Ultimate Guide: How to Remove Black Stains from Hardwood Floors

Do you want to learn how to completely remove black stains and marks from hardwood floors?

You have come to the right place because we have all the information you need to clean up those messy stains.

In this article, you will also learn everything you wanted to know about those black stains you woke up to see on your floors.

This way, you are certain of the reasons why the stains were there in the first place, as well as the steps you can take to get rid of them.

 

What Causes Black Stains on Hardwood Floors?

So, the first thing you must understand is the reason why you have black spots on some parts of your floors. The idea is that different stain removal methods apply to different causes of black stains.

To set the record straight, those stains are there because you mistakenly spilled ink or food spillage on the floor. Of course, you may have inadvertently done that only to come back later to see that the floor has been stained.

Aside from those, there are other causes of black stains on the floor. They include:

• Blood droplets
• Pet mess, including poop, urine, and vomit
• Prolonged exposure of water and metal on the floor. This can cause the metal to rust, thereby, forming an iron oxide on the floor
• A ring of condensation caused by leaving a cup for long on the floor

 

How to Get Black Marks Out of the Floor

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Now, let’s go through the most difficult aspect.

Here, you'll learn how you can remove black stains that have been lurking on your hardwood floor for some time.

There are different methods to do that. We’ll start with the first and most common method, then consider other options you can try out if the former doesn’t work as expected.

 

1. Use Hydrogen Peroxide and Water

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If there is any reliable way to get black spots out of floors, it has to be the combination of hydrogen peroxide and water. Below are the procedures to follow.

 

Step #1: Apply Hydrogen Peroxide in the Stained Parts of the Floor

The first thing to do is to take note of the affected areas. It is in those areas that you will directly apply your hydrogen peroxide.

This demands some precision and an eye for detail.

You don’t want to apply or spray the solution on every area of the floor. All you need to do is to only spray it on the stained areas.

 

• Clean Over-Spills

If you made mistakes and sprayed on unstained areas, do well to wipe off the over-spills to prevent the floor from being bleached.

 

• Give It Time

When you confirm that the hydrogen peroxide has been evenly spread, it will then be time to cover the stained areas (that you applied hydrogen peroxide on) with a paper towel.

Once you’ve done that, allow the solution to sit for a few minutes before taking it off.

 

Step #2: Survey the Area

Don’t assume that the stained areas have suddenly become clean. As much as hydrogen peroxide excellently removes black stains on floors, it doesn’t do that automatically.

So, you need to continually check and survey the affected areas to be abreast with the effect of the solution on them.

Ideally, you want to pick up the paper towel at intervals to see if the original color of the floor is returning.

One good way to check that is to determine how dark the stains on the paper towel have become. The rule of thumb is that the darker the stains on the paper towel the lighter the black stains become on the floor.

It will only be a matter of a few hours before a greater part of the stains is removed from the hardwood floor.

 

Step #3: Clean the Surface

The final determination of the extent of the black stain removal is to clean the affected areas with clean water.

Take note of the color of the water. If it is still darker than as expected, it means that the black stains are still much on the surface. So, you have to apply extra pressure to scrub them off.

Otherwise, you can simply wipe the entire surface thoroughly until it shines and your floor begins to show signs of regaining its texture and rich looks.

 

2. Liquid Detergent and Cold Water Remove Black Stains

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Most homeowners don’t always get to this point because the method above does the job for them.

However, if it doesn’t remove the black stains from your hardwood floor, feel free to try this alternative method.

It involves the use of liquid detergent and cold water to facilitate the removal of black marks.

Note that the combination of liquid detergent and cold water is best used for removing urine and ink spills on hardwood floors. Such stains are considered to still be on the surface level. They haven’t fully penetrated the wood, so something can still be done.

 

Step #1: Mix and Apply the Solution

The very first thing you must do is to mix your liquid detergent and cold water. As a rule, the measurements of the two elements have to be equal.

When you do this, use a microfiber cloth or paper towel to apply the solution directly to the stained areas. Be careful not to extend the application to non-affected areas to prevent the floor from bleaching.

 

Step #2: Saturate the Affected Areas

Saturation is important at this point because it simplifies the process of distributing the solution on the affected areas of the floor.

You can then thoroughly wipe the stained areas ahead of the cleaning process.

 

Step #3: Clean the Surface

Be careful when cleaning the stained areas after applying the solution.

Start by immersing the microfiber cloth or paper towel in cold water. Then, follow it up by applying adequate pressure to wipe the stained areas.

Keep repeating the same process, provided that the stains are come off easily. With a few minutes of dedicated cleaning, the stained surfaces should be restored to their prime in no distant time.

 

How to Get Rid of Special Stains on Your Hardwood Floor

Not all black stains are to be removed using hydrogen peroxide or liquid detergent and cold water.

Some stains may defy these solutions and leave you perplexed on what to do next. This informs the reason why you need to learn the specific measures you can take to remove special black stains.

 

1. Wipe off Black Stains Caused by Greasy and Non-Greasy Items

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Did you ascertain the cause of black stains on your hardwood floor to be from greasy or non-greasy items?

If this is so, then you don’t have much work to do because a simple application of warm water and dish soap is all you need to remove the stains. This method works best if you are tackling stains caused by non-greasy items like nail polish.

However, if the stains were caused by greasy items, you will have to mix ammonia and cold water and gently scrub the stains to remove them.

Note that you need to be fast about it because further delays can cause the stains to leave a permanent mark on your floor.

 

2. Applying Baking Soda is a Perfect Way to Get Rid of Pet Stains

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Pet stains such as urine and poop need extra handling. This is where baking soda comes in.

The major step you have to take here is to sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the stains and leave it for a while.

After a few minutes, check to see if the chemical reaction initiated by the baking soda successfully pulled off some of the stains out of the floor. You may need to continually repeat the process until most of the stains have been removed.

 

Conclusion

Removing black stains from your hardwood floor doesn’t have to be a walk in the park because it is something you can handle in a few minutes.

All you need to do is to identify the cause of the stain before you apply any stain removal method.