Black urine stains are an absolute nightmare to find on your beautiful hardwood floors, but sometimes they are inevitable.
Perhaps you just purchased a home with damaged floors, or you have pets who have occasional accidents, stains are bound to happen, and sometimes they can be a real pain to get rid of.
No matter how the stain got there, it’s essential to remove it as quickly as possible.
The longer it sits, the more significant damage it will cause to your floors.
If you have ever dealt with a stain like this, keep reading to find out how to remove dark urine stains from hardwood floors.
What You’ll Need
Clean Cloth
You will need a few clean rags to complete this cleanup.
Paper towels will also work, but rags will be more effective, especially when using the cleaning solution.
Your best option is to use these microfiber cleaning cloths, which get fantastic reviews on Amazon and work well with almost any type of stain removal.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a great way to remove just about any stain.
It’s used in a cleaning solution that you’ll make to remove the urine stain from the hardwood.
Hydrogen Peroxide is a great product to order in bulk because of the variety of uses it has.
Order your Hydrogen Peroxide in bulk here.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is super absorbent and excellent at removing stains and especially odors from any surface.
This is another ingredient in your cleaning solution.
If you have run out and need to order more, click here.
Dish Soap
You will need a small amount of dish soap to get the floor completely clean, so make sure you have some on hand.
I recommend using a tough, degreasing option such as Dawn Ultra Antibacterial Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap for the cleaning solution you will make.
Water
To make the cleaning solution, you will need some water and a large bowl to mix all the items.
Step By Step Instructions For How To Remove Dark Urine Stains From Hardwood Floors
Throughout this section, we give you the steps you need to remove dark urine stains from hardwood floors.
#1. Soak Up Any Excess Urine
If the urine stain you are working with is fresh and still wet, soak up the excess urine with a clean rag or a few paper towels.
The goal is to get rid of as much liquid as possible before you start the cleaning process.
It will be much easier to clean if there is very little liquid that you have to handle.
If you are working with an old urine stain, you probably won’t be able to soak up much, if any, excess urine, but that’s not a problem.
You should still be able to remove the stain just fine.
#2. Use The Cleaning Solution
Create a cleaning solution comprising 1/2 cup water, three parts hydrogen peroxide to 1 part dish soap, and a few tsp. of baking soda.
Mix well to make sure everything is combined.
Soak a clean rag in the solution and lay it on the stain.
Leave the rag to sit for several hours.
Doing so will ensure that the cleaning solution has enough time to soak into the wood and eliminate all of the urine and the odor it may have left behind.
You don’t want the rag to get completely dry during this process, so make sure to check on it before all of the cleaning solution has evaporated.
#3. Rinse The Floor
After the cleaning solution has had several hours to work on the stain, remove the rag and begin rinsing the floor.
You may have a layer of baking soda on the floor, but it can easily be swept or vacuumed up.
Use a clean, damp rag to rinse the stain and remove all residue from the cleaning solution.
At this point, the stain should be removed, and you can leave the floor to dry and enjoy your beautiful hardwood floors again.
#4. Repeat as Necessary
For a new stain or a smaller stain, one application of the cleaning solution is all it should take.
But for some stains, you may need to reapply the cleaning solution a few times to remove it altogether.
If you have reapplied several times and the stain is still not coming out, you may need to scrub the floor to get the dark stain off gently.
Don’t use anything to scrub that will scratch or otherwise damage the wood.
Use something gentle, which won’t cause further damage, such as this Easy to Grip Household Cleaning Brush from Amazon.
You may want to test it on a hidden area first before using it on the stain to ensure that the wood will not be damaged.
Commonly Asked Questions
I don’t have any hydrogen peroxide. Can I use the methods above to remove the stain without hydrogen peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is the best way to remove a urine stain, but it can be done without it.
If you don’t have any on hand, cover the stain with baking soda and let it sit for 20-30 minutes.
Then soak it with soapy water and go from there.
It may take more work, but it is possible to remove the stain without hydrogen peroxide.
Is there anything that can be used in place of baking soda for this process?
Baking soda is the best product for removing a urine stain.
Not only does it absorb the stain, but it also helps eliminate and neutralize the odor.
Baking soda is the best product to use for removing a dark urine stain from a hardwood floor.
Can I remove an old stain using these methods?
Yes, old stains can be removed using the methods above.
It may take a few more applications of the cleaning solution, but the urine stain should be able to be removed from the hardwood.
Conclusion
Have you enjoyed learning how to remove dark urine stains from a hardwood floor?
Many homeowners dream of having beautiful hardwood floors, and though they are great to look at, they can often be tough to keep clean.
Urine stains are some of the hardest to remove, especially when they start to turn dark and black.
Keep your floors looking as good as new by cleaning up a stain as soon as possible after it happens, and follow the methods above to remove any dark urine stain from your hardwood floor, no matter how old the stain may be.
Remember, the sooner you clean it up, the less damage it will do to your floors, and the nicer they will look for years to come.
If this article was helpful, check out our related article about removing urine stains from linoleum.
