How to Remove Pet Stains from Hardwood Floors?

For many pet owners with hardwood floors, the constant dilemma is how to remove pet stains from hardwood floors. This is because hardwood floors can’t hold off smells and stains for a long time.

Hardwood floors are a huge investment, but pets are like our family members too. Whether it’s a dog or cat, hardwood accidents are unavoidable. From urine stains to dog scratches, poo, and vomit, stains, and smells tend to soak into the wood when you don’t know how to care for it. 

An area rug won’t really help your floor. Moreover, having an area rug on the hardwood floor sometimes get really messy as pet vomit or poo not just get stuck on it sometimes they leave stains on the hardwood floor beneath the area rug. As a result, there arise two problems, cleaning an area rug & removing stains from the hardwood floor.

How to Remove Pet Stains from Hardwood Floors?

Only pet owners would understand that hardwood and pets are never the best matches. If you have a young pet, accidents can become frequent until you put it through pet potty training. Even older well-trained pets have accidents especially when they get sick. Urine stains on hardwood floors are usually the worst to clean off since it’s liquid, it can soak into the hardwood. If you don’t want to try DIY methods then a hardwood floor cleaning machine can be a great option for you.

What’s The Worst That Can Happen?

You may be tempted to pay no mind to pet stains, we know they can be annoying and you have a lot on your hand. You might get lucky if the stain is new and not too deep, but if you avoid caring for your hardwood and shielding it from pet stain then you might have to prepare for expenses of sanding or even replacing the wood.

If you are planning to get a pet in your hardwood floored home or already have a pet, don’t panic, if you don’t know how to remove pet stains from hardwood floors, here are 10 tricks you can use.

1. Pet Training

You should never underestimate the benefits of training your pet. Pottie training for pets is the first measure to preventing stains on your exquisitely finished hardwood floor. There’s nothing more annoying than having to constantly clean up your pet’s mess on your expensive hardwood floor. training your pet will help you minimize this stressful task of constantly cleaning urine stains on hardwood floors.

Related: How to Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors?

2. Immediate Response

Removing pet stains on hardwood floors requires immediate action once noticed. Wipe the wet spot or puddle immediately, then use an absorbent cloth to blot away the wetness. It is best to use as many clothes or rags to help suck up the stain before its too late.

3. The Hydrogen Magic

Chemical cleaners are always effective in removing stains and bad odor from pet stains but you have to know the best fit for your hardwood floor. Hydrogen peroxide (3%) mixed with water is one of the cheapest chemicals you’ll find handy for removing pet stains from hardwood floors. It is especially effective for animal urine cleaning on hardwood floors.

Simply moisten a rag or any absorbent cloth of your choice and apply it to the stained spot. Leave the cloth on the stained surface for at least 8 hours or overnight. This will help soak up the stain and smell. Finally, clean up the hydrogen soaked surface with a dry cloth and leave it to dry.

4. Baking Soda

Baking soda is also effective in removing pet stains, they absorb liquid easily from any surface. You can also use it to dry out urine and pet stools from your pet litter with baking soda. It’s also best for removing pungent odor from your pet stains. Mix dish soap, hydrogen peroxide (3%) and baking soda then cover the stained surface with this mixture. Once the stain and odor are removed, scrape away the baking soda mixture with steel wool.

5. Cleaning Powders

Use cleansing powders that contain oxalic acid to remove pet stains from your hardwood floor. Cleansing powders such as DAP wood bleach contain a stronger dose of oxalic acid and are effective for stain removal. However, you’ll need to wear a rubber glove because of its potency and to prevent it from damaging your skin.

6. Vinegar

If you live in an all-hardwood house, especially a real wood that’s common in old houses, then the vinegar mixture is a great choice. White vinegar is popular for its decolorizing and disinfectant effect which has proven useful for pet stains. You can make your vinegar cleaning solution by simply mixing a cup of white vinegar into a bucket of warm water with a mix of any essential oil such as lemon oil or grapefruit oil to remove the odor. Use this vinegar solution to scrub the stain and dry it out.

7. Vinegar And Baking Soda Mixture

Mix vinegar and baking soda to form a paste, cover the stained surface with the paste and leave until it dries. Wipe it up with a clean cloth after it dries and your floor will become as good as new.

8. Wood Bleach

If you can’t control your pet, then you need to invest in wood bleach products. Wood bleach is designed to lighten your hardwood floor. You have to sand the affected area first so that the bleach can penetrate the stained surface. There are various wood bleach products and they may come with different instructions, so always follow the instruction to get the best effect.

9. Sanding And Refinishing

If the stain isn’t too deep then sanding and refinishing might be a better option. You may need to stain or blend the sanded area to make the area unnoticed. But there’s a downside, with sanding and refinishing, the odor might return especially if the chemicals in the finish are reactive. 

10. Cleaning Machines & Solutions

There’s a lot of effective hardwood pet stain cleaning chemicals available on the market. Moreover, a reliable handheld steam cleaner can assist you during this entire process.

11. Replacement

If all measures prove abortive, then you might need to replace the section of the wood stained. Moreover, if the pet stain is too deep, the damage could be irreparable, especially if it’s a large portion where you can’t cover.

If you want to avoid large noticeable stains on your hardwood floor then you need to replace the damaged area. To get rid of the stained area, remove the stained board and install a new piece of hardwood to cover the surface. Repairs can be more expensive if the stain affects the subfloor or joist. When replacing damaged woods, an expert is always the best bet.

Dealing with pet stains especially urine stains on hardwood floors can be challenging but with the right trick, you can reduce the stain and get rid of the smell in no time, restoring your precious hardwood floor to its former glory.