Hi there,
Just deep cleaned my tiled floor (porous tiles) and have heard about a traditional method of applying polish would be to mix Beeswax and Turpentine in a 6/8 mixture and apply to the floor...
Do I have to apply this "hot" and is there any supplier details for this type of polish? Any other tips on applying the stuff?
Thanks!
Simon
It's a good polish for wood (50:50, or even less turpentine though) but it's too soft for a floor.
No, the turpentine is a solvent - needs to be real stuff, not substitute. If you try to apply wax hot it chills when it hits the surface and freezes - you need something that's still workable cold, until the solvent evaporates.
Buy a wax floor polish (everyone makes 'em). You need a harder wax for floors or stone and making your own with carnauba is hard work.
Get the sealer right first. It makes a big difference to the look and wear quality of a wax polished stone or tile floor.
I'd agree with that - buy one made for tiled floors though, not wooden ones.
Well, it's not, but if you have beeswax in it your floor will get dirty quickly, the dirt on your shoes sticks to the soft beeswax element.
Believe me, I make beeswax polish!
That too.
Mary
>Thanks for the info, Andy. I wasn't going to seal the floor first as I think the tiles are on a limestone / sand base i.e. no DPC underneath and I was advised not to seal the tiles as the floor underneath needs to "breath" - have you heard of this? Does not sealing the floor first change the preference for wax at all?
Thanks!
Simon
What do you melt your wax over, and how big a batch do you make ? Maybe I'm impatient, but I always have trouble getting carnauba or candelilla to dissolve properly.
I use a waterbath on the cooker, my Kenwood Chef ss bowl in a large pan. With a lid on the bowl. The turpentine goes in first then the waxes. The carnauba does take longer than the beeswax but I stir it a little with a ss slotted spoon and I'd say it takes about two or three minutes longer. The amounts differ according to the season, events to be attended, orders etc.
I've just thought - I use carnauba flakes which might be the difference. I wouldn't want to use block carnauba as used by cobblers.
Mary
>HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.