How to Remove Pet Stains From Hardwood Floors

Pet urine is sticky and acidic, making stain and odor removal from hardwood floors difficult. Removing old stains can take several days. You also have to take time to ensure any smell left by pet urine is removed, since animals use their urine to mark spots and will often return to the marked spot to urinate on it again. While physically removing the stain would require actually sanding down the varnish and any other wood treatment, as well as the stained wood, it is possible to "remove" the stain by lightening it chemically.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rags White vinegar Hydrogen peroxide (for older or more stubborn stains) Wood-safe enzymatic solution for pet odors

For more recent stains

1. Use a rag to blot up any standing urine that is puddled on the floor.

2. Clean the area of any other dirt or debris.

3. Scrub a small amount of vinegar into the stain.

4. Rinse the area with warm water and dry the area completely.

5. Treat the area with enzymatic solution, as directed on the bottle, and dry the area again completely.

For older or more stubborn stains

6. Blot the stain with a rag to make sure it is dry.

7. Clean the area of any other dirt or debris.

8. Test a portion of the stain with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. Let it soak in to see if you might need to dilute the peroxide with water if a single application does not lighten the stain. You may need to apply several applications of undiluted peroxide to the spot.

9. Apply the peroxide to the entire stain, using the appropriate concentration.

10. Let the peroxide settle into the stain for several hours, or overnight for dark stains.

11. Allow the stained area to dry, and either rinse the area with warm water and allow it to dry to see if the stain is gone, or repeat the application if necessary until the dry, stained area matches the surrounding wood.

12. Once the stain is gone and the area has dried, apply the enzymatic solution, following the directions on the bottle.

Tips & Warnings

• Household bleach or oxalic acid can also be used to remove stains. They are often used to treat lighter stains, while hydrogen peroxide can work on the most stubborn stains. These instructions apply to household hydrogen peroxide (30 percent), but special stain-bleaching kits containing hydrogen peroxide are also available. Some stains cannot be removed chemically. In that case, call in a flooring expert, or sand the floor yourself to see how far down the damage has reached. In severe cases, entire floorboards may need to be replaced and then stained to match the existing floor. Enzymatic solutions include Nature's Miracle and Simple Solution, and are available at most pet stores.
• Any of the chemicals used here, especially oxalic acid, can cause skin irritation or be harmful. Always handle them with gloves, make sure the room is well ventilated, and make sure pets and children are kept away from the stained area while treating it. If you're unsure of whether or not a solution will damage your floor, consult an experienced floor expert.

Resources

• Source for Bramton's Simple Solution, an enzymatic cleaner
• More information from the Dumb Friends League on removing odors and stains
• Bortz Wood Bleach