In order to get rid of some of the dust particles that will be floating through the air, place a box fan in the window so that it blows out. Then cover adjacent doorways with plastic drop cloths to prevent the dust from spreading to other rooms of the house.
Use 36-grit abrasive sandpaper on the sander and slowly work it back and forth across the room.
Once you’ve sanded the entire floor, turn the sander at a 45-degree angle and go over the floor once again.
Walk around the room and search for any nail heads that may be sticking up. Use a hammer and a nail set to tap them below the surface.
Once you are finished, use a vacuum to suck up any remaining dust and debris from the floor and then switch to 60-grit abrasive sandpaper.
Sand the entire floor and then switch to 80-grit sandpaper for the final round.
Be sure to vacuum the floor again, once all sanding is completed.