Wooden floor care

[Minikievs]

I am about to move into a new house that has solid oak flooring downstairs. Unfortunately the previous tenants didn't really take care of the house and it's quite (very) dirty, and the floor is also really dry looking. Can anyone recommend the best way to give it a deep clean before I move in, possibly it might need an oil based cleaner as its so dry? Can you tell I have no idea on this stuff?! Any recommendations for what to use on an ongoing basis once I move in too? Thanks in advance!

you could try vacuuming it with suction only (don't use the brushroll because it will scratch the floor), mopping it with a specialist wood floor cleaner (you can get these from most supermarkets and wilko's etc) and then polishing the floor with beeswax to nourish the wood. Just be warned, it will leave the floor quite slippery for a few days, but it will be good for it in the long run

I will second rabbit123 about beeswax polish - really good for conditioning wood. However, you only need to apply it about once a year and make sure you buff it really well, or it will create a sticky surface. For maintaining condition and giving a bit of shine, a 1:1 solution of liquid paraffin and malt vinegar is brilliant. We used it religiously when I worked in historic buildings. Soak an an old woollen blanket/sweater in the solution, wring out thoroughly, and use the barely damp cloth to buff the floor (I used to push it around using a dry mop). Store it in an airtight container between uses and it should keep for a good few months.

Ah, fabulous, thank you both. Sadly it looks like I need to use a bit of elbow grease too then! The replies are much appreciated