The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-08
The CARE OF WOOD FLOORS.
SECRETS OF KEEPING THEM AL
WAYS IN GOOD ORDER.
In the First Place, Never Allow Them to he
Vanished WAXING Is the Better
Method Paint the Kitchen Floor
Dent Try to Cover II in Amy Way.

The way In which a wood floor should be
cared for depends on several circumstances.
II it Ii Of oak-the best Of all flooring woods
it is necessary to consider whether it has
been Vanished.
It ought not to have been, declares an
architect writing for Everyday Honse-
keeping. No varnish of any kind, not even
shellao, should be allowed to touch a floor
Of hard wood, whether new or old.
Unfortunately all painters except the
most skilful and conscientious insist on
vanishing these floors, laughing to scorn
the prohibition Of the architect. From their
own point Of view the painters have reason
for their opinion, for vanishing is a cheap
and & quick method Of giving the floor a
polish which will last till they get their
pay.
Perhaps there is also some secret allure
ment in the thought Of the long and profit
able Job which may come to them a few
years later in scraping and burning of
with oxalic acid this same varnish, grown
hopelessly black and patchy.
For the housekeeper the only thing is to
insist stenly that oak, birch, maple, syca-
more or Georgia pine shall be finished only
with "a Even then painters will evade
the plainest directions.
Some will proceed, unless watched, to
cover the floor with a sort Of varnish having
q dull, waxy gloss, insisting that this is
what is always understood as a wax
finish. Others put on a coat of shellac
before waxing, declaring that 1t Is necessary
ITO keep the filler from coming out
There is, in fact, no real need Of q filler
AVIAN fNr N - al aoor Dat ~,,nD -ha~o st L.
used 1t will stay in place perfectly we'll
without shellao, which inevitably causes the
floor to wear patchy in a few years. The
true reason for the painters Partially for
the use Of shellao is that 1t saves wax. which
is expensive, and saves labor and time.
But suppose that our oak floor was prop
erly finished in the beginning; it will prob
ably, in the spring, show streaks Of dirt
and dull patches. The dirty streaks are
caused by dust sticking to the wax, and the
dull patches by dampness, probably from
wet Shoes.
If the housekseper likes to take caro- Of
her house herself let her get a gallon Of
turpentine, a pound or two Of loor va
and q dozen sheets Of No. o s%andpaper,
with plenty Of rags, and begin by washing
the floor with turpentine only. On no 40
count must water, benzine or naphtha be
used on q waxed floor.
The turpentine will take Oh tho surface
wax, and with 1t the dirt that sticks to It..
Where the wax is particularly hard and
dirty q small piece OF sandpaper should be
dipped in tur pentine and rubbed on the
place until the dirt Is loosened.
This treatment will soon revive the bright
ness Of the floor, and leave Ii In good oon-
dition for olishing, while washing with
water win raise the grain and make the
floor rough, without taking OF the dirt, as
the wax repels even strong Boapsuds. The
floor must then be left for tbs turpentine to
evaporate.
II soms badly brought up visitor has