Cleaning Old Sticky Stains from Hardwood Floors

It is that time of year again, the time of fall harvest parties, and Halloween festivities, and trick-or-treating. Chances are if you have little ones or even just a busy household, or maybe you are planning to host a party, that you will end up with a sticky mess or two on your hardwood floors. Not all messes are seen right when they happen, the busier you are the longer those messes may go unnoticed for quite some time. So what do you do if you finally get a chance to clean the floors and you notice a sticky mess on your hardwoods that have been there for who knows how long?  

How to Clean Sticky Residue from Hardwood Floors

If you were to look up how to clean sticky stuff from hardwoods in a search engine, you will probably find a few different websites telling you to use vinegar. While this can work to remove the sticky residue you have to be super careful with it because using vinegar can ruin the finish on your floor. Here are some methods that are a little bit safer for your floors.  

1. Hot Water Method: First use a blunt object like the flat side of a butter knife or a plastic bread clip to remove any solid pieces. Next boil some water, about 4 to 6 cups. Once the water is at a boil, let it cool slightly and soak some cleaning towels or rags in the water. Remove a towel and ring out as much water as possible then place it over the sticky area of the floor to soften and loosen the sticky residue. Leave the towel on the sticky area for about 3-5 minutes then wipe up any water and sticky residue if possible. Next, grab your blunt object and gently scrape the sticky residue, being careful not to scratch the hardwood.

2. Dry Ice Method: For this method, you will need: gloves, protective eyewear, a metal baking sheet or tray, and a half-pound block of dry ice (you can get this at a grocery store). First, make sure the area is well ventilated because dry ice evaporates into carbon monoxide which can be dangerous in an enclosed area. Next put on the gloves and protective eyewear for proper safety, you do not want to touch dry ice with your bare hands or let it touch your skin. Next place the dry ice on the metal baking sheet place the metal sheet directly on top of the sticky residue and let it sit for about one minute The dry ice should harden and crack the sticky residue. Remove the sheet with the ice and gently scrape the hardened cracked pieces away from the floor.

3. Goo Gone or Adhesive Remover: There are adhesive removers made especially for hardwood floors. Make sure you purchase one that says it is safe for wood. Follow the directions on the label carefully.  

If you cannot remove the sticky residue after several different attempts it is a good idea to call a professional hardwood cleaner to help. For hardwood cleaning, you can trust in Snohomish County make an appointment online with All Kleen.