How to Remove Black Stains from Hardwood Floors?

Last Updated on October 15, 2023 by admin

Natural wood, being irreplaceable in regards to elegance and grace, is always priceless to customers. Natural wood was originally used for more sophisticated structural purposes and installed as a support to the building in the form of beams or bearers. Entire house buildings were designed and constructed with natural wood as a primary raw material. With time, this trend has been on the declining side now, with only a few regions still using it.

In order to keep the elegance of natural wood and give it a modern, delicate touch, hardwood flooring was used to substitute traditional flooring ideas. Hardwood flooring has taken a dent in popularity after introducing wide varieties of engineered wood; however, it is still a popular and common flooring option used by many.

Hardwood flooring

You can take hardwood flooring, whether engineered or not, as an investment, sort of as a capital investment in your house, which lasts for long. In engineered hard wood flooring cases, you only have to bear flooring and labor expenses, and you are set for a lifetime. Its durability and timeliness make it ideal for homes. And you do not have to worry for periodic maintenance, and it will not cost you any additional repairs

Besides the complete change in your home outlook, it also substantially enhances your home’s value—what a terrific way to be elegant and adding value at the same time. You will be in awe when you see the difference a hardwood flooring can bring.

Pros of hardwood

• Irreplaceable natural outlook
• Thicker wear surface
• Can be finished, again and again, more than engineered wood
• Durability, authenticity, and timeliness
• Good investment and enhancement in value of the house
• No periodic maintenance needed thus making it cost-effective

Cons of hardwood

• Have the tendency of gapping more than engineered wood which means excessive spaces between planks in some cases
• More prone to crowing i.e upward curving due to increased humidity
• Cupping of wood i.e height difference between its edges and center
• Installation might be more tricky than engineered wood in case of flooring
• Often prone to weather conditions of the area

Types of Hardwood Flooring

As hardwood flooring can be refinished, it continues to dominate the customer’s hearts. It comes in various types, some of which are list down below:

Bamboo:

It may not be hardwood in actual; however, its floorings are taken in this category. If you are living in a damp environment, this type of flooring is not for you as it is more prone to damage in such weather.

Maple:

It is quite popular among hardwood flooring choices. Its durability makes it one of the top-selling type of hardwood flooring. It is less porous, which makes it less absorbent to stains. It has a subtle grain pattern, which makes it feasible for all kinds of spaces. Its extreme durability adds to its numerous other positives.

Rosewood:

This hardwood is somehow new in the market with a wide range of colors to its belt. It has grain-like patterns and is suitable for furniture and fixtures.

Walnut:

Ever seen wooden floors with dark, exotic looks in homes? Well, Walnut hardwood floors are the same, which gives versatility to the floor. Walnut wood, being tough, makes itself ideal for high traffic areas.

Cherry:

Not as strong as Brazilian cherry wood, this wood brings a different vibe to the floor. The only problem with cherry wood floorings is that change in its pink hue is observed when it might need refinishing and regular maintenance.

Hickory:

Hickory wooden floorings are rustic, making it capable of withstanding more traffic, and it goes with almost every type of setting and décor.

Ash:

There are more than 60 different types of ash trees. One must study for the best one when choosing wooden floorings. These are less expensive and extremely hard.

Lyptus:

Lyptus wood is not so common; however, it brings tremendous value to your floor with its durability and exotic looks. It is quite popular among flooring designers as well.

Oaks:

Oaks wood is considered one of the most popular ones because of its timeliness and variety of colors. This looks great with every setting or type of home. This wooden floor tends high resistance to wear and tear.

Methods to remove black stains:

Floors are one of the most roughly used parts of any home. Stains are absorbed in the wooden flooring with time, and if untreated, these deeply rooted dirt patches can dry in the lower levels and become hard to remove.

Regular cleaning makes up for most of the stains’ timely removal. It does not let them settle and penetrate into the surface so, one must avoid poor maintenance and bad cleaning habits. A little cleaning daily can save you from a lot of headaches in the long run.

Daily cleaning and maintenance is the answer to your problems.

Hydrogen peroxide:

A chemical compound in nature, hydrogen peroxide with formula h2o2, is a chemical mixture of hydrogen and water. It is used as a mild antiseptic, combats mold infections, dental hygiene, and cleaning detergent.

For this method, all you need is hydrogen peroxide and clean cloth. Use soaked cloth in hydrogen peroxide to dab the clack stains. Please leave it to dry overnight or for a minimum of eight hours. You can opt for longer durations depending on the intensity of the stain. See the results in the morning and be amazed.

Wood bleach products:

Bleaches are commonly used in our homes as a detergent. For stains on hardwood floors, superior wood bleach products are available in the market with higher intensity against these deep stains. Alternate items may include household bleach, chlorine solution, and oxalic acid for black water spots and rust stains.

Wood floor sanding and refinishing:

You may have come across such tough stains that are difficult to remove regardless of every method applied. In those cases where the stain has not penetrated in the floor, sanding and refinishing the floor is a viable option.

You may use fine-grit sandpaper only to remove the stain without going deep into the surface. When sanding is done, start the refinishing process and seal the wooden floor afterward.

Replacing the stained part:

This is only practical as a last resort when no other option is available. That situation will arise when black stains have deeply penetrated in the hardwood flooring, so we have no other choice but to replace it. You may need to hire a professional for this task.

Note:

one must read manufacturer instructions on the bleach or other products and assess whether it is suitable for your floor or not.

Conclusion

To sum up, we have two choices in our hands, whether to go for the easy way and adopt regular cleaning to avoid these dark stains from our hardwood floors in the first place. Or, we can go for the hard way and ultimately bear a lot of mental, physical, and economic duress in the form of replacing the floor patches in extreme cases.
Be wise and choose carefully.