How to Lift a Urine Stain From Sanded Wood

Urine stains are protein-based stains. Protein-based stains are acidic and will penetrate deep into the wood, leaving a hard-to-remove stain. While most urine accidents are wiped up quickly, if proper care is not taken, urine can ruin the wood, leaving a dark, deep stain. Some homeowners turn to sanding to remove the urine stains. Whether you have recently sanded your hardwood floors and have a new stain, or the stain is on your original hardwood flooring, there are a few simple steps to take to remove and lift the stain.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mild dish detergent
• Bowl of warm water
• Dish cloth or wash cloth
• Rubbing alcohol
• Plastic wrap

1. Use a mild dish detergent and warm water to rinse the stained area to remove any dirt or debris. Mild dish detergent is safe to use on hardwood floors and will remove the topcoat of the staining material that has penetrated the wood.

2. Soak a cloth in rubbing alcohol. Lay the soaked cloth onto the stain, cover the cloth with plastic wrap and use something heavy to hold the plastic wrap down.

3. For deep, old stains, leave the cloth and wrap on overnight. If the stain is new and not too deep, leave the cloth and plastic wrap on the stain for an hour. You can tell how deep the stain is by the darkness; the darker the stain, the older and deeper it is.

4. Remove the plastic wrap and wet cloth. Rinse the stained area with warm water. The stain should be faded or gone. If the stain still remains, soak the cloth in rubbing alcohol again, and repeat Step 2. After two treatments, the stain should no longer be visible.

Tips & Warnings

• The most effective way to treat a urine stain is to take care of it as soon as possible. This will prevent the stain from penetrating deep into the wood.

References

• Pet Stains and Wood Floors
• Removing Stains from Wood