How to Get Bad Smell Out of Hardwood Floors

Are you wondering How to Get Bad Smell Out of Hardwood Floors Effortlessly? If so, continue reading for my favorite hardwood floor cleaning tips.

Hardwood floors are an attractive feature in any home, but moisture stains can create a foul smell over time. One of the most common reasons wood floors smell poorly is due to liquid stains, urine, or food and grease stains. High humidity and water damage can cause a floor to smell musty because of mildew and mold.

The good news is that you can remove most smells from your wood floors with the right cleaning products and techniques.

If your hardwood floor has a sealant then you will have fewer worries on how to get bad smell out of hardwood floors. To remove bad smells from hardwood floors, simply use a cloth towel with hardwood floor cleaner to remove any liquid stains, urine, or other dirt. And for stronger pet smells, use a pet-specific hardwood floor cleaner. You may use such products as Bona Hardwood Floor Spray, my favorite is to combine this with the Power Plus, or any other Hard Floor Pet Stain and Odor Remover.

Related – Can Bona Power Plus be Used on Hardwood Floors?

Remember it is important to clean any stains immediately after they happen. Waiting for a prolonged period can make it harder to remove.

Let’s now look at how to get bad smell out of hardwood floors.

How to Get Dog Urine Smell Out of Hardwood Floors – Homemade Remedy

Removing dog urine from hardwood floors can be challenging. Although, there are many commercial cleaners marketed to remove pet urine odors from your flooring. You can get the dog urine smell out of your hardwood floors without using chemical-based cleaners with an effective homemade solution. Of course, be sure to test any odor removal product in an inconspicuous place before using it on your flooring.

To prepare a homemade odor removal solution, combine 1 cup water, 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 1/4 mild dish soap. Then pour the solution into a clean spray bottle and shake vigorously to mix.

Spray the solution on the stains, and rub it in lightly with a clean cloth. After 15 minutes, rinse the solution away with a damp cloth and allow it to dry thoroughly. This homemade solution can easily remove any dog urine scent.

Below are the steps to follow:

Step 1

Mix the homemade all-purpose cleaner with hot water in a bucket. You can also use a commercial wood cleaner with a solution of two cups of white vinegar with warm water.

Step 2

Use the above solution to mop the hardwood floor. After that, mop the solution from the floor with clean water and allow it to dry.

Step 3

Wipe the sullied area of the floor with hydrogen peroxide added to a cloth and allow it to dry. Hydrogen peroxide helps get the smell out after the floor has been cleaned with another product.

Step 4

Open all windows for proper ventilation of the room for about 24 hours.

After that, any remaining dog urine scent should be long gone.

How to Get Cat Urine Smell Out of Hardwood Floors

Cat urine has an unmistakable, ammonia-like pungent smell that can extend to the rest of the house. Until you address that cat urine smell, it will announce itself every time you enter the house.

The porosity of heavily used hardwood floors worsens the problem since the urine is allowed to soak into the wood. Though difficult, you can get the cat urine smell out of hardwood flooring by using the right type of cleaner.

The best way to get cat urine smell out of hardwood floors is to use a stain remover with enzymes. This is because enzymes kill the bacteria in the urine that is responsible for that bad smell. Follow this guide to remove unwanted cat urine smell from your hardwood floor.

Materials and equipment needed: A liquid pet odor remover, sponges, disposable cloth rags, disposable latex or nitrile gloves, a bucket, and a scrub brush with nylon bristles.

Step 1

Clean the problem spot first with water and a sponge to remove the majority of the urine.

Step 2

Spray an odor-removing solution directly on the problem area.

Step 3

Leave it to soak on the urine area for a short period.

Step 4

Mop up the urine with a new sponge or with a clean cloth and mop off the area with clean water

Step 5

Let the area dry out completely.

These steps have worked for me multiple times when removing cat and dog urine from hardwood floors. Follow them for a breath of fresh air/

How to Remove Musty Smell Out of Hardwood Floors

Musty smells are common in many homes, and are often found in the flooring of the home. The musky smell can occur from little ventilation, excess moisture, lack of sunlight, or an odor that has developed over the years in older hardwood flooring.

Follow these steps to keep your home and hardwood floors smelling fresh, looking clean, and remaining free of mold.

Step 1

Fill a bucket with 1 gallon of water and 1 cup of white vinegar. Vinegar is a natural cleaning and deodorizing agent that also safely disinfects. Vinegar is a powerful cleaning element that also disinfects, killing any odor-causing bacteria.

Step 2

Dip a mop into the cleaning solution and wring it out. Wipe the damp mop over the musty-smelling floor in the direction of the wood grain. Continue until you clean the entire floor.

Step 3

Let the floor air dry and repeat if any musty smell remains on the wood.

Step 4

Sprinkle a light layer of baking soda over the wood floor and let it sit overnight. Baking soda is an additional deodorizing element that’s safe for use on wood surfaces.

Step 5

Sweep up the baking soda with a broom, then mop with clean water.

Do not take any drastic measures such as sanding the floor. As long as the hardwood floor has a solid finish, these products will work.

How to Get Bad Smell Out of Hardwood Floors Conclusion

Following these tips will teach you How to Get Bad Smell Out of Hardwood Floors. As long as we have pets in our home we must experience a bad smell on our floor resulting from their urine. The good thing is that we can avoid them by properly training the pets on where to urinate. Or, we can deal with the situation inexpensively by formulating an effective disinfectant that works.

We hope this guide taught you How to Get Bad Smell Out of Hardwood Floors.