Imagine coming home from a long day at work and you notice a few unusual spots on your hardwood floors. As you bend down to clean the spots, you notice that it’s not a simple food stain. Come to think of it, it’s paint! Paint spilled on your new hardwood floors! How to get paint off hardwood floors? A lot of scrubbing and hopefully no damage to the floor. You can use a few simple home remedies.
Let’s take a look below at the steps it takes to remove the paint from your hardwood floors.
What Do I Need
There are a few items that you can use to assist you in the process of removing paint from your hardwood floors. Here is a list of the best items to get the job done.
- Dull knife
- Scrub brush
- Dish wash soap
- Water
- Denatured Alcohol
- Small bucket
- Paint thinner
- Paper towels
- Clean rags
- Cleansing pads
How Can I Get It Done
Depending on how long the paint stain has been on the floors, can determine what products to use. Here are some basic steps to getting the job done.
- Prepare the floor-you should clean the floor area to remove any dirt, dust, and debris. This allows you to see the paint stains more clearly.
- Use a plastic scrapper-using a plastic scrapper can loosen the dried paint from the hardwood floor without damaging the floor. You can also use a hammer to tap the scrapper if the paint is very hard.
- Mild detergent or soap-use a mixture of soap and water and see how scrubbing this solution onto the paint works to loosen the stain. Use a damp cloth and wet the entire surface of the paint stain that you are scrubbing at the moment.
- Commercial products-only use a commercial product if the previous steps fail. Use a commercial grade paint remover and dap with a rag onto the surface of the paint. Then, wait about 15 minutes for the cleaner to work and see if the paint scrubs off.
- Alcohol pad-purchase some alcohol based cleansing pads from your local store. Use one at a time until the paint has removed or the pad has dried out. If the pad dries out, go on to the next pad, until the paint is removed.
- Paint thinner-ensure that all rooms are ventilated that you are using the paint thinner in. Then, soak a small portion of your rag into the paint thinner and use it to scrub the focused area of paint stain. Be careful not to use so much that the paint finish is not removed. You can also use mineral spirits. These products should be used as the last resort.
How Much Does It Cost
Fortunately, it is not expensive to remove paint stains from your hardwood floor. Typically, it is $1.32 per square foot and can range from $1.24 to $1.41 depending on how much material that you need. If you are to hire a professional to remove the stain, you are looking to pay an average of $10.30 per square foot for materials and labor. If you have a large spill of 300 square feet (typical room size), your project can cost a range of $1,950 to $4,235.
Other Recommended Maintenance
While we are on the topic of removing paint from wood floors, consider also learning about removing mold from carpet. Believe it or not, this is a possibility and when the time comes, you will want to know the best course of action.
Another area you can keep up with maintenance is to check all the smoke detectors in your home. If they are flashing red every 40-60 seconds, this usually means it is working fine. However, consulting the owner’s manual is a good idea. Also, it is important to keep up with the battery changes on this device.
Lastly, you may be proud of how clean you keep your home but while you are checking on things in the house, you may notice roaches. There may be food sources out that are attracting roaches and also your home may not be sealed shut as well as it should be.
When To Call A Professional
Anytime you are working on a hardwood floor issue, you should consider consulting a local professional contractor. If you have concerns about who to hire, reach out to your local home inspection team. Additionally, anytime you are tasked with a large undertaking, you want to know everything that might be involved.
Having a home inspection team out can give you ideas as to other projects to complete. Also, they will also refer the best and most reputable professional contractor to assist with your projects and this could save time and money.
Conclusion
Removing paint from hardwood floors can be a tricky task. It sounds like a great project that is fairly easy to accomplish. However, if you do not know the type of wood you are cleaning and how old the floors are, then asking a professional is your best bet. Saving money is a great idea, but calling on a local professional contractor, could be best.
He or she will know the best approach for removing the paint from your hardwood floors. In addition, Honor Services would be happy to come in and complete a full home inspection. Give your local home inspection team a call, Honor Services is your best home Inspection company In Brevard County, FL.
