5 Steps to Remove Black Spots from Wood

Hardwood floors are an excellent investment in your home, not only for the aesthetics but also for resale value. You want to keep your floors looking flawless, which makes the appearance of pesky black spots frustrating.  We’ll explain what causes these black spots to appear and give you efficient steps to take to remove them and restore your floors to their original beauty. 

Causes of black spots on hardwood

Oakwood naturally contains a very high amount of a chemical called tannic acid. When tannic acid is exposed to metal and moisture, a chemical reaction occurs and results in black spots on your wood surfaces and floors. 

Rather than let these black spots continue to mar the surface of your wood surfaces, let’s talk about how to remove them gently.

Spot clean black spots

You may have some black spots or stains on wood surfaces that do not require all of the complicated (and, to be honest, toxic) tactics you may find online. Instead, try WOCA’s Spot Remover, which effectively dissolves grease, blood, coffee, tea, etc. It is specifically developed for indoor use to remove spots from oiled wood surfaces.

Before using our Spot Remover, test the product in a small non-visible area of the floor or surface to ensure that there will be no undesired reaction to the wood surface. Then:

• Spray Spot Remover evenly on the stain directly from the canister.
• Leave the Spot Remover to dissolve the stain for 10-20 min.
• Scrub with a soft bristle brush until the stain has dissolved.
• Repeat the above steps if necessary.
• Wipe the spot with a cloth wrung out in lukewarm water.
• When the wood is dry, apply the original surface finish (or Diamond Oil Active) to seal and protect your surface.

How to remove stubborn black spots from wood

While we hope that your blooming black spots only need a simple spot clean, we know that some are more stubborn than others. If you’re fighting with black spots, here’s our process for winning:

• Spray Tannin Spot Neutralizer evenly on the stain directly from the bottle. Leave the Tannin Spot Neutralizer to dissolve the stain for 30-60 min.
• Leave the solution to dissolve the stain and dirt, etc.
• Wipe with a cloth wrung in lukewarm water.
• Repeat if necessary.
• Use wood oil to finish and protect the surface. 

Protecting your wood surfaces from future black spots

Once you’ve removed any black spots currently on your hardwood floors or wood surfaces, you’ll want to make sure they don’t come back. That’s where WOCA Diamond Oil Active comes in. You can use our penetrating oil on your floors and other wood surfaces to give them a beautiful, breathable shine that is resistant to liquids such as water, coffee, tea, and red wine. It’s made from plant-based materials, low on VOCs, and free of isocyanates.

Not sure which color you need for your surface? You can order a tester and apply it to a piece of your wood for color verification.

Rely on WOCA for all your wood care

Whether you are looking to simply remove stains from your floors, refinish surfaces, or even change the color of your floors and other wood, turn to WOCA for all your wood care needs. Our eco-friendly refinishing products are safe and long-lasting. In addition to top-rated refinishing oils, we also have an arsenal of hardwood cleaning products to clean, protect, refresh, and keep your floors in their best shape in between refinishes. Explore our entire line of WOCA Natural Wood care products today!