Hardwood Floor Cleaning

Tip: Carpet Tape Residue Removal from Wood Floor
If you have carpet tape or residue on your wood floors, try to remove as much of the carpet tape as you can before hand. You may find scraping with a dull edge, such as a plastic scraper helpful. Once you have removed as much as you can, you have a few options at to how to remove the remaining tape and glue. Several things should work, such as vegetable oil, WD-40, Goo Gone, De-Solv-It, Avon Skin So Soft, or a pre-soak laundry spray. Saturate the tape, and let sit for at least an hour. The tape should then slide right off, with a few areas possibly needing a second attempt.

Tip: Cleaning a Wood Floor
To clean a wood floor try this, mix 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. Using a soft cloth, dip the cloth in the solution, wring out most of the solution and wipe the floor without getting it very wet. Then buff with a cloth to bring out the shine.

Tip: Wood Floor Maintenance
Most wood floors can be kept clean by first sweeping or vacuuming with a floor nozzle to remove most of the surface dust and dirt, then damp mopping with clear water (dip a sponge in clear water, squeezing it out so that the mop is barely damp, almost dry). Use very little water and rinse your mop thoroughly after each use since excess water can dissolve protective coatings, alter the color of the wood and raise the grain to roughen the surface.

If your floors are not dirty enough to need mopping every week, then you should not do it, as it will wear the floors faster, not to mention waste your time. Simply sweeping is often all they need.

If need to restore the shine to your wood floor after you get it clean, try damp mopping it with 1/2 cup vinegar and 2 tablespoons furniture polish in a gallon of warm water. Vinegar is also useful for removing any soap residue or build-up, but should not be necessary every week.

Tip: Oil Stain Removal from Wood Floors
To remove oil stains from wood floors, wash the stained area with mineral spirits. If that does not seem to be working, you could also try using Naptha. Depending on the finish on the wood, you could also use paint thinner, but I would recommend trying this on a non-visible area first to ensure that it would not damage the finish.

Tip: Preventing Scratches on Wood Floors
When moving large furniture, slip a small scatter rug under heavy furniture to prevent scratching the floor and to make it easier to move. Also, try placing old socks on furniture legs when rearranging a room.

Tip: Waxing Wood Floors
If possible, wax your floors during the day, the warmest part of the day, when your floors are exposed to sunlight. The wax job should last longer.

Tip: Urine Stain and Odor Removal from Wood Floor
To remove pet urine stains and odors from wood floors, you can use a product such as PAWS Pet Accident Washup Solution. Spray PAWS on the stain and let PAWS sit for a few minutes. Blot the area with a clean absorbent cloth to remove as much moisture as possible. Cover the area with baking soda and let the baking soda sit overnight to absorb any remaining moisture. In the morning, sweep up the baking soda. However, if the urine has deeply penetrated the wood, there will be no choice but to sand it down and refinish. This may be best left to a professional.

Tip: Revitalize Wood Floors
For a revitalizing shine on your wood floors, first dust mop the room thoroughly, making sure to remove all dust and dirt. Place waxed paper under a sponge mop, and work your way around the room, changing the paper as often as necessary.

Tip: Repairing a Scratch in a Waxed Wood Floor
To repair a scratch in a waxed floor, rub the scratch with steel wool, following the grain of the wood. Mix floor wax with a little brown shoe polish. Using a buffer or cloth-covered broom, blend it in well.

Tip: Permanent Marker Stain Removal from Wood Floor
To remove permanent marker from wood flooring, try using a non-oily hairspray or rubbing alcohol.

Tip: Urine Stain and Odor Removal from Wood Floor
The ideal solution for removing a urine stain from a wood floor is to sand and refinish it, since it is very difficult to match up the floor finish once you have treated a urine stain in the wood. However, you can still try. To remove urine stains and odors from your wood floor, first blot the area with an absorbent cloth to remove any excess urine. The newest technology uses peroxide and detergents to penetrate the soiled area to remove the stain and deactivate the odor. Simply spray a product such as PAWS - Pet Accident Washup Solution on the soiled area, and then allow it to penetrate for approximately five minutes. Wipe clean. Another option to try is to wipe the stained area with cool water; blot dry. Next, blot the stained area with undiluted white vinegar. Wipe again with cool water and blot dry. With either of the above methods, do not saturate the wood or allow any liquid to stand on the surface for any length of time. Wipe with cool water and blot dry.

If the stain remains, you can buff with super fine 000 grade steel wool and floor wax. Rub with the grain of the wood. If the spot begins to blend with the finish, continue the wax and steel wool treatment until the appearance of the wood is restored. If the stain persists, place a paste of either pumice powder or rottenstone and vegetable oil on the spot. Using a clean, soft, absorbent cloth, gently rub the paste into the spot, following the grain of the wood. When the stain is removed, rub the surrounding area of the wood gently with the abrasive and oil paste to prevent spotting.

If the stain is still visible, the urine has probably penetrated the finish and marred the wood, in which case it is necessary to remove the finish and refinish the surface. You may be able to use super fine 000 grade steel wool and a small amount of mineral spirits to remove urine stains, but afterwards you will have to refinish the area by waxing and buffing and even then it will be difficult to match the treated area with the rest of the floor.

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