Whoops, I almost forgot to tell you about how I scrubbed and re-sealed the existing hardwoods right before we moved in (literally, like 26 hours before we moved in). The new hardwoods upstairs were looking so glossy, I didn’t want the ones in the office, living room, and dining room to feel so 2000 and late. So I gave them some love. Wax on, wax off, baby.
First I swept up the random dust and old faux Christmas tree leaves and all the other stuff that was left behind.
Not a bad pile for an empty looking room, eh?
Then I bought this Bona stuff at Home Depot because I had heard good things about it when it comes to cleaning and glossing up floors that are old/dulled/mildly scratched (you know, floors that don’t need a full re-finishing but could use some moisture/polish to fill in small scrapes and seal them again).
You know, little stuff like this.
After sweeping, the next step was to use their floor cleaning spray, by just working my way around the room spraying it on the floor and following that with the mop (with the cleaning pad on it). This made me mad sweaty, yo. So I give it a 7 on the exertion scale. You’re not just swabbing over the floors like you’re swiffering, you’re scrubbing the heck outta them to get them nice and clean.
Then came the actual sealing/polishing step. This was a lot less rigorous (so you ARE doing the swiffer motion here). The idea is just to gently spread out the liquid that you’re pouring out of the bottle as you work your way out of the room. Oh and for this step you have to use a polishing pad on the mop (it’s more like a lamb’s wool pad while the cleaning one is a bit more scrubbing-sponge-like). Note: see the green painters tape on my mop? That thing came out of the box all wonky and broken, so I had to MacGuyver it together.
In this picture you can see how the floor that I had done was all moisturized and shiny (top left of the pic below) while the floor behind the polish pad is kind of dull and dry.
Sadly, by the time I worked my way out of the room I was only mildly impressed. Parts of it had dried and looked just like they did before (dull, grayed, slightly scratched, etc) while other areas that were still wet looked awesome.
But once they dried… they were all chalky and dry again. I’m not sure if it was just something about our floors and the way they were refinished decades ago (some folks must love this stuff since we heard great things) but it wasn’t an awesome enough result for me to get going on the other two room’s floors. So it was back to Home Depot, where I bought another brand called Rejuvenate. It came in satin and high gloss but I chose high gloss since the floors upstairs are nice and shiny, which we like.
I still used the same Bona cleaning spray and the same Bona mop (with the cleaning head on it) since I already had those on hand and didn’t mind the job they did. It was just the Bona sealer that had left me high and dry (ok, just dry). So I switched ol’ Wonky Mop’s head to the polishing one, but this time instead of using it to spread the Bona stuff, I worked my way out of the room with the Rejuvenate wood floor restorer. The room looked like this before:
And this after:
Granted it still had to dry a bit in that shot above, but the comparison between the Bona stuff and the Rejuvenate stuff definitely left us liking Rejuvenate a lot better. It went on more evenly and left everything rich and sealed looking – even well after it dried. Nothing looked chalky a few hours later, and I was able to apply two coats in each room (you could apply them a few hours apart instead of waiting 24 hours like the Bona stuff required) which was awesome. I even went back and did the office again with the Rejuvenate stuff instead of doing a second coat of Bona in there. And I was so much happier with it.
Here’s the dining room all dry. Flossy and glossy, eh? This is how the living room dried as well, and the office looks the same now that we went over it.
Have you used a floor cleaning and resealing system to bring life back to dull, mildly scratched, or chalky floors? Did you try Bona, Rejuvenate, or something else? Ever tried two different options for a smackdown to the death what’s-better comparison?
Psst – Here’s a post with an update on how the floors are holding up seven months later. Still going strong!
*This post contains affiliate links to projects we have purchased and loved*
Amanda says
Our floors are old and no longer shiny as well. I haven’t been impressed with the Bona products, so I will try the Rejuvinate. Maybe it will help a little! I love reading what products do and don’t work for other people!
