Hydrogen peroxide is a great cleaning and bleaching agent that is known for removing organic stains, but many people have wondered will hydrogen peroxide damage hardwood floors?
The simple answer is no – if you use hydrogen peroxide correctly it will not damage a hardwood floor.
It all depends on using the right concentration and cleaning method – let’s take a deeper look into why hydrogen peroxide can be great to use on a hardwood floor.
Why Hydrogen Peroxide Doesn’t Damage Hardwood Floors
Hydrogen peroxide is made from one water molecule with an extra oxygen molecule and is used for loads of different applications in the cleaning world. It’s used so frequently because it is amazing at lifting dirt and debris whilst also sanitizing the surface it is used on.
Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t damage wood floors because it simply does not react with it, in the right concentrations. If you use the correct concentration – around 3% – you won’t experience any problems with using hydrogen peroxide on a wood floor.
At higher concentrations, you may see the colour of your floor become bleached however this will only be an issue if you use the incorrect concentration. We’ll take you through a step-by-step guide to using hydrogen peroxide on your hardwood floor later in this article.
What Does Hydrogen Peroxide Actually Do To Hardwood Floors?
Alongside cleaning and sanitizing, hydrogen peroxide will also tackle any stubborn stains that are on your floor.
As well as removing stains, hydrogen peroxide will also work to dry your wood as it lifts the stains out of it. This is crucial because any liquids in your wood can lead to problems such as buckling or the growth of mold.
How Do You Use Hydrogen Peroxide On Wood Floors
It’s incredibly simple to use hydrogen peroxide on a hardwood floor, but before you do you need to gather a few items and check the surface of your floor.
The items you need are a 3% hydrogen peroxide cleaning solution, an empty spray bottle, rubber cleaning gloves and a clean cloth. Once you’ve gathered these together you can follow the step-by-step guide below.
- Examine the surface of your hardwood floor for any cracks. If there are any cracks or holes then you’ll want to avoid these areas during cleaning and consider getting them looked at by a professional in the future.
- Before handling the solution make sure to put on your rubber gloves.
- Add the hydrogen peroxide solution into the bottle and spot test a small area of your floor first. Simply spray a small amount of solution onto a contained surface area and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Come back afterwards and check for any damage – if there isn’t any then you can move on to the next step.
- The cleaning process is very simple. All you need to do is spray the solution on to the floor evenly and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes up to 10 minutes depending on how dirty it is. After this simply wipe it away using your cleaning cloth, applying more force to areas with more dirt and grease.
And that’s it. Once you’ve followed the above steps your floor should be looking like new in no time at all!
FAQs
Hydrogen peroxide as a cleaner is such a hot topic that we’ve decided to cover a few more questions relating to it here in this article. If you have any other questions you want to see added then please let us know by contacting us.
Does Hydrogen Peroxide Strip Wood?
Hydrogen peroxide can actually be used to strip wood of its color, but this requires a solution to be made containing a two-part mixture of sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide.
This mixture is one of very few that can even remove the natural color of wood and is used extensively by woodworkers who want to change the color of the wood they’re working on.
Is Hydrogen Peroxide Safe For Wooden Furniture?
Hydrogen peroxide as a 3% solution is perfectly fine to use on wooden furniture, just as it is okay to use on hardwood flooring.
It again depends on the concentration of the solution that you are using. A much higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide will ultimately remove color from any wood, including wooden furniture.
Can Hydrogen Peroxide Be Used For Other Surfaces?
Hydrogen peroxide cleaning solution can be used on pretty much all hard surfaces around the home, whilst being especially useful for cleaning organic stains.
Most hydrogen peroxide products come in spray bottles that allow for them to be easily used to clean any surface. It’s most common to find a bottle in the kitchen or bathroom, as these are areas where it is especially useful.
Final Thoughts
Hydrogen peroxide is an incredibly useful multi-surface cleaner.
Make sure you have the right concentration and you’re halfway there – the rest is easy by following the guidelines in this article.