself.com/showth...floor+cleaners

http://forum.doityourself.com/showth...floor+cleaners

 

Thanks for the links to past post. I still wonder if there is any one thing that could be applied to any and all hardwoods to insure that i don't mess them up??? Maybe just plain water?
THANKS

 

Most hardwood floors today have polyurethane finish. If you have a poly finish and use a commercial cleaner, make sure the label specifically states safe for polyurethane finish. Many prefinished flooring manufacturers sell their own recommended cleaner. Bonakemi is a popular professional cleaner. A mixture of 1/2 cup vinegar to one gallon of water is an effective cleaner.

Clean a section at a time. Toss down an old towel to dry and buff out streaks before moving on to next section. If using mop, it should be squeezed nearly dry.

Polyurethane should never be waxed or oiled or cleaned with products containing waxes or oils. Waxes contaminate finish and can cause adhesion problems when it is time to refinish. Oils and oil-based cleaners can dull and soften finish as well as contaminate finish for refinishing. Avoid pre-treated dust mops, vacuums with beater bars, and abrasives.

 

Instead of a simple screening of the existing finish and adding new finish, it now has to be sanded all the way back to bare wood.

Murphys Oil Soap is one of the worst things you can clean a hardwood floor with.

Call Murphys, and get them to back you up. It's their product.

 

Perhaps you will find this following link informative: http://www.cinhome.com/murphys.html

 

thanks for the links everyone!

now to go clean my floors!

 

Well that's just great... I WAS using Murphy's Oil Soap on my hardwood floors! The funny thing is, I really DID notice the finish become more and more dull as time went on. I often wondered if I was using the "right" cleaner for my floors, but the people who refinished them told me to use a water dampened rag, which didn't seem like I could really get my floors CLEAN. I eventually got a Hoover Floormate which would spray a solution on the floor and then suction it up, but it has scrubby wheels on the bottom AND I made the solution with the Murphy's Oil Soap... double whammie to my poor floors...

 

Well...at least you know now and I'm glad you found out but just a little late. Brighter side of things...you will never do that again.

 

8 oz of vinegar in 1 gal of luke warm water....very very well wrung out mop....buff dry with a dry soft cloth

 

What do you think of Bruce no wax floor cleaner, is cheaper and we can find it at any hardware store...

anyone??

http://www.bruce.com/resflram/na/bru...icle18264.html

 

I believe you will find that the vinegar/water solution will be less expensive than any commericial hardwood floor cleaner. If using a commericial cleaner, the label should specifically state safe for polyurethane finish. Bona Kemi is one such product that is frequently recommended.