|
Hardwood
Flooring Care : Removing Stains
For floors with polyurethane or similar surface finishes,
many stains can be prevented by simply wiping up the spilled
liquid immediately.
For waxed floors, most stains can be prevented or minimized
by keeping the floors waxed as previously suggested, and by
wiping up any spilled liquid immediately. Here are some "first-aid"
suggestions for common accidents.
When removing a stain, always begin at the outer edge and
work toward the middle to prevent it from spreading.
| Take
a look at some of our other installations: |
| 1. |
Dried milk or
food stains: You may remove the superficial dried
material with a sharpened blade. Be careful not to scratch
the finish. Rub spot with damp cloth. Rub dry. Re-wax
for waxed finish. |
| 2. |
Stains and spots
caused by standing water:
For wax finish - Rub spot
with No. 1 steel wool and re-wax. If this fails, sand
lightly with fine sandpaper 90 to 120 grit. Clean spot
and surrounding area using No. 1 or 0 steel wool and mineral
spirits or a wood floor cleaner. Let floor dry. Apply
matching finish on floor, feathering out into surrounding
area. Wax after finish dries thoroughly.
For surface finishes -
use recommended cleaner and buff vigorously with clean
towel. |
| 3. |
Dark spots:
For wax finish -
(a) Clean spot and surrounding area with No. 2 steel wood
and a wood floor cleaner or mineral spirits.
(b) Thoroughly wash spotted area with household vinegar.
Allow it to remain for three or four minutes.
(c) If spot remains, sand with fine sandpaper, follow
the grain pattern of the wood, feathering out 3 to 4 inches
into surrounding area, re-wax and polish.
(d) If two repeated applications of vinegar do not remove
spot, apply oxalic acid solution directly on the spot.
Proportions are one ounce oxalic acid to one quart water
or fractions thereof. Caution:
This is a poison; use rubber gloves. Pour a small amount
directly on the spot and let solution stand one hour.
Sponge spot with clear water. A second treatment may be
helpful if spot refuses to yield.
(e) If second application of oxalic acid fails, sand area
with No. 80 to 120 grit sandpaper, follow the grain, and
apply matching finish, feathering out into surrounding
floor area. Let dry. Buff lightly with No. 0 steel wool.
Apply second coat of finish, let dry and wax. If spot
is still visible, the only remaining remedy is to replace
the affected flooring. (Note:
Oxalic acid is a bleaching agent. Whenever it is used,
the treated floor area will probably have to be stained
and refinished to match the original color.)
For surface finishes - Remove finish and treat
as above, but do not wax. After area is thoroughly dry,
coat with surface finish. |
| 4. |
Heel marks,
caster marks, etc:
For wax finish - Rub vigorously with fine steel
wool and wood floor cleaner. Wipe dry and polish.
For surface finishes - Use cleaner to wipe off
mark. Some marks may be carefully scraped up with a sharpened
blade. |
| 5. |
Ink stains:
Follow same procedure as for other dark spots. |
| 6. |
Animal and diaper
stains: Spots that are not too old may sometimes
be removed in the same manner as other dark spots. If
spots resist cleaning efforts, replace affected strips,
sand and finish. |
| 7. |
Mold or mildew:
A surface condition caused by damp, stagnant air. See
that proper ventilation is provided for the room.
For waxed finish - The mold can usually be removed
with a wood floor cleaning liquid and No. 1 steel wool.
For surface finishes - If mold is on the surface,
wipe up with appropriate cleaner. If mold is under the
finish, refinishing is necessary. |
| 8. |
Chewing gum,
crayon, candle wax: Scrape the major residue with
a razor blade. Apply ice until the deposit is brittle
enough to crumble off. Cleaning fluid poured around the
area (not on it) can seep under the deposit and loosen
it. |
| 9. |
Cigarette burns:
For waxed finish - If not too deep, steel wool
will often remove them. Moisten steel wool with soap and
water to increase effectiveness. Re-wax.
For surface finishes - Scrape the affected area
only with a sharpened blade. Apply a dab of finish where
the finish has been scraped away. |
| 10. |
Alcohol spot:
For waxed finish - Rub with liquid or paste wax,
silver polish, boiled linseed oil, or cloth barely dampened
in ammonia. Re-wax affected area.
For surface finishes -
Generally not affected. |
| 11. |
Oil and grease
stains:
For waxed finish - Rub
on a kitchen soap having a high lye content, TSP (tri
sodium phosphate) or saturate cotton with hydrogen peroxide
and place over stain; then saturate a second layer of
cotton with ammonia and place over the first. Repeat until
the stain is removed. Note:
Ammonia may discolor the wood.
For surface finishes - Wipe up with mineral spirits
or TSP (tri sodium phosphate). Buff with clean pad or
towel. |
| 12. |
Wax build-up:
Oak floors that have not had proper care may acquire wax
build-up. Strip all the old wax away with mineral spirits
or a wood floor cleaner. Use cloths and fine steel wool
to clean and remove all the residue before applying new
wax. It's a good idea to perform this complete stripping
job every now and then. Stripping removes all the old
wax and dirt that partially hides the beauty and color
of the wood grain and builds up inevitably over a period
of time. |
|
