I've noticed something similar, actually. Murphy's worked great on my older pine floors, but when I tried it on newer maple flooring, it seemed to lose shine quicker. Maybe it's more about the finish than the cleaner itself...
"Maybe it's more about the finish than the cleaner itself..."
Yeah, I've been wondering about that too. Could it be that newer finishes are just more sensitive or maybe formulated differently? I've noticed my newer oak floors seem to dull faster no matter what cleaner I use, even the pricier ones. Makes me think it's less about brand and more about matching the cleaner to the specific finish type. Has anyone tried a homemade solution like vinegar and water—does that help preserve shine longer, or is it too harsh?
I've noticed the same thing about newer finishes—they do seem more sensitive. From what I've seen, vinegar and water can be hit or miss. It works great on older, tougher finishes, but newer ones sometimes react badly because the acidity can gradually break down the protective layer. Honestly, I've had better luck with just plain warm water and a microfiber mop for regular cleaning, then occasionally using a neutral-pH cleaner specifically formulated for hardwoods to bring back some shine. Less is definitely more, in my experience...
Yeah, totally agree about vinegar being tricky. I once had a client whose brand-new floors started looking dull after just a few months of vinegar cleaning—turns out the acidity was slowly eating away at the finish. Switched them to a neutral cleaner, and problem solved. Less really is more sometimes...
Vinegar strikes again, huh? Learned that lesson the hard way myself—my old historic home's floors looked amazing at first, but after a few months of vinegar cleaning, the shine was gone and they felt kinda sticky. Ended up doing a full reset: gentle sanding, neutral cleaner, and then a thin coat of polish. Floors look great now, but honestly, who has time for all that sanding drama every year...? Curious if anyone's found a solid polish or wax that's easy to maintain long-term without buildup.
