Now that we have determined your hardwood floor’s finish and how to properly maintain it, let’s discuss the proper usage of maintenance coats and how to remove common stains from our hardwoods.
If deep cleaning or buffing doesn’t restore your hardwood’s luster and shine, you may wish to consider applying a maintenance coat. It’s a somewhat controversial treatment; however, wax or floor polish can provide a remedy to restore your floor’s natural beauty.
There are benefits to applying wax to your floors; wax is easily cleaned, buffed, and if reapplied can help restore your floor’s appearance to its original shine and beauty. It is also easily stripped and reapplied; and the wax will wear down while the finish is protected. The downside, however, is that wax can prohibit future options, such as refinishing or applying future coats. If your floor is not correctly stripped, the wax can create issues in the future if you attempt to re-coat your floor. Wax your surface finish ONLY if your original finish is in poor condition and you do not intend to refinish your floor again.
So, what happens once you’ve determined your finish type, cleaned, buffed, applied a maintenance coat and suddenly notice a stain on your floor? It can happen, no matter how careful you are with your hardwoods.
Let’s discuss recommended methods to remove common stains. We will start with one of the most common which is water. We recommend rubbing the spot of the water stain with a Number Two steel wool followed by an application of wax. If the stain is persistent, lightly apply fine sandpaper and clean with a Number One or double zero steel wool and mineral spirits and/or floor cleaner followed by a refinish and wax application.
Another serious stain, although less common these days, is a cigarette burn. If the burn is not severe, it can be removed by using soap and water soaked steel wood pads and rubbing the stain gently. If this application does not remove the stain, the burn is severe and may be irreparable.
A more common issue is heel marks on your floor. Once again, we recommend the use of a fine steel wool pad in combination with a floor cleaner. Rub the stain in vigorous fashion, wipe it dry and polish the floor.
Ink stains are also common culprits which can damage your floors. Clean the offending spot with a Number Two steel wool pad and floor cleaner. If the spot is stubborn and remains after the initial cleaning, apply fine sandpaper to the area, wax and polish. If this effort proves ineffective, you may need to replace the stained area. Finally, remember to start cleaning at the stain’s edge and work toward the center so the stain doesn’t spread.
Next time: The difference between Hardwood and Laminate Floors
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3 mins
