Have you ever dropped something to your hardwood flooring and instantly had an overwhelming feeling of doom? Instantly you know it’s going to leave its mark. Even quick action might not remove the unsightly stain from your hardwood flooring.

There is hope. Even with some of the stickiest, messiest substances that tumble to your floor on occasion, there are remedies which can help remove them.

Chewing Gum – The quickest way to remove it is to freeze it until it is brittle enough to crumble. Place a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and allow the gummed area to freeze.

Crayon or Candle Wax – If you have a wax finish, use a brown paper bag over the crayon and heat an iron until the bag absorbs the stain. For polyurethane finishes, check with the manufacturer for recommended hardwood floor cleaners to help remove the stain.

Water Stains, Ink Stains, or White Spots – For wax finishes, rub with a fine steel wool dipped in wax. If the spot remains, rub with fine sandpaper, followed by steel wool dipped in mineral spirits. When the stain disappears, touch up stain to match color, apply wax and buff. For polyurethane finishes, check with the manufacturer for recommended hardwood floor cleaners to help remove the stain.

Grease or Oil Stain – For wax finishes, saturate a cotton cloth with hydrogen peroxide and place it over the stain. Follow it up with a cotton cloth saturated with ammonia, placing it on top of the first. Repeat as necessary. Let dry and buff with a clean cloth.

Heel Scuffs – With a wax finish, apply a small amount of wax with a fine steel wool. Rub and butt with a cloth until scuffs are gone.  For polyurethane finishes, check with the manufacturer for recommended hardwood floor cleaners to help remove the stain.

Wax Buildup – Remove old wax with a stripper made for wax. Do not use furniture stripper. Remove residue with steel wool and a soft cotton cloth. Let dry, then wax and machine buff to match the rest of your flooring.

What other mishaps have you found on your floor?