Will Hydrogen Peroxide Whiten Hardwood Floors?

Darkened hardwood floors are a problem faced by many people who have hardwood flooring in their houses.

With prolonged use, the texture gets spoiled as a darkened layer of grime builds up on the surface and covers the grains of wood.

In such cases, many people consider using hydrogen peroxide to lighten the color of the wood, but does it work?

Hydrogen peroxide whitens wood if you use it unnecessarily or if the floor is too dark. Although a strong compound, it can be very effective if used correctly. In common words, it is a type of bleaching agent and works wonders on your darkened wood.

Let’s discuss why hydrogen peroxide can whiten hardwood floors in detail and what other damage it can do to your wooden floors in case of unnecessary use.

Also Read: Does Murphy’s Oil Soap Disinfect Hardwood Floors?

Will Hydrogen Peroxide Whiten Or Discolor Hardwood Floors?

Unnecessary amounts of hydrogen peroxide can discolor hardwood floors as it is a bleaching agent.

You must be aware of the finishing type of your wooden floors to maintain them and allow them to look their best.

Is the flooring’s finish polyurethane or polyacrylic urethane, whether engineered hardwood or pure wood?

Most people don’t consider inquiring as they savor the fresh shine.
If you need more clarification, you can learn your hardwoods’ finish.

Although hydrogen peroxide is not one of those substances that will damage your wooden floors, it can prove to be harmful if excessively used.

Merely choose a location that people on foot frequently visit. Sprinkle a little water on the hardwood floor.

If you don’t know the right quantity to use, you should look for two factors to determine this:

• The concentration of hydrogen peroxide
• The area you are cleaning

Once you know these values, you will know how much water and hydrogen peroxide is for the area of your floor.

This will prevent any excessive usage and will keep your hardwood floors safe from discolorations.

You May Also Like: What Is A Safe Disinfectant For Hardwood Floors?

Why Should You Use Hydrogen Peroxide On Hardwood Floors?

Using hydrogen peroxide on hardwood floors is important to lighten their color and restore their original appearance.

Having wooden floors in the house means it will get dirty and lose color over time. After prolonged use, the texture of the wood might darken, and patches of discolored areas might develop.

This usually happens when you don’t follow a proper cleaning routine and ignore the health and condition of your hardwood floors.

Resultantly, the buildup layer is so hard that no detergent or cleaner can get rid of it.

Though, if you are looking for some hardwood cleaners, check out this article best bona cleaner for hardwood floors that you’ll find useful before making your purchase.

However, using hydrogen peroxide can help you with this problem by lighting the surface of the wood. The darkened layer is usually a grime and dirt buildup which is caused over time by poor cleaning.

Being a bleaching agent, hydrogen peroxide can remove all these substances and make the original color reappear on the surface.

It allows for the corrosion of the dark layer and enables you to wipe it off easily. Hence, it is an extremely helpful solution to restore the darkened hardwood floors and prevent any further damage.

Does Hydrogen Peroxide Bleach Hardwood Floors?

Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent and it will bleach the hardwood floors to restore the original look.

The buildup of dirt and grime on the floor can be harmful as it blocks any cleaning attempts on the wood’s surface.

No matter how much you try, you won’t find scrubbing any helpful in cleaning that dark layer, nor will any cleaning solution be of any use.

However, a bleaching agent can remove these instantly and restore the original color.

What Damage Can Hydrogen Peroxide Do To Hardwood Floors?

Hydrogen peroxide can seep into the porous surface of your hardwood floors and get absorbed causing white stains.

As good as hydrogen peroxide is at cleaning hardwood floors, it can cause serious damage if the floor is not sealed or is overexposed to the solution.

The most popular cleansing agent is hydrogen peroxide. It removes dirt and germs, is odorless, and is very affordable.

Dark brown vessels are almost always used to sell the solution. It is due to the light sensitivity of hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, it has a storage life of between six and twelve months.

The porous surface will allow the solution to move inside and settle in which can prove disastrous for your hardwood floors.

Not only will it leave a liquid stain on the surface which is very difficult to clean, it will also destroy the wooden fibers on the surface.

Besides, it can cause even further damage if you ignore it and do not focus on cleaning the stain.

If the wood is treated, it will surely have chemicals present inside and if hydrogen peroxide comes into contact with these chemicals you might be looking at total destruction of your wooden floors.

How To Safely Use Hydrogen Peroxide?

The safest way to use Hydrogen Peroxide is to make it into a solution according to the recommended concentration.

Then, you must let it sit for a few minutes and as soon as you start to see the layer dissolving, you must wipe it across the surface to clean it thoroughly.

Your wooden floors will be clean, disinfected, and appear refreshed and restored whether or not there is a haze.

To clear the haze from your parquet floor, use hydrogen peroxide. Letting it sit for a longer time can result in the Hydrogen Peroxide seeping into the wooden surface and damaging your wood; hence, it is best that you keep track of time and make sure you remove it on time.

Final Thoughts

If you have also been facing issues of darkened wood hardwood floors and are scared to use Hydrogen Peroxide fearing that it might whiten the wood, bid farewell to your worries.

You need to follow the guidelines above to clean your wood effectively with Hydrogen Peroxide without whitening it unnecessarily.

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the best ways to whiten wood that is darkened after prolonged periods of use.

If you’ve ignored your wooden floors or used the wrong products to clean them for a long time, you might face this problem.

But fortunately, bleach can help you escape this situation as it can easily lighten the wooden surfaces and bring back the original shine.