Pamela says
My sister thought she would have to refinish her hardwood floors, but she tried a product from the Solutions catalog. I think it’s called “Floor Re-New.” She was so pleased that she is not even considering refinishing now. That was about 18 months ago.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome!
xo
s
Gretchen Brown says
I’ve been really impressed with the Bona on my 1964 oak floors that desperately need to be refinished. A few coats of it make a huge difference. I don’t wait 24 hours between – I just do one coat and start the second when I’m done with the first. Three coats usually makes a very noticeable difference and it will last a few weeks before my dogs wear it all down again.
Now I’m SUPER excited to try the Rejuvinate, since it looks AMAZING on your floors! I can only imagine what a few coats of it can do to mine! Great job!
Heather says
Wondering if you thought it felt sticky at all? I use Pledge Floor Care with Finish (found at Wally World) – and really love the outcome but man it can be sticky if its not 100% dried…like at least 3 hours of dry time. Who has 3 hours to spare of no walking around your house?! It smells amazing and goes on pretty easy but the sticky-ness conerns me. Also I’ve heard waxes can build up over time and eventually require a full sanding and refinishing of floors….ekkk!
House is looking fab!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, this would definitely would be sticky if you walked on it right away. It needs 1-2 hours to dry after each coat, and then you can put furniture back in there and have heavy traffic after 24 hours.
xo
s
Rebecca says
This was the exact post I was needing today! I’ve tried the Bona system and was less than impressed. However, we found out last week that we may be moving across the country by the end of the month, so I’m wanting to shine up our dull floors before the move so that they don’t look so horrible to potential buyers. I’ll definitely be buying this!
Kimberly says
Ha ha! I have the same mop with the same tape holding it together. I use Bona regularly to clean my floors and it does a nice job.
Victoria says
I have heard lots of great things from Bona and so far have only used the cleaner. I’m definitely motivated to try the Rejuvenate just from your personal experience. Thanks so much for always documenting the process so well. It really helps in the decision process!
Kim says
Hi,
So funny as I am scrolling down I see you using Bona & I’m thinking..”NOOOO” Use the Rejuvenate ..it was just recommended to me by 2 people who dont even know one another :o) Very happy with it too! Your floors look great !!
Guylaine Côté says
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Teri says
I love the infor about the products and the floor looks great!
Manda Wolf says
OMG!!! That is amazing I had never thought of that! We need to put down some more coats of poly on our floor but that might make me happy enough to hold out until we are ready to move and get all the furniture out of the way. AH!!! Excitement!
Alex says
Wow, this is great info! We want to use something on the floors once we move out of our apartment. This looks like the stuff!
Melissa says
My house is new construction and Bona floor cleaner was recommended by the builder. I use the cleaner once a week or so and have been relatively pleased with it, but these are my first hardwoods ever and I don’t know any better! We’ve only been here for six months and haven’t had a need to refinish yet. Thanks so much for the heads up on Bona! I would have gone right to it since it was the recommended product. I will keep Rejuvinate in mind when it’s time to spiff up. Everything is looking amazing at your house! Reading your blog makes me wish we had bought something in need of a little (YH) Love.
Happy 4th!
Jenn says
Honestly if your floor is that worn I think that is beyond what a polish is intended for… you would need to get it refinished and re-coated. The polish is just going to soak in like that and look dry. Maybe the Rejuvenate is thicker but I wouldn’t trust it to protect the wood as well and last as long as a fresh coat of poly.
I just don’t think it’s a totally fair review of Bona to expect it to work like refinishing. It’d be like waxing a rusty car.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no our floors don’t need to be refinished (if they did I doubt any product would work). They were just a little dull and had very minute scratches, which is what the Bona said it was made for on the package, hence the reason we bought that first. We’ve heard from a bunch of other commentors who tired the same Bona polish/sealer and weren’t happy with it either – even though many of them use the Bona cleaner and say they love it! Sounds like the cleaner is a hit, but for some people the polish/sealer is a miss (although as we mentioned it could totally have to do with what’s on your floors to begin with). The Rejuvenate is exactly the same type of product (a sealer/polish) made by a competitor, which got our floors looking a lot better, so we thought it was a completely fair comparison.
xo
s
Heather says
We use the Bona system on our hardwood floor and they look awesome! However, they are a lot newer and in better shape than your before pictures look. What a big difference with Rejuvenate!
