Removing Paint from Hardwood Floors

-It is not uncommon to have some unwanted paint splatter onto your finished or unfinished hardwood floors. How do you remove paint from hardwood flooring? If the floors have not been sanded and refinished yet, your hardwood floor contractor can easily sand out the paint stain before he or she puts down the polyurethane coating.

-Removing paint from hardwood floors that have been finished? First, I would use a bladed tool to scrape as much off as I could. Then, you will need to use a rag and a cleansing agent. Goof-off is a widely available product that can be used to remove paint from hardwood floors. It has worked for me.

-Alternately, aside from Goof-off, you might try using a rag soaked in rubbing alcohol. Probably least effective is dishwashing detergent. I don't think you'd get off 100% of the stain just using detergent.

-If you have tried to remove paint from your hardwood floors goof-off or the above techniques and it still hasn't worked, look up a hardwood flooring contractor. It might cost less to sand and refinish than you think.

Former builder and instructor of "Save Time and Money in Home Remodeling" cont. ed. course at Emory University