How to Remove Pet Stains on a Hardwood Floor

Hardwood floors are a very popular finish option for homeowners. Wood floors work well with almost any decor, and add a sense of warmth to the home. For pet owners, however, a hardwood floor can pose a serious headache. Pet stains on your wood flooring can be difficult to remove. The good news is that you can improve or completely remove pet stains from your floors with the right tools and a bit of elbow grease.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dry cloths and sponges
• Ammonia
• Lighter fluid
• Mineral spirits
• Bleach
• Floor scraper

1. Start with a regular floor cleasner and get rid of as much of the mess as you can. Wipe the surface clean and dry it to see what kind of stain you're dealing with.

2. Try lighter fluid. This substance can often remove tough pet stains without damaging your floors. With the windows and doors to the room open for ventilation, apply a small amount of lighter fluid to a dry cloth and use it to scrub the stain. Clean the floor afterwards to ensure all traces of lighter fluid are gone.

3. Use a floor scraper and mineral spirits to deal with "surprises" that have been there for a long time and have hardened. Pour a few drop of mineral spirits onto the mess, then allow it to soften for a few moment before using your floor scraper to remove it. Clean the spot with a floor cleanser to remove any residue.

4. Clean the toughest stains with ammonia. Make sure the room is well ventilated, then pour a bit of ammonia onto your dry cloth and use it to scrub the stain. This will usually remove any dark or stubborn stains.

5. Sanitize the spot with bleach after you have cleaned it. Apply a small amount of bleach to a dry sponge or a bit of steel wool. The sponge and steel wool can help get the bleach deep down into the wood grain and sanitize the entire spot.

Tips & Warnings

• If stains aren't coming up, you can replace a few floor boards to get rid of hardwood floor stains. Simply remove and replace the planks that are damaged.
• Pet owners who are installing new wood floors in their home should be sure to purchase extra material when purchasing their floors. These extra pieces will come in handy later for patching up areas damaged by pets.