How to Clean Grease off Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are beautiful. They shine in the sunlight and the wood grain looks like natural art. They also bring a unique light and lively feeling into every room.
That is until grease stains ruin it all.
If you’ve tried to clean a grease stain, then you know it usually only gets worse. Fortunately, we know how to clean grease off hardwood floors. Here are three tested methods we’ve found that will cut through the grease without damaging your hardwood floors.
What this article covers:
- How to Get Grease Out of a Hardwood Floor with Vinegar
- How to Get Grease Out of a Hardwood Floor with Dishwashing Liquid
- How to Get Grease Out of a Hardwood Floor with Professional Cleaning Supplies
How To Get Grease Out Of A Hardwood Floor With Vinegar
For the first method, all you’ll need is water and vinegar. This method also works great at removing glue from hardwood floors and getting rid of sticky residues from hardwood floors.
Step 1: Clean Lose Debris/Soak Up Excess
When it comes to removing stains from hardwood floors, it’s always better to work with debris-free floors.
If the grease stain has already settled into the wood, use a broom or a vacuum to remove dust and other debris from the area.
If the stain is still wet with grease, take a clean paper towel and gently lay it on the grease stain. Gently press down and remove it when it’s soaked. Repeat the process until all the excess grease is gone.
After you’ve soaked up the grease, clean the spot with a vacuum. This prevents contaminants from reacting with the cleaning solution.
Step 2: Mix The Cleaning Solution
It’s time to mix the cleaning solution. With this method, we’ll use white vinegar. To create the solution, mix a ratio of 1:1 water and vinegar in a bucket.
Mix the solution well before moving on to the next step. Vinegar solutions also work great at removing things like oil from hardwood floors.
Step 3: Remove The Grease Stain
After mixing the cleaning solution, take your clean washcloth and soak it in the cleaning solution. Squeeze out the excess water until the cloth is damp.
Finally, put the damp cloth on the grease stain. If you want, you can let it sit for about a minute before cleaning.
Gently rub the cloth on the grease stain. Try not to go beyond the stain borders as this will spread the grease to clean spots. Also, don’t press so hard that you damage the protective hardwood floor coating.
If you have a larger area to clean, you can use a flat mop. Just make sure not to soak the hardwood floor in the cleaning solution.
Step 4: Rinse & Repeat
When the cloth is saturated, rinse it and wash the spot again. You can repeat the process as many times as you feel necessary, as long as you don’t soak the floor.
Step 5: Dry The Hardwood Floor
It’s time to dry your floor. You can use a dry cloth to remove as much of the cleaning solution from the floor and open the windows. An air mover is also great at creating air circulation that will dry the floor faster.
Take your time and be thorough. You must remove all the moisture from your hardwood floors as it can cause serious damage to the wood if left untreated.
How To Get Grease Out Of A Hardwood Floor With Dishwashing Liquid
The next method makes use of a common household item, dishwashing liquid. Like the vinegar option, this is a gentle grease removal method that won’t damage your hardwood floors.
Step 1: Clean Lose Debris/Soak Up The Excess
For a grease stain that has already settled into the hardwood floors, you can use a broom or a vacuum to remove debris from the stain and the surrounding area.
If there is still wet grease on the hardwood floors, then take a clean paper towel and gently lay it on the grease stain. Press down gently and let it soak up the grease. Remove it when the paper towel is soaked. Repeat the process until all the excess grease is gone.
After you’ve soaked up the grease, clean the spot with a vacuum or a broom.
Step 2: Mix The Cleaning Solution
Take a spray bottle and add warm water to it. Next, add a generous squirt of dishwashing liquid into the bottle. Cap the spray bottle and shake it to thoroughly mix the cleaning solution.
You can use the dishwashing liquid you have at home or buy Dawn or another gentle liquid soap from a store near you.
Step 3: Clean The Grease Spot
Take the spray bottle with the cleaning solution, put it on the mist setting by turning the nozzle, and spray it on the grease stain. Make sure it doesn’t soak the wood.
Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes and wait for the cleaning solution to settle and lift the grease from the floor. This method also works great for removing dark stains from hardwood floors.
When the time is up, take a clean, damp cloth or a flat mop and run it over the stain. Work in gentle circular motions, making sure not to spread the grease to clean parts of the floor. It’s also important not to press so hard that it damages the wood finish.
Step 4: Rinse & Repeat
When the cloth is saturated with grease and cleaning solution, rinse it and wash the spot again. You can repeat the process as many times as you feel necessary, as long as you don’t soak the wood in water.
Step 5: Dry The Hardwood Floor
After cleaning the grease, you need to dry your hardwood floors. Use a dry cloth to remove as much of the cleaning solution from your floor and open the windows to increase air circulation. If you can’t get the air moving enough, you can use an air mover to increase it.
How To Get Grease Out Of A Hardwood Floor With Professional Cleaning Supplies
If the above method didn’t work, then it’s time to use professional cleaning equipment. TMF cleaning supplies have been specifically formulated to remove tough stains and can even remove nail polish from hardwood floors.
Step 1: Clean Lose Debris/Soak Up Excess Grease
As with the previous methods, the first step to successful removal is cleaning the area. If the stain is dry, use a broom or vacuum to remove all the debris from the stain and the surrounding area.
If there is still wet oil, soak it up with a paper towel. When you are done, sweep or vacuum to remove all debris.
Step 2: Choose A Stain Remover
Our professional spot and stain removers are miracle workers. There are many types to choose from but for grease, we’d suggest using Pig Out. It’s specifically formulated to cut through grease.
Step 3: Clean The Stain
Mix the stain remover according to the instructions and apply it to the grease stain. Again, follow the instructions to ensure maximum efficiency.
Step 4: Rinse & Dry
When the stain has been removed, rinse the now-clean spot with a clean damp cloth. When you have removed all the cleaning solution, take a dry cloth to remove any excess water. Open the windows or use an air mover to increase air circulation.
Conclusion
Removing grease from hardwood floors and getting them back to their original shine can be tough work. Luckily, with TruckMountForums as your back, it doesn’t need to be.
With the help of vinegar, dishwashing liquid, and our professional cleaning chemicals, you can remove grease easily and have your hardwood floors looking as good as new in next to no time. Follow the above steps to enjoy bright, shiny, grease-free hardwood floors again.
Did you find our blog helpful? Then consider checking other guides:
- How to Get Ink Out of Hardwood Floors
- How to Remove Haze from Engineered Hardwood Floors
- How to Get Rid of Slick Spot-on Hardwood Floor
- How to Remove Water Stain from Wood Floor
- How to Remove Hair Dye from Wooden Floor
- How to Get Red Wine Out of Wood
- How to Remove Permanent Marker from Wood Floors
- How to Clean Subfloor After Removing Carpet
- Best Mop to Clean Hardwood Floors
- Best Tools to Clean Hardwood Floors
- How to Clean and Shine Hardwood Floors
- How to Clean Old Hardwood Floors Without Sanding
- Best Product to Clean Wood Floors
- How to Remove Urine Odor from Wood Floors
- How to Remove Dog Poop Stains from Hardwood Floors
