Black stains on hardwood floors and wood furniture are dark spots which usually show up due to prolonged exposure to water. No one is immune to the occurrence of dark stains – it’s bound to happen to all of us at some point in our lifetime. For instance, you might have set up a glass of water on the wooden tabletop and unfortunately forgot about it.
Then as you go about running some other errands, your precious tot tries to reach out to the glass (filled with water) and topples it over. Water pours out of the glass; seeps into the layers of wood, and ends up staying there for a long time since you have no idea what has already transpired. Before you know it, water has stayed long enough to wreck as much havoc as possible – dark water stains.
Removing these stains is the only way to restore the pristine look of your hardwood floors, but many of us have no idea how to remove water stains from wood floors. Darkened stains are an indication that the water has infiltrated the polyurethane finish and down into the wood beneath, which means it’ll require some elbow grease and patience in order to completely restore your floor. Today, we’re going to learn a few methods and techniques on how to remove dark stains from wood and make your items look as good as new.
Without extra blabber, we shall get started right away.
Table of Contents
Remove Dark Water Stains From Wood
1. Removing stains once they happen
If you get lucky to notice spilt water as soon as it touched on your wooden floor or furniture, then it might be useful to learn how to get water stains out of wood. You’ll need to act with speed because unnecessary laxity can make the water stain worse. Immediately buff the affected area using a soft cotton cloth to absorb the excess water without scratching the wood.
For best results, try using a blow dryer to drain the remaining moisture as well as prevent it from setting deeper into the wood. Be careful to do it on a low setting though, because you may end up turning the watermark into a heat mark. After the fresh water stain has been completely removed, rub up the affected area using an oil-based furniture polish to make your wood look new and appealing.
Oil-based products like petroleum jelly, mayonnaise and butter help seep deep into the wood layers and disintegrate any remaining moisture. Make sure to leave these products on the stain for at least an hour or even up to overnight. By so doing, they’ll continually break up moisture and make all residual water stains vanish.
2. Removing old water stains
There are several methods on how to remove old water stains from wood. You’ll have to try each of the methods below to find one that can effectively remove older water stains.
Try a water mark remover
There are numerous commercial products specifically formulated for removing water marks from wood floors along with stains occasioned by excessive exposure to the cold, heat, alcohol, or magic markers. You’re recommended to read through the instructions carefully prior to using any of such commercial products. Some products demand ventilation while others are safe to use in closed spaces – even without wearing protective gloves or face masks.
Buy a hardwood floor cleaner
Certain products found at household supply and home improvement stores are specially designed for getting water stains out of hardwood floors. You might want to give some of them a try. You’re to apply these hardwood floor cleaning products with a spray and later wipe up the floors clean with a damp cloth.
Magic eraser
3. Using toothpaste to remove dark stains
Another efficient method on how to remove black stains from hardwood floors is brushing the stains with toothpaste. This method involves using a clean toothbrush along with a non-gel and non-whitening toothpaste. Gel toothpastes aren’t good at penetrating the wood due to their thinner and weaker nature.
This method works best if a darker stain is laced on a lighter wood. However, avoid using toothpaste on antique wood as the bristles on the brush are likely to change the grain of your wood, especially if the wood is older. You can use a soft cloth in place of toothpaste to prevent damaging the grain of your wood.
Fill your toothbrush with toothpaste and scrub the stain in back-and-forth motions. Working in the direction of the grain, brush each section at least five times so the toothpaste can penetrate the wood. Allow the toothpaste to rest for 10-15 minutes, and then wipe it off the wood using a dry paper towel.
Finally, polish the wood using a combination of soft cloth and clear wood polish. Confirm whether all the stain is gone. If not, spray some wood polish into a clean cotton cloth and rub it into the wood, focusing on the direction of the grain. Allow it to dry completely (about 24 hours) before putting anything on the wooden surface.
4. Removing dark water stains from unfinished wood
It’s pretty easy to remove water stains from unpolished wooden furniture and floors. In fact, it’s the easiest scenario of all these methods we’ve unveiled above. Simply get sandpaper and gently sand the affected area to strip layers off of the wood until the stained layers disappear.
Use back-and-forth strokes to scrape the whole layer of the stained surface. You can use a belt sander to get stains out of a larger surface, keeping the pattern uniform. Once you’re done, wipe up wood shavings and dust the surface with a clean dry cloth.
Final Thought:
Wooden furniture or floors stained with water can be truly upsetting since their beautiful color vanishes off the thin air. You don’t have to worry anymore, though. Try one of the above tips and techniques to get your wooden floor and furniture looking brand new again!
https://wiselypick.com/carpet-sweeper-reviews/
