How Do You Bleach White Wood Floors? - Fixanswer

Zillow Tools. Whether you need to remove a stain or refresh the space, bleaching hardwood can get you results. Bleaching hardwood floors is a chemical process to

lighten the color

of the wood. … Learn how to bleach your hardwood floors, including what type of bleach to use, to get the job done correctly.

Can you bleach white wood?

Chlorine bleach

will remove most dye-based stains from raw wood but will not lighten the wood itself. … Brush it off before you finish the wood. Chlorine bleach, full strength, easily removes most dye-based stain (right) but will not bleach raw wood white (center), nor will it remove pigment-based stain (left).

How do you bleach a wood floor?

Mix up a solution of 3⁄4 cup bleach added to 1 gallon of water.
Wipe or wash the floor, and then apply the bleach solution, letting it stand for 5 minutes.
Rinse well and air dry.

What happens if you bleach a hardwood floor?

“While bleach will likely disinfect porous surfaces, it's possible that you

could damage the wood or the finish

, discoloring it or getting into the actual wood and damaging it,” she says.

Will vinegar lighten wood?

If you want to lighten the wood further, mop on a second application of freshly

mixed oxalic acid solution

. … Pour a small pool of vinegar onto the wood, then spread it around with a cloth. On vertical surfaces, wipe with a cloth saturated with vinegar. Then wipe with a dry cloth and finish by rinsing with plain water.

What neutralizes wood bleach?

Neutralize the alkaline effect of this bleach after the wood is dry by applying

a weak acid like vinegar

. Use white vinegar mixed one part vinegar to two parts water. A/B bleach will remove all the natural color variations present in wood, so use them judiciously.

What is the difference between wood bleach and household bleach?

The types of bleach available at your grocery store have varying degrees of effect on wood furniture. Common laundry bleach or chlorine

will effectively remove stain or dye color from wood

, but will not affect the wood's natural color.

Does bleaching wood damage it?

Adhesion. Chlorine bleach

destroys lignin

, a component of wood that hardens and strengthens the cell walls. Once the surface cellular structure loses its integrity, film-forming finishes like LifelineTM have no sound wood to bond to, and can peel off.

What causes wood floor discoloration?

Like all organic materials, wood changes color when exposed to the elements, including light. This is due to the process of oxidation, which simply cannot be prevented.

Exposure to light

is usually the biggest culprit causing discoloration in hardwood floors.

Will hydrogen peroxide damage hardwood floors?

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective cleaning solution that is safe for humans and pets and

won't damage hardwood floors when used properly

. … In many cases, applying hydrogen peroxide on wood floors can leave them looking like new.

Does bleach leave a residue on floors?

Disinfecting the Floor

Once you have applied the bleach and water mixture to the floor with a mop or cloth, you do not have to rinse or take any further action. …

The bleach will evaporate, leaving no harmful residue behind

.

How do you neutralize bleach on hardwood floors?

Pour a 1/4 cup of vinegar on the area

to neutralize the bleach. Rinse with water. Avoid using excessive amounts of liquid, which may swell the wood. Wipe the water off immediately and allow the stained area to dry overnight.

How do you sanitize real hardwood floors?

Mix a half-cup of white vinegar with one gallon of water in the bucket.
Dip a mop into the cleaning solution in the bucket and wring it well to ensure that you don't apply the solution in excess onto the floor.
Wipe out the wood floor gently in a circular motion.

How do you fix discolored hardwood floors?

Bleaching. Both

oxalic acid and two-part peroxide bleach

will lighten darkened wood, and since oxalic acid is the easier one to use, it's best to start with that. You mix the crystals with water to make a saturated solution and then spread it over the dark wood or the whole floor.