How can I get scratches and stains out of my Hardwood Floor?

Question

I can't afford to have someone professionally get the scratches and stains out of my blond hardwood floors. Is there a machine or a cleaning or staining product(s) I can use to make them look nicer?

Answer 1

Try using Howard's Restore A Finish or Fornbeys first. Howards comes in a clear or in stain colors to match the floor. Fornbeys is a kit that cleans, fills and protects wood in a three step process. Howards is a wipe on one step process and is easier to use. You will get pretty good results with either.

Answer 2

If it is true hardwood and not that floating floor stuff you can put a coat of Varathane on it, or High Build 50. Varathane is one of the hardest finishes you can use on hardwood and looks great. High Build 50 is expensive and goes on thick but is an epoxy which makes it very strong, but you also can not walk on the floors for about a week with High Build 50, whereas with Varathane you can do your clean floors at night just before bedtime and walk on them the next morning.

Answer 3

well you can rent a floor sander and then reapply a strong poly coat to them after, but it is a lot of work. As for the stain removal from wood floors, no not that I know of.

Answer 4

1

Answer 5

You can rent the stuff the pros use at a tool rental place. make sure you get instructed on how to use them.

Answer 6

You can rent your own buffer and do it yourself.

Answer 7

(1)General Care

Regularly sweep or vacuum the floor to prevent sand or abrasive dust from accumulating and scratching the finish.
Place doormats outside and rugs inside at every entrance of the house, again to prevent sand or abrasive dust from accumulating on the floor.
Place a rug in front of the kitchen sink, kitchen working stations, and the dishwasher to protect the floor from dropped kitchen accessories and from water or oily detergent spills.
Use adequate floor protection (wood floor protector pads) under all furniture and chairs legs, in order to ease their movements and to prevent scratching the floor.
The relative humidity level in your home must be maintained at 45% (i.e. 40-50%) throughout the year. Hardwood is a living substance which reacts to changes of relative humidity. It absorbs or releases humidity according to seasons. Consequently, its dimension changes. In summer, when humidity is at its highest, it is absorbed by the wood which then expands. These variations can be minimized with proper ventilation, dehumidifying or heating. In winter, on the other hand, when the heating system is on, the relative humidity level in the house is much lower. It is then recommended to use a humidifier, in order to minimize extreme shrinkage effects
Keep "high heel" shoes in good condition. Damaged or worn high heels may expose a metal tip which will certainly damage your hardwood floor.
Protect your floor against direct sunlight or any intense source of artificial lighting. Over time, intense light will discolor exposed surfaces. This phenomenon with wood surfaces is normal and natural. The lighter the color of the natural wood, the more apparent this phenomenon will be.
Maintaining a Surface Finish

Surface finishes are very popular today because they are durable, water-resistant and require minimal maintenance. Surface finishes are blends of synthetic resins. These finishes are most often referred to as urethanes or polyurethanes, and remain on the surface of the wood to form a protective coating. They are generally available in high-gloss, semi-gloss and satin.

Dust mop, sweep or vacuum regularly. Clean with a manufacturer's recommended no wax cleaner. Recoat the floor after sanding or buffing with a surface finish when cleaning no longer restores shine. The frequency of recoating depends on the amount of traffic. A surface finished floor should never be waxed.

Maintaining a Wax Finish

Wax finishes soak into the pores of the wood and harden to form a protective penetrating seal. The wax gives a low-gloss satin sheen.

Dust mop or vacuum regularly. Buff to restore shine. Waxing may be necessary when buffing no longer restores shine. Apply a cleaner and liquid wax specifically for wood floors. Apply the wax evenly, allow the floor to dry and buff to the desired luster. If the wood floor has dirt build up or the wax is discolored, use a combination liquid cleaner/wax made specifically for wood flooring. Make sure it is solvent rather than water base. Spread the liquid cleaner/wax with a cloth or fine steel wool and rub gently to remove grime and old wax. Wipe the floor clean, let it dry for about 20 minutes and buff. Depending on the traffic, a properly maintained wood floor should only need waxing once, or twice a year. Be sure to follow manufacturer’s directions carefully.

Maintaining Acrylic Impregnated Floors

Acrylic Impregnated finishes are injected into the wood to create a super hard, extremely durable floor. Acrylic Impregnated finishes are rarely used in residential applications. They most often are used I high traffic areas in commercial settings such as malls and restaurants.

Some acrylic impregnated floors are coated with urethane. For general cleaning, follow procedures for surface finishes. For general cleaning non-urethane coated acrylic impregnated floors, use a spray and buff system as recommended by the manufacturer.

(2) Wood Floor Maintenance ~ A Care Guide ~ The Do's & Don'ts


The key to lasting beauty of your wood flooring investment is proper maintenance for the life of your floor. Included in this page are care guide lines, maintaining urethanes finishes, wax finishes, and the Do's & Don'ts of your wood floor product.

The following are some excellent guidelines for maintaining today's wood floors.

