Finish maintenance has been a hot topic in our industry going back as long as wood floors have had finish. As evidence, consider these vintage instructions from S.C. Johnson, which, intriguingly, suggest using a few dozen 19th-century Austrians and a handful of sand in this product brochure from the early 1900s titled "The Proper Treatment for Floors Woodwork and Furniture." In a description of its powdered wax, the company writes, "All dancing floors can be kept in perfect condition by sprinkling a little clean white sand on the floor during the last dance. This will have the same effect as sandpapering the floor." This seems like it would require a few wallflowers, as well, to get the edges.
Read the digital version of this brochure here.
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