How to Remove Wood Stain

Co-authored by Crystal Chadwick and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: August 16, 2024 References

Not a fan of the stain on your wooden floors or furniture? Not to worry—with the right products and a little bit of elbow grease, you can strip the stain from your wood and get it back to its original color. We’ve put together a handy list of everything you need to do, so you can safely and efficiently remove any wood stain in or around your home.

Things You Should Know

Apply wood stain stripper with a bristle brush and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
Scrape off the stain stripper with a plastic scraper or putty knife so you don't damage the wood.
Use 000 steel wool to remove any leftover stripper.
Sand the wood with both medium- and fine-grit sandpaper to remove the last of the stain and smooth the wood surface.

1

Prep your workspace in a well-ventilated area.

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Good ventilation protects you from breathing in any unpleasant fumes. Open a window if you’re working indoors, or find an outdoor space to work if your project allows it. Place a drop cloth beneath any wooden fixtures or pieces of furniture that you plan on removing the stain from. ^{[1]
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Research source}
- Slip on a respirator mask and a pair of rubber gloves so you don’t directly touch or breathe in the wood stain stripper.

2

Wipe down the stained surface.

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Make sure the surface is clean before using any stripper. Dip a clean cloth in a bucket of sudsy water and wring it out so it’s not dripping wet. ^{[2]
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Research source} Then, wipe down the wood surface to get rid of any lingering dirt, grime or oil. ^{[3]
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Research source} Dry everything off with a clean cloth or microfiber towel once you’re done. ^{[4]
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- The wood stain stripper won’t work as well if the wood is dirty.
- To be safe, wipe a small part of the wood with sudsy water first to make sure that it doesn’t damage the material. ^{[5]
  X
  Research source}

3

Remove any hardware from the wood.

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Give yourself a clear and open wooden surface to work with. Unscrew any hinges, handles, or other hardware attached to the wood’s surface. This allows you to strip the stain from every inch of the wood—including the parts that are normally covered up. ^{[6]
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- Skip this step if you don’t have anything to remove.

4

Apply the stripper with a bristle paintbrush.

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Spread the wood stain stripper in a thick, even coat over the stained wood. Dip the paintbrush in the container of stain stripper so it’s fully soaked. ^{[7]
X
Expert Source

William & Shannon Latil
Furniture Refinishing & Home Remodeling Specialists

Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.} Then, apply the product evenly over the surface. ^{[8]
X
Research source} Always work in small sections so the project is easier to manage. ^{[9]
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Research source}

5

Wait 15-20 minutes.

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It takes about 15-20 minutes for it to start eating away at the stain, so it might help to set a timer as you wait. ^{[10]
X
Research source} The surface starts to blister and peel as the stripper eats through the stain, so keep a watchful eye as you wait. ^{[11]
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Research source}

6

Scrape off the stripper and stain.

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Use a plastic putty knife to safely remove the residue. Hold the tool at a 45-degree angle from the wood and scrape with a consistent amount of pressure, moving with the grain of the wood as you go. ^{[12]
X
Research source} Catch the sludge in a glass or metal container that the stripper can’t eat through.
- Don't use a plastic container—the stripper will melt through it. ^{[13]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  William & Shannon Latil
  Furniture Refinishing & Home Remodeling Specialists
  
  Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.}
- Always use a plastic scraping tool so you don’t risk damaging the wood. ^{[14]
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  Research source}

7

Apply more stripper if there’s leftover stain.

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Spread another layer of stain stripper onto the wood, keeping the product even as you apply it. Let it sit for another 15-20 minutes before scraping it off again. ^{[15]
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Research source}

8

Brush off any leftover stripper with steel wool.

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A section of grade #000 steel wool works well for this. Rub the wool in straight, consistent lines that follow the wood’s grain—this should clear away most of the remaining residue. ^{[16]
X
Research source} Switch out your steel wool with a clean piece if it starts to get clogged with leftover stripper.
- To be extra thorough, wipe down the wood with a clean cloth to clear away any lingering stripper. ^{[17]
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  Research source}

9

Let the wood dry.

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^{[18]
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Research source} Feel free to wait a full 24 hours if you’re not in a rush.

10

Sand the surface with 120-grit sandpaper.

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Medium-grit sandpaper helps clear away any leftover stain. Guide the sandpaper in straight, forward strokes, following the grain as you go. ^{[19]
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Research source} The medium-grit texture helps clear away any leftover stain following the stripper. ^{[20]
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Research source}
- Wipe away the sawdust with a tack cloth when you’re done. ^{[21]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Crystal Chadwick
  Licensed General Contractor
  
  Expert Interview. 16 March 2021.}

11

Go over the surface with 200-grit sandpaper.

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Finer-grit sandpaper helps smooth any rough spots. Keep sanding along the grain, working in forward motions to even out the surface. Focus on any spots that feel especially rough or uneven after your first round of sanding. ^{[22]
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- Don’t rush the sanding process—a few extra minutes of sanding could make all the difference!

12

Clean the wood with denatured alcohol.

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A good wipe-down gets rid of any leftover sawdust and residue. Dip a clean cloth in a little bit of denatured alcohol and wipe down the entire surface, clearing away any leftover sawdust and other residue as you go. ^{[23]
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Research source} Your wooden flooring or furniture is now completely stripped and ready to be re-stained or painted!
- Vacuum up any surrounding sawdust once you’re finished cleaning the wood.

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Question

I need to remove wood stain from an *interior* door. What product do I use? Most stain strippers I've seen/read say or imply exterior. Is there an issue using 'exterior' stripper on an interior door?

Janice Tieperman

Community Answer

Check out brands like Citristrip! Citristrip makes a Varnish Stripping gel that works on all types of surfaces and isn't exclusive to exteriors.

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Tips

Bleach the wood after removing the stain if you’d like it to be even lighter. ^{[24]
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Things You’ll Need

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[7]

Expert Source

William & Shannon Latil
Furniture Refinishing & Home Remodeling Specialists

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[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

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[20]

[21]

Crystal Chadwick
Licensed General Contractor

[22]

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How to Remove Wood Stain

Things You Should Know

Steps

Prep your workspace in a well-ventilated area.

Wipe down the stained surface.

Remove any hardware from the wood.

Apply the stripper with a bristle paintbrush.

Wait 15-20 minutes.

Scrape off the stripper and stain.

Apply more stripper if there’s leftover stain.

Brush off any leftover stripper with steel wool.

Let the wood dry.

Sand the surface with 120-grit sandpaper.

Go over the surface with 200-grit sandpaper.

Clean the wood with denatured alcohol.

Community Q&A

Tips

Things You’ll Need

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