Expert Q&A for How to Remove Ink from a Wood Floor

There are many ways to get ink off of the floor. You can start with the toothpaste method—apply some toothpaste to the stain, then rub it with a cloth and rinse the area. If the stain is still present, repeat the process.

You can apply toothpaste or rubbing alcohol to the stained area. Scrub it with a cloth, rinse the floor, and repeat the process if necessary. Alternatively, you can try to use bleach on the stain if the other methods do not work. Mix some bleach and hot water, apply it to the stain, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then, put some distilled white vinegar over the bleach and rinse the area with water. If the bleach has discolored the wood, you can apply a light wood stain to the area.

For ink stains on laminate flooring, you can apply some nail polish remover or hair spray onto a clean cloth. Rub the stain with the cloth, then rinse the area with water. These products can be damaging to laminate, so do not apply them directly to the flooring.

You will most likely need to use a small scraper to lightly even off the drips without scraping into the finish. You will want to work each drip carefully and work with the grain. You will want to be sure you are shaving off the drips without digging into the wood. When you are done, you will want to wipe with a damp cloth and you may want to lightly sand the floor with a fine grit sandpaper (240). If the finish looks lighter, you can use a closely matched wood stain on the small area.