Oily old floors

Q: I recently removed carpet and rubber padding from a bedroom (which did not stick) and removed all staples from a beautiful oak floor. The problem is the oak floor feels oily! Is this because it has been covered for so many years?

What should I use to clean this up? The house is approximately 50 yrs old.

A: If this is a wax finish, which is a good chance, given it’s age, Dura Seal has a good product called Renovator for waxed floors. www.duraseal.com If it is varnish or polyurethane, you may wipe it down with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits or purchase a polyurethane cleaner such as ****** cleaner, Basic Coatings Squeaky cleaner, or the Dura Seal or ****** cleaners from you local hardwood flooring supplier.