An Unusual Remedy for Nashua Homeowner
This time of year for homeowners, it may seem like the family is constantly tracking snow and water through the house. It can be difficult to isolate this to the carpeted areas of the home. A customer in Nashua, NH recently called us in a state of panic. She had discovered water stains on the hardwood flooring by her front door and was concerned that the entire floor would need to be replaced.
Water is not a friend to hardwood flooring. Prolonged exposure can damage the boards, causing unsightly stains. The best course of action is prevention, wiping up any moisture from the floors immediately. However, that may not always be the case and the winter time may feel like you are fighting a losing battle.
Home Remedies to Lighten Water Stains
So the damage is done, but there are some home remedies that you can try to lighten the stained area. For relatively new stains that you know have been there for a few days or less, you can try laying a piece of cloth over the area. Then use an iron set on low to apply heat to the cloth briefly. Continue this for about ten minutes to see if it will make a noticeable difference.
Believe it or not, another technique to try is mayonnaise. Dab a bit onto a rag and run it over the stained area, gently applying the mayonnaise directly to the stain. You can then let it sit for 1 to 6 hours, in hopes that the oil will seep into the wood finish, minimizing the stain.
The Nashua homeowner caught the stain quickly enough and after a few passes with her iron over a cloth the stain was faded enough that she was comfortable with it. Although, in the future we expect that she will be more diligent wiping up any melting snow from her hardwood floors.