Hardwood flooring is a bit of luxury that is now affordable. Warm and inviting, it goes with everything, regardless of the type of interior, adding its charm, and many of us have succumbed to it. However, hardwood flooring is quite sensitive, especially if a large grease stain settles in your dining room. What should you do in this case?
Whether it’s oak or cherry, hardwood allows liquids to pass through, as well as grease. Simply wiping a stain will not be enough to remove all the matter from your flooring.
Before attempting to act on a hardwood floor, it’s important to know certain characteristics of this material in order to repair the damage without making the situation worse.
By definition, stains happen by accident, when we’re cooking our meals, hosting guests in the dining room, or organizing a small party in the living room… and in most cases, our reflex is to grab the first product we have on hand to wipe up the material that has fallen on the floor. So what should we do to clean the stain while being careful not to make things worse or create other damage?
Can a grease stain on a hardwood floor be removed?
First, let’s verify that it’s indeed a hardwood or natural wood floor, meaning a floor that’s not varnished, painted, waxed, or oiled. If so, here’s our professional advice to follow for maintaining your flooring.
Here are the 5 steps to remove a grease stain from a hardwood floor:
- Sprinkle a generous amount of talcum powder directly on the stain and on the floor
- Cover the stain with a thick layer of paper towels
- Run an iron over the stain covered with talcum powder and paper towels
- Change the paper as soon as it becomes impregnated with the greasy substance and repeat this operation until the greasy stain disappears completely.
- Finish this cleaning by passing a sponge sprinkled with baking soda over the stained area, then rinse thoroughly with a damp sponge.
Note: Before fully cleaning any stain, to ensure there are no undesirable reactions on the floor, always take the time to test the type of cleaning on a small area.
What to do if the stain persists?
If the grease or oil stains are really impregnated in the raw wood flooring, and the stain on the floor is very significant, you can also consider oiling the entire floor to even it out. Indeed, because sanding generally does not remove this type of stain on hardwood, it may be possible to have your hardwood floor stained, oiled, or even completely refreshed. Seriously consider contacting experienced flooring professionals before embarking on repair work yourself. They can advise you on cleaning products specifically adapted to hardwood floors that clean, revive colors, and protect against this type of stain.
Maintenance to prevent
Hardwood is a very resistant material, but like any type of material, it doesn’t tolerate certain elements well. Therefore, a well-maintained hardwood floor resists stains better, stays clean and shiny in the long term. And to properly maintain a floor, it is essential to clean it well by vacuuming or sweeping once or twice a week, as well as mopping it every two weeks if possible.
These tips apply if you’re looking for a quick solution as soon as a grease stain appears, contact flooring professionals to have an impeccable hardwood floor that resists stains in the long term.
