Floor Looks Streaky - Can See Smudges

Question:
HELP! I have Bellawood light maple floors. I have used everything to clean my floors, including the recommended Bellawood floor product. I have sought advice from everyone I know. My floor looks filmy, streaky and when the sun shines on the floor you see every smudge. I also have tried several kinds of mops and the Hoover cleaner for hardwood floors. It's just getting worse. How can I get all this stuff off my floor and return it to a clean, non-smudged, streaky appearance?

Answer:
It sounds like your floors have been cleaned or otherwise exposed to an Oil-base soap such as Murphy's Oil Soap. Oils, waxes and certain soaps should never be used on a hardwood floor finish. And when they are, even just once, it often leaves a filmy residue that includes smudges, smears, and even footprints, and it is very difficult to remove. Remember that you aren't cleaning the wood boards themselves (unless the finish has worn and they are exposed and damaged). You are cleaning the finish, most likely polyurethane that coats the tops of the wood boards to protect them. I suggest a good scrubbing, maybe several times, with a vinegar and water solution. However, the acidity of the vinegar could remove the finish, exposing the wood boards to irrepairable damage. The goal is to gently remove the build-up of wax or oils.

A word of caution: If there is indeed build-up on your floor, Do NOT have your floor recoated or refinished until that build-up is removed. The new finish will not adhere properly and you'll have all kinds of trouble with it. If you can't remove the build-up, the only solution is to have the floor sanded and then refinished with a fresh three coats of polyurethane.