An oiled timber floor can be mopped every week and still end up looking grey and patchy. Weekly soap cleaning keeps surface dirt under control, but over a year or two, grime works its way into the top of the oiled surface and the busiest parts of the floor start to wear. The floor slowly loses the even, matt look it had when it was first finished, and another round of mopping won't bring it back.
When a floor gets to this point, it needs a proper deep clean followed by a fresh coat of oil. This guide covers how to do that with WOCA Intensive Wood Cleaner, and why the re-oiling step afterwards can't be skipped.
Why Oiled Floors Need Their Own Deep-Cleaning Method
A lacquered or polyurethane floor has a hard film sitting on top of the timber that takes the wear and tear. An oiled floor works differently. The oil soaks into the top fibres of the timber, so the protection is part of the wood itself. That's what gives an oiled floor its natural feel, but it means dirt and grease can work their way into the surface over time.
It also means the products you use matter more. Most supermarket floor cleaners contain harsh ingredients that break down an oil finish and can discolour the timber underneath. A deep clean on an oiled floor has to remove the built-up grime while accounting for what happens to the oil, because the oil is what protects the boards.
What WOCA Intensive Wood Cleaner does
Using the WOCA Intensive Wood Cleaner does two things. It removes dirt, grease and stubborn marks that regular soap can't shift, and it prepares the timber for a new coat of oil. 89
On an oiled floor, it's strong enough to lift the existing oil out of the surface along with the grime. That's what makes it effective, but since the timber is left without its protective oil, re-oiling has to follow.
How a Deep Clean Fits Into Your Routine
Day to day, an oiled floor is best looked after with WOCA Natural Soap once a week and WOCA Oil Refreshing Soap every three months or so. Both are included in our WOCA Floor Care Bundle. These products clean gently and put a small amount of protection back into the timber each time they're used.
Intensive Wood Cleaner is the step you take when that routine is no longer enough, or when the floor is due to be re-oiled. We recommend re-oiling an oiled floor every 18 to 24 months, depending on how much foot traffic it gets, and a deep clean is always the first part of that job.
Signs Your Floor is Due for a Deep Clean
The most obvious sign is a colour change in high-traffic areas, such as hallways, doorways, and the area in front of the kitchen bench. These areas tend to go grey or dark compared with the rest of the room. The timber may also feel dry or slightly rough underfoot, and spills that used to sit on the surface start soaking in and leaving marks.
Other signs include marks that don’t go away with regular cleaning, dull patches that make the floor look uneven, and a general tired look across the whole room. If it's been more than 18 months since the floor was last oiled, it's worth planning a deep clean and re-oil even if the wear isn't obvious yet.
What You'll Need
- WOCA Intensive Wood Cleaner
- Two buckets, one for the cleaning solution and one for clean rinsing water
- A cotton mop, such as the WOCA Twist Mop
- A vacuum with a timber floor head, or a soft broom
- Clean cotton cloths
- A maintenance oil to finish, plus the pad, roller and lint-free cloths to apply it
Avoid microfibre mops and cloths on an oiled floor. Microfibre is slightly abrasive and gradually wears away an oil finish, which works against everything you're about to do.
How to Deep Clean an Oiled Floor, Step by Step
- Clear the room and vacuum thoroughly. Move furniture out and remove all grit and dust. Any grit left on the floor will be dragged around by the mop and can scratch the timber.
- Test a small area first. Choose a spot that's out of sight, such as inside a wardrobe or under where a couch sits, and check how the timber reacts before doing the whole floor.
- Mix the cleaner and set up two buckets. Dilute Intensive Wood Cleaner according to the label directions. Floors with heavy build-up can take a stronger mix. Fill the second bucket with clean water.
- Mop in sections. Dip the mop in the cleaning solution and wring it out well. The floor should be damp, never wet. Work along the length of the boards in manageable sections. Rinse the mop in the clean water bucket and wring it out before going back into the cleaning solution, so you're not spreading dirt back across the floor. Change the rinse water whenever it gets murky.
- Go over heavily soiled areas again. Traffic paths and spots near entries often need a second pass.
- Let the floor dry completely. Leave it for at least eight hours before oiling. The timber needs to be fully dry for the oil to soak in properly.
Re-oiling After the Clean
After an intensive clean, your timber will be unprotected. Left like that, it will absorb water and spills and start marking quickly, so the maintenance coat should go on as soon as the floor is dry.
WOCA Maintenance Oil is polished into the timber with a pad, short-nap roller, or polishing machine until the surface looks evenly saturated, then wipe off any excess with clean, dry cloths. Nothing should be left sitting on the surface.
For a harder-wearing finish, WOCA Diamond Oil Active is a sustainable, VOC-free oil that's highly resistant to scratches and marks. It also stands up well to water, coffee, tea and red wine, which makes it a good choice for kitchens, living areas and homes with kids or pets. Whichever you use, make sure you match the colour to your existing finish. Once the oil is on, avoid cleaning the floor or exposing it to water for the first three days while it cures.
Keep in mind that oil-soaked cloths and pads can self-ignite as they dry. Lay them out flat outdoors to dry, or soak them in water in a sealed container before throwing them out. Don't leave them in a pile.
Spot Cleaning and Stubborn Stains
If the problem is one or two marks rather than the whole floor, you don't need to clean and re-oil the entire room. The Intensive Wood Cleaner Spray comes ready to use. Spray it on the mark, let it work, wipe it clean with a cotton cloth, and repeat if needed. Once the spot is dry, restore the finish on that area with WOCA Maintenance Gel.
Some stains need a more targeted product. WOCA Wood Stain Remover is made for oiled floors and dissolves stains such as red wine, coffee and grease. Black marks caused by water reacting with the tannins in the timber, often left by pot plants, respond best to WOCA Tannin Spot Remover. In both cases, re-treat the area with oil or gel once it's dry.
For more on smaller repairs, see our guide to fixing scratches, gaps and dull patches on timber floors.
Keeping Your Floor Looking Good Afterwards
Once the new oil has fully cured, go back to the regular routine: vacuum or sweep often, clean weekly with Natural Soap and a well-wrung cotton mop, and use Oil Refreshing Soap every few months to top up the protection.
Looked after this way, an oiled floor only needs a deep clean and maintenance coat every couple of years, rather than a full sand and refinish.
When a Deep Clean isn't Enough
All the products in this guide are available in our online shop. If you're in Melbourne and would rather have the work done for you, contact our team at Quicksand Flooring for a deep clean and re-oil or a full sand and recoat.