Cleaning your hardwood floors is a typical weekly or biweekly task that helps keep them clean and glistening, but sometimes, your floors need a bit more love to make them shine. That's when giving them a good wax comes into play. Luckily, you can whip up your own homemade floor wax to make your floors shine and bring them back to life.
Tip
While most hardwood floors benefit from a good waxing now and then, never wax engineered or wood laminate floors since they have a factory finish and will not absorb the wax.
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How Often Should I Wax My Hardwood Floors?
Almost all hardwood floors benefit from a conditioning wax every so often to keep them looking their best. Waxing will make your floors shine, but it also helps protect your wood floors from stains and seals the surface. Depending on the foot traffic that your hardwood floor endures daily, you should give it a good wax every six to 18 months.
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Things You'll Need
Broom or vacuum
Glass
Cooking pot
Oven-safe bowl
Spoon
How to Make Homemade Floor Wax
Step 1: Clean Your Hardwood Floor
Before you begin waxing, make sure to clean your floors with a soft-bristle broom or vacuum that's safe for hardwood floors to remove any dust or debris. You can also use a microfiber mop to clean up any sticky or muddy areas.
Step 2: Make an Olive Oil and Lavender Mixture
Pour 1 cup of olive oil into a glass and add 20 drops of lavender essential oil. Mix the ingredients and set aside for at least 12 hours.
Step 3: Set Up a Double Boiler to Mix the Wax
A double boiler will allow your wax to melt without burning. To set up a double boiler, grab a cooking pot and fill it with water. Set the cooking pot on the stove and turn the heat on low. Next, place an oven-safe bowl on the boiling pot of water.
Step 4: Prepare Carnauba and Beeswax
Break up 2 ounces of carnauba wax in a sealed plastic bag and pound it with a rolling pin until the wax is broken into tiny pieces. Pour the carnauba pieces into a bowl. Grate 1.5 ounces of beeswax into the same bowl as the carnauba.
Step 5: Mix All the Ingredients
Pour the lavender and olive oil mixture and the beeswax and carnauba into the oven-safe bowl atop the boiling water. Continuously stir the ingredients together until the wax is melted and all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Step 6: Let the Wax Briefly Cool
Remove the bowl with your wax from the pot of boiling water and allow it to briefly cool. You still want the mixture to have a liquid consistency.
Step 7: Pour the Wax Into a Glass Jar
Using a plastic funnel, cautiously pour your wax into a glass jar. If you'll be storing it, cover the top of the jar with a sealed lid.
Tip
Hardwood floors aren’t the only floors that benefit from being waxed. Terra-cotta and vinyl composition tile should also be waxed from time to time.