Wooden floor soap

Sara Idenfors

Wood and soap are a perfect match

 

Wooden floors scrubbed with soap develop a warm and pleasant surface that feels almost like waxed wood. The advantage is that it can always be redone. In other words, if stains appear, they can be scrubbed away and the floor will be just as beautiful again. The disadvantage is that it is not as hard-wearing as, for example, laminate flooring, which withstands grit and muddy shoes in a different way.
Below you will find part of a blog post we wrote on Städbloggen.se after scrubbing with soap / treating an old spruce floor.

Important when scrubbing floors with soap

 

  • New floors should ALWAYS be treated according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
  • Scrub with soap for surface treatment using cold water.
  • Always use a superfat soap, not cheap soap from the grocery store; it dries the floor out instead of treating it.
    – Linseed soap and Soapa are examples of superfat soaps. Beware of soap based on pine!
  • If you are scrubbing an old floor to 1. clean it and 2. treat the surface, you must use lukewarm water to dissolve stains and remove dirt.
    – Once you have scrubbed the floor clean, scrub it with soap / wipe the floor with superfat soap and cold water to create a protective surface and nourishing effect.
  • Use a natural-material scrubbing brush with the right stiffness; it will not damage the floor, and natural material (wooden flooring) plus natural material—the brush—is an equation that adds up.
  • Dry with a good cloth.
  • Scrub one section at a time.
  • Wet one section of the floor at a time, then scrub it, working your way through the room.
 

The scrubbed floor in Skansholm

 

The house dates from the 1930s and is being renovated in stages. Important—and, as Maria says, boring—things come first. They have started at the right end and dealt with things that are necessary but may not be very visible at first. They have renovated the chimney, installed drainage and sorted out the pipes… smart, but not as fun as decorating and putting up curtains. Anyway, the house has gained a new, modern kitchen with an old-fashioned country feel, while of course retaining its charm with a wood-burning stove and plank flooring. This is one of those floors we are going to take a closer look at now!

The floor is made of a soft, porous wood, spruce or pine. Both we and the homeowner are a little unsure, but one thing is clear: it is not oak. 
The floor is original, dating from when the house was built in the 1930s, and has fantastic quality and wear that cannot be created by anything other than time and human use—beautiful, quite simply!
But with wear and the passing years also come stains and a greying that one would gladly get rid of. That is what we will try to remedy with superfat soap – Soapa, a scrubbing brush, water and a cloth.

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