Easy Cleaning Hacks to Get Scratches and Stains Out of Your Wood Floor
Very few flooring materials can match the elegance of wood. It is a material that can breathe life into any room. Keeping it in pristine shape can be quite difficult, however. They are more susceptible to scratches and stains compared to other types of flooring. You can always hire a residential and commercial office cleaning company to get rid of these scratches and stains from your wood floor. For those who want a more personalised touch, here are a few cleaning hacks you can try.
Whole Walnuts for Minor Scratches
Wood floors are not as tough as vinyl or ceramic tiles. They can get easily banged up. If you notice small scratches on your wood floor, then do not fret. Head to the kitchen counter and get a few pieces of whole walnuts. It is imperative that the nuts still have their shell on. Rub a shelled walnut against scratches. Use a circular motion when rubbing the walnut. This will help distribute the natural oils of the nut into the small cracks on the floor. This is one of the easiest ways you can fix minor scratches on your wood floor. The best part is that you can always eat the walnut afterwards.
Black Tea Bags for Restoring Wood Finish
Tea contains tannins that give the drink its distinct yellowish to brownish colour. What many tea-drinkers don’t realise is that black tea is also a great solution for restoring the elegant finish of wood surfaces. The tannins in tea can help improve the dull appearance of old wood. To restore your wood floor, steep 6 to 8 teabags of black tea in a litre of boiling water for about 3 to 5 minutes. Let the solution cool down. Soak a microfibre cleaning cloth in the tea and wring the excess liquid. Use this to wipe your floor and watch it come to life. An alternative will be to pour the solution in a spray bottle and use this in restoring your wood floor.
Mayonnaise for Filling in Cracks on the Floor
This wood floor cleaning hack has got to be one of the most intriguing. As it turns out, mayonnaise is a very effective solution to fixing minor cracks and other shallow imperfections on wood floors. It is also a wonderful solution for removing water stains on wood surfaces. Mayonnaise contains both oils and proteins that help in ‘nourishing’ the wood. It causes the wood to expand. This facilitates the filling of the cracks and removing the imperfections from the floor. It is important to clean the wood surface very well. Apply a generous amount of mayonnaise over the cracks and let it stay there for about 15 to 30 minutes. Wipe it off using a microfibre cleaning cloth.
Clothes Iron for Wood ‘Dents’
Using an ordinary clothes iron can also fix nasty dents on wood floors. The secret is in the ability of heat to expand the wood. You have to realise that wood is more or less a living organism. It is not like concrete, plastic, or vinyl. To fix dents on wood, moisten a piece of cloth. Spray a bit of water on the dent, too. Place the moist cloth over the dent. Turn your clothes iron on and switch it to the highest possible setting. Once hot, rub the flat iron over the moist cloth. Rub it in circular motion. Continue doing this for 3 to 5 minutes. You should see the dent ‘disappear’ before your eyes.
Baking Soda for Stains
One of the most practical ways to remove any kind of stain on wood floors is by sprinkling it with baking soda. This is an ingredient that almost all kitchens have. Baking soda is a mild alkaline. This gives it the ability to cut oil and grease. It also has a crystalline structure, giving it a gentle abrasive property. If you combine it with water, you can make a paste which you can rub on your wood floor. This can help remove the stain. It is also perfect for addressing pet urine stains. It can neutralise the nasty odours of such stains.
Ice Cubes for Removing Gum
Chewing gum and other sticky items can be very challenging to remove from surfaces. One very practical solution to this is by rubbing the stuck-on gum with ice cubes. The cold temperature of the ice cube will help harden the gum. This reduces its hold or adhesiveness on the surface of the floor. You can then use an ordinary plastic card to scrape the gum off of your wood floor. This cleaning hack also works on residues of adhesive tape as well as glue.
‘Magic Eraser’ for Removing Scuffs and Stains
If baking soda cannot remove the stains on your wood floor, try ‘magic erasers’. These chalkboard eraser-like products contain melamine foam. When you add a bit of water to the foam, it can reach and destroy stains that very few other cleaning products can. It can remove scuff marks and stubborn stains from your wood flooring.
Canola Oil for Removing Scratches
This hack is similar to applying mayonnaise or rubbing whole walnuts on wood floors. The canola oil will help ‘nourish’ the wood, allowing it to close the miniature spaces found in scratches. Add 2 parts of canola oil to 1 part distilled white vinegar. Get a microfibre cloth and dunk this into the canola oil-vinegar mixture. Rub this into the wood in a gentle manner. This will help remove minor scratches.
Toothpaste for Removing Permanent Inks
As crazy as it sounds, your toothpaste can also work wonders in removing permanent marker inks of wood floors. Toothpastes contain abrasives and other chemicals that can interact with the compounds in the ink. Apply a good amount of toothpaste over the mark. Rub the toothpaste in a circular motion using a microfibre cloth. This should remove the mark from the permanent marker.
These easy cleaning hacks should help you maintain the integrity of your wood floor. If they do not work, you can always ask a professional cleaning company to help you.
