Finally - started Spring cleaning

14 years ago

Moved most of the furniture out of the livingroom, swept and mopped in there, then did the same to the hallway and the kitchen. It's all the old original wood floors and boy is that a chore. I made my own concoction of cleaner - warm water, white vinegar, and lemon oil. Saw it on line once. Now either it lightened my floors or the floors were really, really, dirty! I suspect the latter. Smells great. I was going to do the computer room and bedroom yet today but I quit. Tomorrow is another day. Then I have the library which will be a bear to move all that furniture and pick up the carpets.

What really needs to be done is an oiling of the floors. They are the original schoolhouse floors and nothing has been done to them in the way of finishing since the school closed and subfloor and carpet was put over them - in 1940.

I tore that all up of course when I moved in in 1978. I want a professional to do it, someone familiar with old floors and oil finishes.

One nice thing, it's a beautiful 75 sunny degrees and very windy today so my windows are open and all that fresh air is circulating throughout the house. Buckets and mop put away, the kettle is on the stove for tea. Forgot all about lunch but not all that hungry yet.

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Comments (7)

susanjf_gw
14 years ago
schoolhouse did a little search about your floors..there are several sites and all sorts of advice, but tung oil is mentioned all the time...some mentioned sanding, some not...here's just one of several...

Here is a link that might be useful: http://gardenjunk.blogspot.com/2009/01/oiling-wood-floors-and-knitting-socks.html
mary3444
14 years ago
I have 2 rooms left & my spring cleaning will be done. I always wash the walls, floors (all wood), doillies, windows, curtains or drapes & what ever else is in there that can be washed. I do this spring & fall. Now that we are back working I have to do it on the weekends or if it is raining one day & we can't work. Love when it is all finished.
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schoolhouse_gw
Original Author
14 years ago
Yep, I wipe down all the woodwork and furniture too. Need to take down the sheers in the bedroom and wash them but will wait until I get the floors in there done. Like you, I try to do it all again in the Fall before windows and doors have to be kept shut. However, I can only clean like this when I'm in the mood. This morning I just told myself to get up and at least start it. I hit the wall in the hallway while moving a chair, so now I need to touch that up with some paint. Let's see how long it takes me to get that done. ha.
schoolhouse_gw
Original Author
14 years ago
Forgot to say thanks for the link, susanjf. I had found a recipe in a turn of the century "Helpful Hints" book one time that I saved. Still would prefer someone else to do the work though, too much for me.
carol_in_california
14 years ago
Well, since we haven't had Winter here yet, I don't have to start my Spring cleaning.
schoolhouse_gw
Original Author
14 years ago
Another room done. Waiting for the floor to dry so I can move a rug back in place and put the furniture back. This room I call my library is my "catch all" of collections, books, photos, papers, you name it. Well, I did some purging. What a mess some of it was but also I found some surprises, like photos I forgot I had, school books that belonged to my Uncle when he attended school here. He died in 1978 at age 80 something. Then I found some papers belonging to people I don't even know - from Logansport, Indiana? They are mostly rent receipts dating from 1870 up to 1890(?) All I can figure is that they must have been in an old book I bought when collecting.

Removing two rugs that have seen better days. One is a runner whose end keeps getting caught in the sweeper and now there is a big hole. I was thinking of cutting that part off and hemming the rug but not sure I want to do all that work. Both are vintage rugs and I hate to just toss them so I suppose I'll find somewhere else to store them until I purge again.

Now for some tea and toast with jelly. That will hit the spot.
schoolhouse_gw
Original Author
14 years ago
Done. Some things I saved, some things I purged, others ready for the Goodwill. Oh - and I took the scissors to the runner without hesitation and it looks 100% better already. Now we'll see how long I let it go without sewing up the ends.
I'll sit the other rug out for the trash Thursday morning but I'm sure someone will scavenge it before then.

Which do you prefer? A sweeper that uses bags or a bagless? I think my bagless, besides not having much suction, gets all manner of dust and crap blown into places it's not suppose to. I clean the filters frequently but they don't seem to help much.

Finally - started Spring cleaning

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Finally - started Spring cleaning

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