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Removing Wood Stains From Your Hardwood Flooring

Mistakes happen and wood can stain fairly easily. But there’s no need to worry and stress over it. But removing wood stains is not impossible, and there are a few tricks that can save your hardwood flooring.

Before you start thinking about refinishing the wood floors, let’s see some other, less radical alternatives to get rid of wood stains from your flooring.

Removing a stain with a piece of cloth

Clothes Iron

Dark water wood stains on wood are pretty easy to remove – if you do it right then when it happens.

But when the accident happened a while ago, there’s one trick that can save the hardwood surface from the water stain: heat.

Heat will be able to evaporate the moisture that penetrated the wood, either eliminating it completely or making it barely visible.

Tip: A hair dryer works in a similar way. Put it on the lowest setting possible and start hovering it above the stain. Be careful not to overdo it. The wood grain on the wood furniture is more fragile, so you don’t want to damage it.

Water stains on a wood surface

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is not as harmful to wood as it is on clothes or other surfaces. In fact, some might say it’s perfectly safe. The oil in the mayonnaise can seep into the wood and absorb the moisture.

This method works with fairly new water wood stains where there’s still moisture left to absorb.

Wood stained and faded

White Vinegar

Despite being a natural, safe cleaner and disinfectant, the acidic solution is also effective on wood stains and safe for wood.

If the stain doesn’t go after a few applications of vinegar, it’s time to move on to something more potent.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a common antiseptic for cuts and abrasions. However, this safe, organic cleanser can also be used to remove dark wood stains from wood.

When hydrogen peroxide is exposed to light or heat, it can cause staining unless the concentration is low enough. If you leave hydrogen peroxide on for an extended period of time or use a potent solution, some materials may become discolored.

Only over-the-counter 3% hydrogen peroxide should be used, and keep an eye on how the stain remover reacts with your wood.

If the stain isn’t totally gone after the first try, repeat the process once the wood has dried. You may need to apply this technique several times before the stain is fully gone.
Cleaning wood with a dry cloth

How About Sanding Down The Floor?

You don’t really want to get to sanding unless it’s really needed. If you tried all the methods but none worked, you can give us a call and we can see what would be the best way to approach the issue. Sanding down the floor will mean having to refinish it later on, and refinishing just a small patch of floor will result in an inconsistent hardwood floor, something nobody wants. If you start sanding, you’ll have to sand the entire flooring surface, which will cost you quite some time and money. Not only that, but you’ll also need to stain and seal the entire floor. In this case, we’re talking about a full-scale hardwood floor refinishing project.
A shining hardwood floor

Conclusion

Removing wood stains is not an impossible task, but you’ll need some research and some testing before you proceed with any method of cleaning. You can even look for more tips on removing stains from a wooden surface.

While we know some of them are not harmful for the wood, some other substances can make the stain even more visible or create a brand new one. And if you were thinking of painting over the stain, that, too, will create inconsistency in your flooring surface.

The best way to proceed: get in touch with us.

We’re experts in hardwood floors and wood surfaces. We have a lifetime of experience in treating and maintaining wood, and we know what’s the best way to tackle any issue.

Call us today and let’s get that stain out of the way!