Woman paints hardwood floors white
(©ucchie79, Adobe Stock Photos)

Painted hardwood floors have a certain charm and simplicity. But that’s only when they look great — when they have scuffs and stains, it’s another story.

That’s the situation Keith, from Maine, faces.

He has 100-year-old painted floors that are badly scuffed up. He tried cleaning a 5-square-foot area with a magic eraser. It did a pretty good job, but the problem is he has 400 square feet of flooring to cover, and using the same effort would take a lot of elbow grease.

We have suggestions for what he can do instead to revive those painted hardwood floors.

He can mix two tablespoons of baking soda with warm water and use a soft cloth to clean his painted floors.

In addition, he can take a new tennis ball and buff the scuff marks off the floor. Something about the furry nylon outside of the tennis ball makes it come right up!

Alternatively, he may have to sand lightly, clean the surface with trisodium phosphate and repaint it.

Or he can rent a buffer to go over the painted hardwood floors and revive them.

Listen to the Today’s Homeowner Podcast for more home improvement tips!

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  • [skipto time=0:08:08][0:08:08][/skipto] How to install storm windows that won’t leak
  • [skipto time=0:13:47][0:13:47][/skipto] Best New Product: Ryobi Cordless Power Cleaner
  • [skipto time=0:14:50][0:14:50][/skipto] Should you waterproof your windows?
  • [skipto time=0:19:27[0:19:27][/skipto] What to know when installing vinyl plank floors
  • [skipto time=0:25:55][0:25:55][/skipto] Easy options for restoring painted floors
  • [skipto time=0:30:53][0:30:53][/skipto] Question of the Week: When should you remove insulation, and can you reuse insulation?

Question of the Week

Q: Should you remove insulation after installing an automated dehumidifier, and can you reuse insulation?

A: Unless your insulation is in terrible shape or humidity is so high that it is trapping moisture and growing mold and mildew, removing insulation is not necessary. If you have insulation that is still in good shape, you can re-deploy it to another area.


Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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