Bring Stained Hardwood Floors Back To Life With One Inexpensive Solution

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Through an errant elbow knocking over a bottle of olive oil, or slippery fingers losing their grip on a glass of water, you've ended up with a spill on your beautiful hardwood floors. Once you've shooed away pets and cleaned up any glass, you might be fretting over the possibility of a stain. Even if you've only just noticed an old stain, don't despair, because there's an easy fix — one you might already have in your garage.

Derived from petroleum, mineral oil is useful in addressing a variety of household problems, and it's also found in many things, ranging from lotions to industrial cleaners. It comes in different strengths and formulations, such as technical, food, and pharmaceutical grades. Food grade mineral oil is available as a liquid, costing just under $10 for a 12 ounce bottle, like this one from Howard, making it both inexpensive and easy to apply to wood surfaces, which it can clean and condition. Mineral oil can be used to clean liquid-based stains, including stubborn oil ones, on your hardwood floors, adding a refreshing finish to them in the process. As a bonus, you can use it to bring shine back into your soapstone countertop when you're done cleaning your floors.

If the stain is new, it's best to treat it immediately to make sure it doesn't have time to set in, but if you've only just noticed an old one, take some time to deep clean your floors to ensure the mineral oil achieves maximum effectiveness. Start by vacuuming to clear away any surface dust that might be clinging to your floor. Then, using a microfiber mop like the Swiffer Sweep & Mop Deluxe 2-in-1 Floor Mopping and Sweeping Kit, wipe down your floors with a soap or vinegar based cleaning solution. Moving with the grain of your floorboards, mop until the entire wood flooring area is cleaned.

By deep cleaning, you remove any surface stains that might not need mineral oil intervention and reveal the deeper stains that do. If your floors are sealed against moisture, you can also use a steam mop, being careful not to linger in one place for too long, but regular cleaning should suffice in most cases. A proper cleaning regimen will also keep your floors clean for longer.

Once you've cleaned the floors and found all the stains, it's time to get out your mineral oil and a microfiber cloth. Soak a bit of the cloth in the mineral oil and dab it onto the stain, letting it sit for a few minutes, before applying another layer of oil and buffing the area around the stain. After a full 24 hours, come back and inspect the spot. If the oil hasn't solved the issue, the stain may have fully penetrated the floor boards, in which case you should repeat the process with mineral spirits.

In a pinch, a baking soda paste can be used in the same procedure, but mineral oil is the best and least damaging solution to brighten up your hardwood flooring. Once you're satisfied with your floor's condition, you can apply a finishing oil or varnish to make sure it isn't stained again. The best treatment for a stain is not making one in the first place, so avoid cleaning mistakes that will ruin hardwood floors and consider implementing a no-shoe policy in your home.