Q: One visitor asked, "We have oak floors through out our home. It was built in 1951. Our kitchen has linoleum. We want to tear that up and refinish the oak floors. Do you need to wax or clean hardwood with a buffer or electric polisher? What is the best cleaning product?"

A: It depends what the current condition of your floors may be, and what kind of finish is on them now. If nothing has been done to them since 1951, chances are these floors will likely need a complete resand and finish. However, if you do not wish to hire a company like mine to do this work, and if the floors are wax finished, there is a product from Dura Seal called renovator that is designed to strip, clean and prepare a waxed floor for a re waxing. Polyurethane or varnish is meant to be buffed (abraded with a fine abrasive) and recoated with a similar type of finish. There are also specific cleaners for polyurethane finishes that leave no oily residue, or residue of any kind on the surface. Short of having such a cleaner, a mild mixture of water and vinegar may be used. Careful attention must be used that this is only a damped cloth and not dripping wet. Water and wood do not mix well.