Hardwood floor finish is peeling off

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Q: We have wood floors that were installed 5 or 6 years ago. I had them recently re-coated and the hardwood floor finish is peeling off. The flooring company advised that cleaning products such as Murphy’s Oil Soap (which I used on my floors) will penetrate the finished wood in scratches and deep grooves and cause the re-coating product not to adhere.

I was advised that I should never use Murphy’s on my wood floors. I am trying to verify if this is correct, in your experience.

A: I wouldn’t recommend oil soaps or any other product that can leave a residue on the finish surface. Such residue, if not removed, can cause adhesion issues. Flooring and floor finish manufacturers in particular make acceptable cleaners for polyurethane finishes which evaporate almost immediately and do a good job of cleaning the floors.

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