How to Get Oil Out of a Wood Floor

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
How to Get Oil Out of a Wood Floor
Image Credit: m-gucci/iStock/GettyImages

Things You'll Need

  • Absorbent material such as baking soda, baby powder or cornstarch

  • Broom

  • Dustpan

  • Cloths

  • Towels

  • Dry-cleaning spot remover

  • Soft-bristled brush

  • Oxalic acid

  • Distilled water

  • Microwave-safe glass jar

  • Microwave

  • Paintbrushes

  • Borax

  • Fine piece of sandpaper

  • Wood stain

  • Rag

Wood floors increase the value of your home.

Oil of any kind -- including cooking oil and baby oil -- spilled on your wood floors can leave unsightly dark spots. Wood quickly absorbs oil so dealing with the spill as soon as possible will reduce the chance of a possible permanent oil stain on your floors. You can remove fresh oil from your floors using a few common household items. However, once the oil has dried on the wood floors, getting oil stains out of wood floors requires bleaching, sanding and staining the wood surfaces.

Advertisement

Fresh Oil

Step 1: Using Absorbent Materials to Get Oil Stains Out of Wood Floors

Sprinkle an absorbent material -- such as baking soda, cornstarch or baby powder -- over the fresh oil.

Video of the Day

Step 2: Let it Soak

Let the absorbent material soak up the oil for 1 hour. Use a broom to sweep the absorbent material off the wood and into a dustpan.

Advertisement

Step 3: Wipe the Wood Flooring

Wipe the wood floor clean with a damp cloth and dry with a towel to finish getting oil stains out of your wood flooring.

Dried Oil

Step 1: Use Dry-Cleaning Fluid

Dampen the oil spot with two to three drops dry-cleaning spot remover. Scrub the spot remover gently into the wood with a soft-bristled scrub brush. Continue adding the dry-cleaning spot remover one drop at a time and scrubbing with the brush until the oil is no longer visible on the surface to get oil stains out of the wood floor. Continue, however, with the remaining steps if the oil stain is still present.

Advertisement

Step 2: Prepare Oxalic Acid

Pour one part oxalic acid and one part distilled water into a microwave-safe glass jar. Set the jar inside a microwave. Heat on high for 30-second intervals until the mixture is warm. You must keep the mixture warm during the bleaching process. Reheat for 30-second intervals until warm whenever the mixture cools.

Advertisement

Step 3: Apply the Oxalic Acid Mixture

Saturate a paintbrush in the mixture. Hold the paintbrush over the jar and let the excess mixture drip off. Apply the mixture to the oil stains in even brush strokes until the spot is thoroughly saturated. Let the bleach mixture dry on the wood floors.

Step 4: Heat and Brush

Continue heating the mixture and brushing it on the wood until the oil stains are no longer visible. Stop the bleaching process by rinsing the area with a neutralizing mixture of 1 gallon water and 3 oz. borax. Dip a cloth in the mixture and wipe the wood floors clean.

Advertisement

Step 5: Remove the Neutralizer

Wipe the neutralizing mixture off the wood floors with clean cloth dampened in cool water. Pat the excess moisture off the floors with a towel and let air-dry.

Step 6: Sand the Spot

Sand the bleached spot down with a piece of fine sandpaper. Oxalic acid has a tendency to raise the wood grain. Rub the fine sandpaper gently over the raised area for several passes. Rub with the wood grain until the raised area is level with the surrounding wood.

Advertisement

Step 7: Brush On Wood Stain

Brush wood stain on the bleached area. Use the same color stain to match the surrounding wood floors. Brush with the wood grain. Wipe the excess stain off the wood floor with a rag. Let the floor dry.

Tip

You can find oxalic acid -- also known as wood bleach -- at home improvement centers.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

references