Hardwood floors are aesthetically pleasing and easy to clean up. However, stains can often occur when water is spilled on the floor. And there are different types of stains; white and dark. So, what exactly should you do then, and how can you get rid of the stain?
You first need to assess if the stain is light or dark, indicating how deep in the wood it is. For less stubborn stains, a homemade solution like vinegar and water should do the trick, whereas for deeper stains, you may have to use a more potent product like commercial wood bleach.
Unfortunately, they’re not as resilient as laminate flooring, so you need to be extra careful when a stain happens or they need excessive care. Now, let’s take a closer look at the difference between white and dark stains, how to get each out of the floor, and the different methods you can try.
How to Get Water Stains Out of Hardwood Floors

You can get water stains out of hardwood floors in a few ways, depending on the type of stain you’re dealing with.
For example, a homemade cleaner like vinegar and water may work well for stains that aren’t very stubborn and are relatively new, whereas you may have to go in with something harsher like bleach if it’s a stain that’s sunk well into the wood.
Assessing What Type of Stain You’re Dealing With
The first thing you need to do is assess what type of stain you’re dealing with. For example, two water stains can affect wood: white and dark, and each of them means something different.
White stains mean that moisture is trapped in the finish layer of the wood but hasn’t sunk to the wood itself. Dark stains suggest the moisture has gone further down, making it much more challenging to get rid of.
How to Remove White Stains from Hardwood Floors
White water stains are water stains that have not been there for a long time and are easier to remove. This is how to get rid of them; it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Materials Needed
You’ll need the following materials to get rid of hardwood floor stains:
- A mop
- A cloth or rag
- Vinegar or baking soda
- Alternatively, you can use a commercial floor cleaner
Process
- First, you should dry mop the area to remove any excess water in case the stain is fresh or more water has spilled. For example, these stains are very common around pet bowls because the dog or cat might be spilling the water as they drink.
- After that, you can use equal parts water, vinegar, water, and baking soda to scrub the stain. Douse a cloth or rag in the solution and scrub. As long as you’re patient, this should remove the stain.
- When done, dry off the excess solution in the area and remove any remaining moisture. With any luck, your floor should now look as good as new!
How to Remove Dark Brown and Black Stains from Hardwood Floors
Dark brown and black stains are trickier to remove from hardwood floors. This is because they’ve sunk into the wood itself, and the moisture is trapped below the surface. There is, however, a method you can try.
Materials Needed
For this, you will need the following:
- Sandpaper
- Bleach (on Amazon)
- Safety gloves (on Amazon)
- An old toothbrush
Process
For regular cleaning, you should never use bleach on your hardwood floors. But, for stubborn dark water stains, it may be your only option.
- First, sand the finish off the wood to reach the stain that has sunk through.
- Then make sure you wear safety gloves, and safety goggles are never a bad idea.
- You should then put some bleach on the area, rub it in using an old toothbrush, and leave it there for at least an hour. For more stubborn stains, leaving the bleach there overnight may be necessary.
- You can then rinse it away, dry the wood, and refinish it.
Make sure kids and pets stay away from the area as the bleach is left to sit, as the last thing you want is curious hands or paws getting into things.
Other Methods to Try

Wood Bleach
If you have a particularly stubborn stain where bleach isn’t working, you can buy wood bleach (on Amazon) and try to use this. Follow the instructions and take the proper safety precautions, as this is a powerful substance.
It should also only be used as a last resort, as you’ll have to do some work to the wood to make it look as good as new again.
Toothpaste
Before going ahead with bleach, you can also try using toothpaste, which is effective on white and even some black stains! Of course, you’ll still have to sand down the finish for black stains, but you can then use your old toothpaste to rub it into the stain.
This may be something to try before you go with bleach, as you may not have to use the harsher substance.
Cleaning Solution
You could be lucky enough for white stains that any cleaning solution (whether homemade or commercial) works to get rid of them. However, don’t use too harsh of a method for white stains.
Going ahead with something like bleach, ammonia, or even a strong cleaner could be too much and isn’t generally necessary with a white stain that hasn’t sunk into the wood.
To Finish
All in all, ensure whatever cleaner you use is formulated for hardwood floors. Hardwood floors are sadly not as resilient as laminate flooring or even more potent substances like tile, so it’s critical to ensure any substance you’re putting on them is appropriate.
For example, wood bleach is the strongest thing you should put on your hardwood floors.