Whats the best way to clean hardwood floors?
I’m not sure if you’re asking the right question. If the finish is too dark for your liking, I assume you wish to lighten the floor. I don’t know what type of lumber you have, so I don’t know how light it can become. For example, if the floors are made from Mahogony, they will be fairly dark even if you strip off the finish. You could try a a stripping agent in an inconspicous spot to see the results. I’m sure that you can achieve some lightening due to the fact that the lumber is over 100years old. Lumber will darken with age as well as the varnish/shellac. Other wood types maybe quite light, pine/oak for example. You could simply rent a buffer/sander which would sand the finish and wood rather quickly. Then you reapply another finish to lighten and restore a luster to the floor.
