Home Seller Tips: How Do You Remove Paint from Hardwood Floors?
In the process of staging your home for sale you really felt like a change was called for and decided a new coat of paint for your walls was in order. You were as careful as possible. You covered up all your furniture and used drop cloths to cover your hardwood floors. Yet you still managed to spill a few drops of brightly colored paint and now you are afraid your much loved – and much valued by many potential home buyers- hardwood floors are ruined forever unless you call in a professional to fix the problem.
You really felt like a change and decided a new coat of paint for your walls was in order. You were as careful as possible. You covered up all your furniture and used drop cloths to cover your hardwood floors. Yet you still managed to spill a few drops of brightly colored paint and now you are afraid your much loved hardwood floors are ruined forever unless you call in a professional to fix the problem.
Paint on a hardwood floor need not be the end of the world though. There are several different ways you can remove paint stains from hardwood floors yourself, as long as you know how to do it the right way.
Removing Fresh Paint Stains from Hardwood Floors
If the paint drips are fresh you are in a good position to fix the damage to yourhardwood floors fairly easily. If you notice the paint drip right away the only sensible reaction is to wipe it off before it dries. After wiping it all up with a clean cloth the use of a mild wood cleanser afterwards should be all that is needed to get your hardwood floors looking great again.
Some people swear by rubbing alcohol or acetone nail polish remover as a good way to get fresh paint stains off hardwood floors. This method can work but should be used with caution do avoid making the problem worse by discoloring your hardwood floor.
Removing Old Paint Stains from Hardwood Floors
Removing old paint stains from hardwood floors is a little trickier but it can be done.
First of all do not be tempted to use putty knives or scrapers to get the paint stains off your hardwood floors as you are likely to scratch them while you do so, only making a bad situation worse. Instead remove as much of the paint as you can by rubbing it off gently – by hand – with a piece of fine grain sandpaper. Gently is the key word here though. You want to sand away the paint, not the finish from your hardwood floor.
After you have removed as much of the paint stain as you can with the sandpaper, take a tiny drop of rubbing alcohol and apply it directly to the stain. Using a clean cotton ball gently rub the rest of the paint off the floor. Finish the job up by using your cloth and a mild wood cleanser to wash away whatever is left.
These methods should work for a few spilled drops of paint on hardwood floors. To remove larger areas of paint is a bigger undertaking though and the best course of action would be to contact a flooring professional for advice before you attempt such a job.
, as long as you know how to do it the right way.
Removing Fresh Paint Stains from Hardwood Floors
If the paint drips are fresh you are in a good position to fix the damage to your hardwood floors fairly easily. If you notice the paint drip right away the only sensible reaction is to wipe it off before it dries. After wiping it all up with a clean cloth the use of a mild wood cleanser afterwards should be all that is needed to get your hardwood floors looking great again.
Some people swear by rubbing alcohol or acetone nail polish remover as a good way to get fresh paint stains off hardwood floors. This method can work but should be used with caution do avoid making the problem worse by discoloring your hardwood floor.
Removing Old Paint Stains from Hardwood Floors
Removing old paint stains from hardwood floors is a little trickier but it can be done.
First of all do not be tempted to use putty knives or scrapers to get the paint stains off your hardwood floors as you are likely to scratch them while you do so, only making a bad situation worse. Instead remove as much of the paint as you can by rubbing it off gently – by hand – with a piece of fine grain sandpaper. Gently is the key word here though. You want to sand away the paint, not the finish from your hardwood floor.
After you have removed as much of the paint stain as you can with the sandpaper, take a tiny drop of rubbing alcohol and apply it directly to the stain. Using a clean cotton ball gently rub the rest of the paint off the floor. Finish the job up by using your cloth and a mild wood cleanser to wash away whatever is left.
These methods should work for a few spilled drops of paint on hardwood floors. To remove larger areas of paint is a bigger undertaking though and the best course of action would be to contact a flooring professional for advice before you attempt such a job.