No matter how much you try and prepare for the inevitable, no matter how much tape you use or how many tarps you lay down, it seems like paint always ends up on your floor during a remodel. Knowing how to remove paint from wood floors is a useful piece of knowledge and we’re here to tell you how! 

Removing Paint from Wood Floors

via Love to Know

• Just like most stains, it’s easiest to remove paint from wood floors before it dries. If the paint is still wet, use a damp towel to wipe up the stain until it is no longer visible.
• If the paint has dried slightly but isn’t completely hardened, use a plastic putty knife or something similar to gently scrape at the paint. This shouldn’t damage the finish on your floors.
• Sometimes you don’t notice the paint until it has completely dried, and if this is the case, don’t use an actual knife to scrape off the paint or you’ll actually scrape off the finish at the same time. Instead, try using a hair dryer to warm up the paint and soften it. Once the paint has softened, you can use a putty knife to gently scrape up the stain.
• For tougher stains, scrape off as much of the paint as possible and then use a rag soaked in rubbing alcohol to try and remove the paint. With a little elbow grease, you should be able to get rid of the stain.
• Worst case scenario, the paint will be a thin layer close to the grain of the wood. If you’ve tried using a solvent or rubbing alcohol to remove the stain and it’s not budging, you may have to scrape off some of the finish. Take off a thin layer using a knife until the stain is gone, but don’t forget to touch up the finish so your floors are still sealed. Once the finish is dried, you shouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

Do you have any tricks for removing paint from wood floors?