All Hardwood Floors regardless of how the floor has been finished, there are certain steps that must be taken to maintain the beauty of the hardwood floor.
Every floor must be dust mopped, vacuumed or swept with a soft bristle broom daily, or as often as necessary, to remove grit and dust from the surface. Walking on dusty or dirty floor is the fastest way to damage a finish.
Place walk-off mats at all exterior entrances. This will capture much of the harmful dirt before it even reaches the hardwood floor. Shake out, wash or vacuum mats and area rugs frequently.
Floor protector pads of soft felt or similar material should be placed on the bottoms of the legs of the furniture. Floor protectors must be kept clean of grit and periodically replaced.
Keep high heels in good repairs. An unprotected tip will dent any hardwood floor.
Kitchen floors experience the most traffic in a home. To prevent premature wear of the floor, place an area rug in front of the sink and stove area. Shake out or vacuum the rugs frequently.
Finally, using a humidifier or dehumidifier in conjunction with a furnace or air conditioning system to maintain relative humidity in the home at 30-50% will maintain the moisture in the wood and minimize cracks between the boards.

Surface Finishes (water based urethanes, oil modified urethanes, conversion varnish and moisture cured urethanes)

Use the finish manufacturer's or the prefinished floor manufacturer's recommended cleaning system. If the manufacturer is not known or has no recommendation, use a cleaner that will not leave a residue that would inhibit bonding and recoating. NEVER wax a urethane finish. Do not generally wet a wood floor with water. When using any wood floor cleaner which requires mixing with water, follow mixing directions precisely. A cloth wetted with water and squeezed dry may be used to wipe up food stuffs and other spills, provided the area is buffed dry immediately. Heel or scuff marks and stubborn stains may be removed by lightly rubbing with a cloth and a wood floor cleaner.

Always use the manufacturers recommended cleaning products, as most manufacturers warranties are voided if other products such as oil soaps are used.

Wipe spills immediately with a slightly damp soft cloth

Long-term Maintenance - Urethane finishes eventually will show wear patterns from surface scratching. When high traffic area begin to look dull it is time to recoat (screening-a light sanding, then apply same or compatible finish) or restore the finish. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Wax Finishes

Routine Cleaning - Use the finish manufacturer's or the prefinished floor manufacturer's recommended cleaning system. Never use a waterbased cleaner on a wax floor. Once dirt and dust have been removed, the luster may be restored by buffing. Apply additional wax only in heavy traffic areas, if needed. Caution, do not over wax. An application of a solvent based cleaning product will remove dirt and allow the floor to be buffed clean. Spills must be wiped up immediately with a lightly water dampened cloth and then hand buffed dry.

To remove white spots caused by water spills, use fine steel wool (#000) and a small amount of mineral spirits, rub gently in a circular motion until spot is gone. Then apply additional wax to the area and buff.

Long-term Maintenance - Wax floors that have been neglected may be restored by deep cleaning. An application of a renovating system with fine steel wool, proper dry times and a complete rewaxing will clean and reseal the wood as well as restore color and luster.

Note: Once wax, in any form, has been applied to a wood floor, only wax may be used as a coating over the floor. Urethane and other surface finished cannot be applied over an existing wax finish.

Acrylic Impregnated Floors
Non-Urethane Coated

Routine Cleaning-For general cleaning always follow the manufacturer's recommendations and use their floor care products. Long-term Maintenance - An acrylic impregnated floor that has been neglected or improperly cleaned may need restoration. Stripping, sanding or screening the floor may be required, always contact the floor manufacturer for complete instructions.

Urethane Coated

Routine Cleaning - Some acrylic impregnated floors are coated with urethanes. For general cleaning of these types of floors, follow the manufacturer's recommendations and cleaning procedures for surface finishes. Many manufacturers using a special cleaning solution made for today's urethanes.




The Do's and Don'ts of Wood Flooring
Advanced finish technology and innovative products make wood one of the most beautiful and easy-care flooring materials today. FinishingWoodFloors.com offers these guidelines that will help preserve a beautiful finish and keep maintenance to a minimum:

Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations (when known) for the proper care of a wood floor.
Know the type of finish on the wood floor. Follow the proper maintenance procedures for the particular finish.
Never wax a urethane floor. A majority of floors installed today have urethane finishes.
Never use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes cause wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly. The only remedy in this situation is to sand and refinish the floor.
Consult with an installer, the finisher or the manufacturer if there is any doubt of the kind of floor finish.
Place mats and throw rugs at doorways, exteriors and interiors to help prevent the tracking of grit, dirt and sand.
Sweep or vacuum wood floors regularly.
Never wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.
Wipe up food and other spills immediately with a dry or slightly dampened towel (wipe dry).
For a wax floor, buff to restore shine. You may want to invest in a buffer.
Do not over-wax a wax floor. If the floor dulls, try buffing instead. Avoid wax buildup under furniture and other light traffic areas by applying wax in these spots every other waxing session.
Put plastic or fabric-faced glides under the legs of furniture to prevent scuffing and scratching.
Remember: cleats, sports shoes and high heels can dent any floor surface.
When moving heavy furniture, protect wood flooring by slipping a piece of cloth or pile under the legs or covering each leg with a heavy sock or half of a milk carton.
For wood flooring in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink to catch sink splashes and cut down on wear.