How to Dry Wood Floors

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By C.M. Mackenzie
eHow Contributing Writer

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Even small amounts of water left on wood floors can cause wood to swell and eventually become damaged if not properly dried. Leaks from a water heater or a plumbing problem can damage wood floors.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Mop
Mop bucket
Towels
Circulating fans

How to Dry Wood Floors

Step 1

Mop up as much of the water as you can. Wring out the mop in a mop bucket when the mop is saturated and then mop up more water.
Step 2

Open all windows and doors and use circulating fans in the room to provide good air flow through the room.
Step 3

Place dry towels on the floor to absorb moisture. Stand on the towels and move them over the floor with your feet, or kneel down and use your hands to rub the towels over the floor. Remove the damp towels and replace these with dry towels and repeat this step.
Step 4

Wood floors may appear dry when they are still moist. It may take several hours for the floor to dry before you can close windows and doors and turn off the fans.

Tips & Warnings

For more severe moisture problems (for example, if flooring has been wet for several hours due to a spill or flood) you may buy or rent a dehumidifier to aid in the drying process. Box fans will work if you don't have circulating fans; however, circulating fans promote more even-paced drying.
For severe flood damage, you may need to hire professionals who have special equipment for drying flooded wood floors. In many cases, water will seep beneath the floor and the floor must be removed.