How to Remove Stains From Unfinished Hardwood Floors

Unfinished hardwood flooring is more susceptible to stains than finished flooring.

If you have unsightly stains on your unfinished hardwood floors, you'll certainly want to remove the stains before you finish the floors. You could hire hardwood floor contractors to remove the wood stains for you, but it's really a job you can tackle on your own.

Things You'll Need

• Soft bristle brush
• Wood stripper
• Trisodium phosphate (TSP)
• Mineral spirits
• Oxalic acid
• Chlorine bleach
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Sandpaper
• Sponge
• Large bowl or bucket
• Towel
• Floor fan
• Safety gear
• Water

Instructions

1. Make sure the unfinished hardwood floor really is unfinished. To test this, place a drop of water on the wood flooring -- if it seeps into the wood, it's unfinished. If the water remains on top of the wood, it is finished.

2. Attempt to remove wood stains with a soft bristle brush and water, especially if you're not sure what the stains consist of. Let the area completely dry before applying hardwood floor cleaning agents to the unfinished flooring.

3. If the wood stains are superficial, it's possible that you can sand them out. Be careful not to sand too hard -- you don't want to create a depression in the hardwood floor. Sand the stains in the direction of the wood grain. If this method doesn't work, try different types of hardwood floor cleaning agents to remove the stains (outlined in the next steps). Keep in mind it may take more than one hardwood floor cleaning agent to remove wood stains completely.

4. Use wood stripper to remove the wood flooring stains. Follow the manufacturer's directions for best results. Wood stripper comes in liquid and gel. The liquid version is best suited for removing stains from floors, while the gel version is best suited for more vertical applications.

5. Apply trisodium phosphate (TSP) to the stains, and lightly scrub them with a soft bristle brush in the direction of the wood grain. TSP is a versatile cleaning agent that is great for removing grease and oil on virtually any surface, including hardwood flooring. In addition, TSP can safely be used with chlorine bleach to clean up mildew embedded in unfinished hardwood floors.

6. Apply mineral spirits to the wood stains, and use a sponge to wipe it up in the direction of the wood grain. Mineral spirits are useful in removing oil and grease from hardwood floors.

7. Apply oxalic acid with a soft bristle brush to remove stubborn wood stains. Follow the manufacturer's directions for mixing the acid. Oxalic acid is a great solution for restoring unfinished hardwood floors to like-new condition.

8. Apply chlorine bleach (1 part bleach to 10 parts cold water) or hydrogen peroxide (1 part hydrogen peroxide to 5 parts water) to the wood stains with a soft bristle brush. This method is useful for bleaching black or dark hardwood floor stains.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a fan to accelerate drying time.

• Always read the fine print on the labels of hardwood floor cleaning products -- not all hardwood floor cleaning products are appropriate for unfinished floors.

• Apply only one cleaning agent at a time.

• Always test cleaning agents in an out-of-the-way area first before applying the solution to stains in high-traffic areas.

• Avoid accidentally mixing wood cleaning agents. Wipe up each cleaning agent with a wet sponge in the direction of the wood grain, and let the area dry completely before applying additional cleaning agents.

• Unfinished hardwood floor stains often appear darker when wet -- letting the floor dry first will allow you to see the final shade prior to applying additional cleaning agents.

• Work in a well-ventilated area when using cleaning agents on hardwood floors.

• Always wear protective clothing and face gear when handling wood cleaning agents.

References

• Premier Hardwood Floors: Common Hardwood Floor Care Questions