Last year, with much help and advice from this forum, I refinished my red oak floors and coated them with Street Shoe. I have been only using ph neutral cleaners, because I want to be able to sand and recoat when needed.

Yesterday my 14 son sprayed a chunk of the hall with something like pledge so he could slide on it in his socks.

The stuff is tracked all around, even the dog is slipping.

I would be a very appreciative to know of an effective way to remove this.

And also to know if this application ruined my being able to sand and recoat this floor sometime in the future.

Thank you for your thoughts and advice.

Laura

Ouch..

Not knowing what he placed on the floor makes this a bit difficult, However:
suggestions:
1. Damp mop one or two times with clean water. Make sure the COTTON mop is as dry as possible after dipping the mop into the mop bucket.
2. Maybe place a touch of Distilled white vinegar into the mop water. A touch would be equal to a "capful" per quart.

Do not allow water to stand on the floor. Use dry Cotton towel to dry behind you.

These suggestions are not in any Industry Publications, just based on having to clean up after my 3 wonderful Children.

To add to what Ray has said, consider using Basic's wood floor cleaner, Squeaky Clean. One can buy it in a concentrate to mix with water. You could mix it so the solution is stronger in cleaning power. You will probably have to wash the floors a few times.

Thank you, both, for your advice. I have damped mopped the floor a few times already today with the diluted vinegar water. I dried it, then followed with the ph neutral floor cleaner to try to keep it in balance.

I will look for the Squeaky Clean, too, as there is still some of the effects of the polish. It is much improved, though. (When the floors were done, I threw all of my spray polish, murphy's soap, costco one step floor cleaner and furniture polish in the trash. This stuff was in a give away box I was getting rid of for my mom--Aaaargh!)

Do you think that in a year or two--or more, I should be able to wash the floors with a strong dose of Squeaky Clean again, and then be able to sand and recoat. Without having to sand down to wood again.

If your answer to this question is yes, I will let my son out of his room

keeping chemicals off the floor is best way to stay away from problems.
removing the "spray" as fast as you did, using water and or water/vinegar rather than MORE chemicals leaves you with the opportunity to screen and re-coat.
Gary suggests using a chemical, which is fine as long as you take the extra time and effort to RINSE IT OFF when you have removed the oil from the Spray/Pledge.
There are many cleaning chemicals out there and I'm not familiar with every brand name posted on this site.
I just inspect complaints of dulling, soiling and such, only to take a damp towel and wipe off all the cleaning agents consumers put on the floor............. damp towel restores the original appearance almost every time...

You should be fine.

Ray,

Squeaky Clean is manufactured by Basic Coatings and is a hardwood floor cleaner similar to BONA Hardwood Floor cleaner. These cleaners are not merely "more chemicals" but are specifically designed by the finish manufacturers to clean their finishes. Your suggestion to use vinegar is actually a bad idea as the acidic nature of vinegar can etch certain floor finishes. It is NOT recommended by any of the major finish manufacturers such as BONA, Dura Seal, Minwax, Basic, Vermeister, Parks, Glitsa America or any of the other manufacturers. I'm sure you are a good inspector but a floor finishing expert, you are not.

Vinegar is acidic and can etch the finish if excessive amounts or too strong a solution is used.
I don't know that a capful per quart would etch the floor.

However, you are right Gary. Using the products recommended by the hardwood manufacturer would be best.

Since I did not know what finish she had, seemed like the "Universal Solvent" would be of immediate help to this consumer as long as she dried with a cotton towel after damp mopping.

Lived on Hardwood floors most of my life... These home remedies worked fine for me..

And I still hear people recommending Murphy's Oil Soap as well. Stick with the finish manufacturer's recommendations.

Ray you have to be commended for weathering Gary's many comments to you so graciously!