The investment of a hardwood floor is worth protecting, and most of us who have such flooring take the proper precautions in caring for them as we clean our floors and work to prevent the wood from scratching.
Yet even those of us who are most careful in keeping our flooring clean will find scuffmarks on our hardwood floors from time to time. Understanding how to remove these scuffmarks is therefore a useful skill, and it does not take a long time to learn how to get rid of the scuffmarks on your hardwood floor.
For removing scuffs on a waxed or varnished floor, many home improvement experts recommend using a vinegar-based cleaning solution. Spray the scuffmark with the solution, allow it to soak in, and then use a light steel wool pad to clean up the mess.
Re-waxing or re-varnishing the floor in that area may be necessary if in your scrubbing you remove some of the wax or varnish. A mix of baking soda is another chemically-based method of scuffmark removal, and it can be used by itself or combined with vinegar for the desired effect.
However, we should note that the above step will only be required for the most stubborn of scuffmarks. Many scuffmarks will come up simply if you rub them with a sock or other soft cloth. A tennis ball is a handy and inexpensive tool for the removal of many scuffmarks: simply rub the ball over the scuffmark and watch it disappear.
Some people will cut a slit in the tennis ball, plug a broom handle into it, and then use it as a makeshift scuffmark-removing tool. Along similar lines, a pencil eraser is often handy for getting rid of scuffmarks if you use it on the scuffmark just as you would use it to erase a mark on a piece of paper.
Perhaps the best way to get rid of scuffmarks from your hardwood floors is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. We have already seen that even those who are most attentive to their floors will get scuffmarks on occasion, but certain precautions will make such marks easier to remove when you do find them.
Just about any wax will prevent scuffmarks from adhering too strongly to the floor; so regular waxing goes a long way towards keeping your hardwood floors scuffmark free and towards facilitating the removal of said scuffmarks when the time is right to do so.
Resources abound for removing scuffmarks from hardwood floors. Choose the ones that are right for your home, and the chore that is cleaning the floor will be much lighter.
ABC News: Cleaning Wood Floors — basic steps for removing scuffmarks from wood floors from ABC news
DIY Scuffs and Scratches — includes tips on eliminating scuffs and scratches from floors made of hardwood
EHows Guide to Removing Scuff Marks — how to remove scuffmarks with mineral oils or a steel wool pad
Face Lift Floors — a quick instruction for removing scuffs from hardwood flooring
Green Home Hints for Removing Scuffs — how to use a tennis ball and other items to remove scuffmarks from hardwood flooring
How to Get Rid of Scuff Marks — instructions to erase scuffmarks from a variety of surfaces, including hardwood floors
Life123: Getting Rid of Scuff Marks — easy-to-follow guide for erasing scuffmarks from wood floors
Love to Know: Cleaning Hardwood Floors — learn how to clean and remove scuffmarks from hardwood floors
Prevent Scuffing on Wood Floors from Wood Floor Doctor — recommends waxes to prevent scuffing and to make scuffs easier to remove
Removing Scuff Marks from Wood — guide for removing scuff marks from wood decks; instructions can apply to hardwood floors
