Remove Rust From Hardwood Floors

Learn how to get rid of rust stains on hardwood floors. Find out the products to use to remove the rust from small areas so that you won't have to redo the whole floor.

LESLIE: Lydia in Minnesota finds The Money Pit on KNUJ. And you’ve got some sort of a stain on your hardwood floors. Tell us about it.

LYDIA: They’re little black spots and I think they’re caused from the metal lifts under chairs.

TOM: Oh, a little rust there, huh?

LYDIA: Yes.

TOM: Little rust transfer.

LYDIA: Right.

TOM: Yeah. Okay.

LYDIA: And I have tried bleach; that doesn’t take anything out. What else can I try?

TOM: You’re probably going to have to sand them out. I think you’re going to have to lightly sand them out and then you can either put floor wax down or refinish them. You know, how … what condition of your … are your hardwood floors in right now, Lydia? Are they ready to be redone?

LYDIA: No, not really. (laughing)

TOM: Not really. Hoping to avoid that, Tom.

LESLIE: I didn’t want to take on such a big project.

TOM: Yeah.

LYDIA: No. And is a big kitchen.

TOM: Alright, well, let me give you a suggestion, then.

LYDIA: Okay.

TOM: With the chairs away, what I want you to do is get some steel wool –

LYDIA: Okay.

TOM: – and some simonized paste wax. And try to use the steel wool to apply the wax. That will slightly abrade the surface; hopefully, removing the rust and applying the wax at the same time. See if that will be sufficient as to remove that rust. Try it on one spot. If not, what you may have to do is to lightly sand it with like an emery cloth and a very fine, abrasive sand paper. Because I have a feeling that rust is now sort of embedded into the finish and you have to remove it.

LESLIE: Well, how could it permeate into the finish so much?

TOM: Well, it just gets in there and it sticks in there and you’re going to have to lift it out. And the only way she’s going to be able to do that is to probably abrade it out with some sandpaper.

LESLIE: What about with a sanding sponge?

TOM: Sanding sponge, too. That might work as well. I mean anything that’s going to give it a little of an abrasive quality to lift it away.

LYDIA: I shall try something else. Right.

TOM: Okay?

LYDIA: Yes. I will try that.

TOM: Alright, good. I think that will work. Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.