Anyone bleached floorboards to lighten the colour?

[fuzzyfelt]

Just posted this in 'Chat' and then realised that this is probably a better place!
Anyone know how to lighten bare, untreated floorboards so that when they are varnished or oiled they don't go that orangey brown colour?
Have read that bleaching them first lightens them but does anyone know what strength the bleach should be and how it's applied?
Thanks!

my sister scrubed her floorboards an that made them lighter not sure if she used bleach if so it would have been diluted thin bleach! do you relly want the room to smell of bleach forever?