Most people know that spilling red wine on your carpet can result in stains that are difficult to remove, but the same is true if you were to spill wine on your wood flooring. A fast response is essential if you want to prevent lasting stains. Here’s how you can keep red wine from causing permanent discoloration to your wood flooring.

A Fast Response

Just like when cleaning a wine spill on the carpet, your first priority should be to get as much of the wine off of your wood flooring as quickly as possible. Press a wet paper towel against the spill to soak up the wine.

Do not wipe the paper towel across the floor to try to get all of the liquid at once. This could actually help the wine penetrate deeper into the wood fibers. Instead, get a fresh paper towel once the first one becomes saturated.

Lifting the Stain

Once you’ve soaked up the majority of the wine with a paper towel, household cleaning solutions can help lift any staining that has occurred. The best cleaning option is to scrub a mix of oil soap and hot water on the affected area.

Other cleaning solutions include mixing baking soda and mineral oils to form a paste that you can rub into the wood. This paste should be removed after about half an hour.

While your first instinct may be to use bleach, this should be used as a last resort. Diluted bleach should be applied directly to the stained area and then wiped up after 45 minutes. Bleach can fade the wood or even remove the surface coat, leaving the area looking slightly lighter than the rest of the flooring.

For hardwood floor refinishing, installation, and more, you can trust JT’s Floor Refinishing in Springfield, MA. Serving residents from Hartford, CT, to Maine’s Pioneer Valley for over 35 years, this flooring company will deliver results that last for generations. To learn more about their wood flooring products and services, visit them online or call (413) 788-6149.