I had a bucket with a plant in it on my hardwood floor, which (I thought) I protected with a towel underneath. I moved the plant and there is a round, black stain where I had the pot. I cleaned lightly with Murphy's Oil Soap, but was afraid of scrubbing too hard. Does anyone know if there is anything I can do without calling in an expert?
You might have to sand it out.
But, an alternative is to go to your local neighborhood store like Home Depot etc., and ask them. They should be able to help you and/or tell you what to buy so you can do it yourself.
Good luck,
Susan
From what I understand a white water stain is just in the finish, but a black one means that the water went down to the wood. There may be mold. I just went to Google & searched hardwood floor water stain & got several sites with instructions to do it yourself. Depending on your level of handiness, you may need to call someone in.
Try placing a cotton towel over the stain and going over the towel/stain with a medium to hot iron! You may have to hold it over for upwards of a minute or so. This is one of my favorite tricks that I have used with much success, albeit just on white water stains. A white stain means water is trapped under the surface and the iron dries the area out. Again, don't know much about the consequences of black stains, but this is a much easier starting point than re-sanding!
Good luck!
I just got an email with tips for using typical household items. I have no idea if this will work but here is what I read:
Eliminate water rings on your finished wood with a paste of baking soda and toothpaste. Dip a soft cloth in the paste and rub the water spots away.
Good luck!
