How to remove stains from a wooden floor

Fortunately for us, wood finishes and care products like varnish or oil are easy to apply and protect your floor as much as possible. 

But once the floor is stained, there are no miracle solutions when it comes to removing the marks. You will have to act quickly and be sure to use the right type of product to ensure you don't make the problem worse. When it comes to finding the best product, it all depends on the type of stain and how bad it is. Tar marks, marker pen and paint are all notoriously difficult to get rid of, even if you use the proper products. 

Depending on the type of chemicals you're working with, you may need to wear gloves, a mask and safety goggles when tackling the floor. Many products (such as acetone) may damage the finish of the floor meaning you will have to re-varnish, re-oil or re-wax when you're done. Think carefully before you attempt to remove stains: if you're not willing to strip and re-coat the entire floor board, bear in mind that any colour difference caused by cleaning products might be more visible than the stain was in the first place.

1. Start by sponging off any liquid using a mop or cloth.

2. Next, use a broom or vacuum cleaner to remove any dust or debris from your surface before you attempt to clean the stain.

3. Dilute the product you've chosen in a bucket of water.

4. Wet a dry cloth in the product and rub the stain until it disappears.

5. Repeat the process as many times as required.

Please note: it's important to read up on any instructions that came with your flooring before you attempt to remove stains . Otherwise, follow the product instructions to the letter – especially when it comes to diluting the product – in order to protect your floor.

Solid wood floors are often waxed. If you have a stubborn stain on a wax floor, you do have the option to simply sand down the area surrounding the mark before reapplying a coat of wax. 

Tips and tricks to remove stains from a waxed floor 

1. Water stains: apply a few drops of flaxseed oil to the floor using a cloth. Leave to dry, apply a coat of wax and buff the floor using a soft cloth.

2. Dark stains: rub the floor using a damp cloth and a clay-based cleaner.

3. Ink stains: apply some 90% alcohol to the stain using a cloth.

4. Chocolate or glue stains: use a cloth dipped in mild detergent to rub the stain.

5. Cat or dog urine: use a sponge soaked in an acetic acid solution (such as vinegar). Use about 20% acid to 80% water.

6. Greasy marks, shoe polish, lipstick and tar stains: remove excess product then dab the stain with a cloth soaked in a mixture of a natural stain remover (like Terre de Sommieres) and a dry cleaning solvent or methylated spirit.

7. Plaster stains: carefully lift off excess plaster using a scraper tool then soak the stain with a lukewarm vinegar solution. Finish by cleaning off the solution using a damp sponge.

Please note: it's important to wear appropriate PPE when handling household cleaning products like dry cleaning solvents, methylated spirit and white spirit.

In theory, your wooden floor should be protected by the varnish or oil that coats it. If you have taken care to maintain your floor properly using specialist products (cleaning products, oil, etc.), your oiled wooden floor should be stain-resistant. What's more, any stains that do turn up should be easy to remove. 

Tips and tricks to remove stains from an oiled floor

1. Grease stains: sprinkle on some talcum powder or a natural stain remover powder. Place a paper towel over the stain and go over it with an iron. Repeat the process until the stain disappears. You can also simply apply talcum powder to the area to absorb any remaining grease. Sprinkle a sponge with bicarbonate of soda and use the soft side to rub the stain before rinsing with clean water.

2. Food stains: clean the stain using a damp sponge and some washing up liquid. Repeat the process if it doesn't work the first time. Otherwise, you can rub some 70% alcohol onto the stain before reapplying oil.

3. Damp spots: use a mop and some mild detergent to clean off the mould. Rub carefully then rinse.

4. Burns and scratches: rub down the burn or scratch with some wire wool and wipe the surface with a cloth before reapplying oil with a brush.

You can use small amounts of water to remove stains from a sealed floor using a damp sponge or cloth. 

Tips and tricks to remove stains from sealed floors

1. Glue stains: read the glue instructions to see if they recommend a particular solvent for removal, and apply this using a cloth. You can then sand off the area and reseal the floor.

2. Oil paint stains: scrape off excess paint and apply some white spirit. Sand down the area then reseal.

3. Candle stains: scrape off any wax and go over the area with a damp mop.

4. Grease, wax, lipstick or tar stains: clean using a household cleaning product like Cif. Rinse then clean with soapy water before rinsing again. You can also use bicarbonate of soda in this case.

5. Pet urine: clean the stain using soapy water. Rinse well with clean water.

6. Dark stains: apply a bit of bicarbonate of soda with a sponge then rinse. You can also try using an ink eraser or rubbing with cork.

Floor sealant

If you've tried every tip and trick in the book and commercial cleaners aren't budging your stubborn stain, there is sadly no other option than to sand down the floor until the stain disappears (in the hope that it's not too deep!). You can then re-apply your floor finish.

• If you're working with a varnished floor, you will have to sand down the entire surface and re-varnish everything as varnished surfaces cannot be spot-cleaned. If you attempt to sand and re-varnish a small area, you will end up with an area that stands out from the rest of the floor.

• If you have an oiled or waxed floor, you can sand down a small area and re-apply your oil or wax.