Kirstin says
Do you think I would be able to use this on hardwoods in a rental? It sounds like it would definitely help our apartment, I just get nervous about what my landlord’s response would be.
YoungHouseLove says
I would ask just to be safe, and maybe offer to do a small test area first (like in a closet)? Be sure to do all the cleaning stuff first and follow the directions as you go to get the best results.
xo
s
Elizabeth says
I’m curious if Rejuvenate would work on laminate wood too? We have these ugly, orangey, matte finish floors throughout the entire house that the previous owners installed. Maybe I would hate them a little less if they were shiny? LOL
YoungHouseLove says
I think it’s just made for hardwood, but maybe check that aisle at HD and see if they have stuff specifically for laminate.
xo
s
marbella says
I can’t believe you were able to resist commenting on the name. Every time we pass it in HD we have a good laugh about how Bona is good for wood.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh. My. Gosh. I totally missed that. Like until you said it. And now I’m giggling.
xo
s
betty says
“This made me mad sweaty, yo” hahahah i dont know if its cause i’ve been at work since 6am this morning (fiscal year end) or what.. but this whole post made me laugh. fergalicous def.
Katie says
I use bona and I love it! We have gone through so many janky swiffer wet jets that keep breaking and a coworker recommended the bona system. So easy to use- I love that the pads are washable and you don’t have to keep buying more and throwing away old ones. Plus you can use any hardwood cleaning fluid (so that leftover swiffer stuff we spent extra money on to be gentle on our hardwoods? Put it in the empty bona bottle. Done)
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome!
xo
s
Rose says
I’ve had great luck using Quickshine on my floors. Usually found it in grocery stores too.
Investing in an Oreck buffer machine years ago was the best decision ever!! Even use the brush attachment to scrub bottom of our marble shower. Easy peasy.
Ian says
Looks good guys but I’m curious about what the original finish on the hardwood is?
Here (UK and now Norway) most floors are finished with a ‘varnish’ for want of a better description and a few end up with a rubbed oil finish.
What were your floors finished with originally and are the rejuvenate type ‘refreshers’ suitable for all finishes or just the hard ones?
Stay well
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! I believe ours were stained and polyurethaned, so it seems to work well over that. Maybe check the bottle to see if any finishes are less compatible (I’d hope they’d call them out).
xo
s
Joy says
I made the mistake of trying Bona. Awful. Now I can try Rejuvenate! Thanks!
Kaylen says
Thank you! This post is so helpful since my hardwood floors could use some lovin’ and now I can go straight to the Rejuvenate.
Meghan says
I used minwax floor reviver http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/maintenance-repair/minwax-hardwood-floor-reviver in my old house (1955) and it did an amazing job!!! They have a cleaner you use first that’s great, also. So much cheaper than having them professionally done and the results are amazing! Loving the house! Can’t wait to see what y’all do next!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds awesome too!
xo
s
theresa says
i’m curious, as experienced homeowners of hardwood floors, how do you keep them clean on a regular basis or between treatments like this one? i have a steam mop but i’m afraid to use it on my hardwood because I don’t know what it was sealed/waxed/treated with when we bought the house. It is pretty shiny like yours. do you think the steam mop is safe?
YoungHouseLove says
I just use a damp oMop with watered down Mrs Meyers or Dr Bronners on it. Mild soap and a not too wet mop seems to do well. I’m not sure about a steam mop. Anyone know?
xo
s
Daisy says
I’ve very successfully steamed mopped my hardwoods in 2 homes. They come out nice and clean and no product residue! Don’t find it damaging at all.
