This recipe is originally from Wendyl Nissen, it’s not totally natural but it’s just so brilliant at polishing floors that it’s a welcome addition to our blog.
If you would rather a more simple option you can use apple cider with a little jojoba oil which is a light wax that has sealing properties for floor boards and doesn’t go off. For the recipe click here.
One of our lovely customers, Eve from Terra Firma Earth Building Company redid this recipe and swapped the turps for d-limonene which is a natural product but should still be handled carefully – it is a much better alternative to turps and works just as well in this recipe. It also has a strong citrus scent so you can adjust the amount of essential oils that you add.
Mum also used this to revive an old leather bag, it came up beautifully.
D-limonene is extracted from orange peels, it’s used in many soaps and detergents for its citric fragrance. It has an advantage over other industrial solvents in that it is not carcinogenic or toxic and is biodegradable.
The beeswax in this old fashioned recipe not only seals and protects the hardwood finish, it also transforms floors into bright and shiny ones, the lemon balm tea helps to keep the mixture soft and creamy and the sunlight soap binds it all together.
DIY Old Fashioned Floor Polish
250ml d-limonene (instead of turps which is in the original recipe)
80 g beeswax
20g Sunlight Soap, grated
250ml tea, made from infusing a handful of lemon balm leaves in boiling water
20 drops lemon essential oil (or less, up to you)
Place beeswax and d-limonene in a double boiler. Heat gently and do not take your eye off the mixture to ensure it combines well.
When they are combined put to one side and melt the grated soap in the lemon balm tea. When both mixtures are cool, mix together until creamy then add the essential oil. Pour into a wide-mouthed jar.
To use place the polish on a cloth or on a mop that has a reusable cloth head and start polishing, this does require some elbow grease but it’s totally worth it.
The following is from Eve (I love these homes!) …
“I’m lucky to have had a varied and interesting life in New Zealand and overseas, working largely in administrative and retail positions, from law firms to the health and organic food industry. But my real love is focusing on all things natural. I’m passionate about plant-based nutrition, natural medicines, non-toxic lifestyles. and how subtle energies affect how we live. When I discovered Terra Firma I knew this was something I wanted be involved with. To understand rammed earth, is to want one of these homes.”
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