Victoria says
Love your blog! I am getting so many wonderful ideas, tips, tricks, and inspiration for the beautiful little brick bungalow in Florida I inherited from my Mom. Built in 1940, it is sturdy (has withstood several hurricanes), charming, and has a nice flow. My husband and I plan to retire there (soon) and are very grateful to own a house with no mortgage. We live in San Francisco and have never been able to afford to buy here so this is the first and probably only house we will own.
The first “reno” we did was to take up the wall to wall carpet throughout the entire house. We discovered the original oak hard wood floors and they are in fairly good condition – just needed a little love.
We used Rejuvenate – the cleaner and the sealer – and we were extremely impressed. The floors look like we sanded, re-stained, and sealed them professionally. Wow they are gorgeous! We didn’t spend a lot of money and only a little elbow grease for such a big payoff.
There are beautiful figured oak cabinets in the kitchen that
I was initially going to paint. However, they are so beautiful I thought I would leave them as is for now. We will need to do a kitchen reno at some point but it is not in the budget as yet. So I purchased the Rejuvenate product meant for cabinets and gave it a go. Another spectacular result – the cabinets look like new. In fact, I think when we do reno the kitchen I will try and salvage these beautifully made cabinets even though I have always loved white kitchens. It just seems a shame to cover up this beautifully figured wood. Sorry for the long post – I’ve been bit by the house love fever. Thanks for your lovely blog and thank you Mom for the house – we love it!
YoungHouseLove says
So interesting that they make a cabinet product too! Good to know!
xo
s
Andy says
We had our floors professionally done in January, & the guys recommended basic maintenance along with a professional cleaning, & rebuffing in five years.
Heather @ What Does She Do All Day? says
I have an entryway and powder room that are in desperate need of some Rejuvinating! I’ll have to try this!
Sarai says
Oh man! As soon as I saw the Bona polish, I was thinking, “NOOOOOOO!!!!!” I had the chalky experience, too- but I thought, well I’ll try one more time- and it was even more chalky/hazy. Then I read some of the horror stories online (just google Bona Polish and Hazy). I had to spend hours and hours and hours with ammonia scrubbing that stuff off our beautiful new floors. It was a nightmare. Looking forward to trying Rejuvenate! Thanks for the post!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! I had no idea there were others warning about the haze. Who knew?! It’s so funny because some people love Bona so I was so surprised not to love it too!
xo
s
Susan says
Bona is great on SEALED hardwood floors. I have new bamboo floors in the house and it’s the only thing I use to clean them. If your floors have been waxed (no poly seal) then Bona is not the way to go. The reason I love Bona is that it leaves no residue. The floors are clean and shiny and there’s no “sticky” residue.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip Susan!
xo
s
sarai says
ours was definitely sealed. Still a Bona-fide nightmare (hehe)
Jennifer says
Whoa! I’m thoroughly impressed! You have me wanting to my floors! They look great! I’ve used the Shark steam-vac to clean my floors. While it doesn’t leave them all shiny, it is great for stuck on stuff. After a party, it is a life saver! When it comes time to polish, I’m definitely going to check out rejuvenate!
Dana says
Do you know what the difference is between the high gloss version and the satin version? Also, did the Rejuvenate bonnet fit on the Bona cleaner mop? Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
I used the covers meant for the Bona mop (the cleaning one and shining one) so they fit nicely (didn’t try the Rejuvenation ones). As for the difference between the satin and the high gloss version, I’m guessing the high gloss version is shiny and the satin one is matte?
xo
s
Kim says
Whoa, what a difference! I’ll keep the Rejuvenate in mind for the future! Thanks for doing the comparison!
Maggie says
What was the price difference between the two?
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! I think the Rejuvenation was more (maybe $12 instead of $7?) but I think it was slightly larger and did more square footage. Anyone know?
xo
s
Pam says
I like the Bona cleaner for our floors, it gives them just a bit of sheen. But that said, they are a matte finish and the original finish is by Bona, think it’s called Traffic. It’s used in lots of public places, a 2-part catalyst and super sturdy. Eight years in and we have very few scratches. And we have lots of guests at our house who don’t take shoes off and track in who knows what. :)
Nancy says
Completely by accident, I did the exact same thing to all of my hardwoods the entire house minus kitchen and baths) after 6 months of renovation took their toll. I only had the Bona cleaner, but had already bought and forgo about the Rejuvenate polisher. So I cleaned with the Bona, crossed my fingers and toes that I wouldn’t ruin anything and polished/sealed with the Rejuvenate. They came out just beautiful! 2 months later, they re still as shiny and clean as the day I undertook the project – even with 4 dogs racing on them everyday!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome!
xo
s
Richelle says
As always, thank you for being the intrepid DIY guinea pigs and sharing the (fabulous) results! Putting Rejuvinate on our Home Depot list right now…
marilyn says
So glad to see this post. Just recently I started thinking about polishing our wood floors, which need more then just a polish, but I figure with a polish we can hold of on refinishing for awhile longer. I really was only aware of bona…Thanks so much, I’ll be trying rejuvenate! :)
Erin says
I have the Bona system and have to say I was pretty disappointed. Even after it dries, I notice footprints for the next few days. Still trying to find my perfect solution. (Sorry if 200 other people said this too!)
Leah says
$herdawg, I love ya, but seriously… Don’t you ever get hot in jeans and black tops?!
YoungHouseLove says
Oddly enough, I’m the girl whose ideal temperature is “hot car” – I love being hot!
xo
s
LS says
Yep, Bona sucks! We hated it too. It made our floors look worse. We had 45 year old hardwoods that honestly look pretty great, so it was really disappointing. Our mop also broke after the first use. What a waste of money. We use our steam mop but I need to check out this other product you used.
mp says
Glad I’m not the only one who mad sweats when mopping! It’s the main reason I hate doing floors.
Annette says
I use the Bona cleaner regularly for routine cleaning and I love it for that, Recently I laid some new glue-down engineered flooring in a bedroom and the Bona cleaned up the adhesive really, really well, a lot better than the actual flooring adhesive cleaner from the store. I have never tried it to actually “rejuvenate” the wood floor though, this post was an interesting comparison.
Rebecca says
Great post!! This is exactly the kind of post I love, it is so helpful.
Mary says
I have used Orange Glo Hardwood Cleaner and Polish and Refinisher and been very pleased with both. I do my 20 year old harwood floors 1-2 x a year and it leaves a great shine that lasts as long as you don’t get it wet.
Cassie says
We just used Bona on our hardwoods, which have been covered up with paper since we moved into our home a year ago. Our floors look amazing, but yours look even better!
Elizze says
In older homes be careful to check if your floor is waxed or has a poly coating before using some products with a poly finish. Apartment Therapy has a pretty good post about caring for waxed wood floors if you have them. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-care-for-108239
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips!
xo
s
Chris says
I use Halloway House on our wood floors in our 1894 Victorian. Prior to using this product, I had tried everything. Other products left a nice glossy finish, but left footprints all over as soon as we walked on them. No good when you have three boys, a dog, and a cat! Halloway House leaves a nice sheen and no oily residue. And it’s cheap too! I get mine at Wal-Mart. Here is a link to their website
http://www.hollowayhouse.net/
YoungHouseLove says
You’re the second person to love that!
xo
s
Amanda Comeau says
I’ve used Rejuvenate before and loved it!
Mary says
So the cleaning people that I had when my husband lived in the house for 3 months before I moved cross-country always used Bona on my Brazilian cherry floors. When I took over the cleaning that’s what I used also but wasn’t very happy with the results. The floors always look like there is a film. So I recently tried Bellawood hardwood floor cleaner per another blog and the results have been slightly better but still so-so. Next week I’m going to try Rejuvenate! I will have to do 2 rooms at a time to move things out of the way. Did you have any issues at doorways or hallways so that a line isn’t left where you started and stopped? Or any tips to reduce any issues?
YoungHouseLove says
I just tried to get it smooth (lift the spreader right at the threshold, and wipe up anything that got on the tile, etc). Good luck!
xo
s