Hardwood floor got wet!!

[Clarence Martin]

I opened the closet door this Morning and found a wet spot on the Oak hardwood flooring . The stain is just in the closet .I checked out where the leak came from. It was from one of those reusable canvas ?? store bags that SWMBO had used to put some old tools she had found laying about and instead of throwing the tools out since SHE has no use for them:eek:, SWMBO put them in the canvas bag and threw them in the closet. :rolleyes:




BUT!!!


Not before she SOAKED!!! them in Vegetable oil !! She did that "So they would not rust!!:rolleyes:

Found out they have been in there since last WINTER!!!!!!!!!!!

The bag is being thrown out. The tools have no rust :confused: The bad part is the hardwood floor. The spot that got wet is about the length and wide of the average eyeglass case. I poured some corn starch on the wood to soak up the oil and let it dry. Tonight, I went and put a little soap on a washcloth to wipe up the remaining oil residue and then dried it off with a dry towel.


The stain is still there. Is this section going to end up rotting and should I replace it or can it just be restained after it dries out for a few more days ?

[Chris Hachet]

I opened the closet door this Morning and found a wet spot on the Oak hardwood flooring . The stain is just in the closet .I checked out where the leak came from. It was from one of those reusable canvas ?? store bags that SWMBO had used to put some old tools she had found laying about and instead of throwing the tools out since SHE has no use for them:eek:, SWMBO put them in the canvas bag and threw them in the closet. :rolleyes:




BUT!!!


Not before she SOAKED!!! them in Vegetable oil !! She did that "So they would not rust!!:rolleyes:

Found out they have been in there since last WINTER!!!!!!!!!!!

The bag is being thrown out. The tools have no rust :confused: The bad part is the hardwood floor. The spot that got wet is about the length and wide of the average eyeglass case. I poured some corn starch on the wood to soak up the oil and let it dry. Tonight, I went and put a little soap on a washcloth to wipe up the remaining oil residue and then dried it off with a dry towel.


The stain is still there. Is this section going to end up rotting and should I replace it or can it just be restained after it dries out for a few more days ?

Probably can be sanded and you will be fine. I am a hand tool nut so I myself would lightly hand plane the area in question and clean up any tear out with a hand scraper.

[Jeff Duncan]

It won't rot so you don't have to worry about that. I believe rotting wood takes years of wet/dry cycles to come about. Sounds like you have a small area of wood that is oil soaked, much different than water soaked. If it's soaked through the finish and down into the wood it's going to be tough to sand it out. As it's in the closet I might be inclined to do an initial cleaning and then just let it be.....maybe even find a new bag filled with dry tools to put there:D

good luck,
JeffD

[John TenEyck]

When I saw the title of your posting I thought, "Uh oh, this might be something big.". What a let down. It's a small spot in a closet. Close the door and forget about it.

John

[Steve Milito]

The bag is being thrown out. The tools have no rust :confused: The bad part is the hardwood floor. The spot that got wet is about the length and wide of the average eyeglass case. I poured some corn starch on the wood to soak up the oil and let it dry. Tonight, I went and put a little soap on a washcloth to wipe up the remaining oil residue and then dried it off with a dry towel.

The stain is still there. Is this section going to end up rotting and should I replace it or can it just be restained after it dries out for a few more days ?

The only problem with vegetable oil is that it can go rancid. Otherwise, it's just a non-drying oil. Your choices are to ignore it or to oil the entire closet floor so that it matches. I'd opt for the first. Most likely the 'stain' will fade as time goes by. FWIW, if you choose to try and 'blend' the discolored part by oiling the rest of the closet floor, go with something like a light coat of mineral oil that won't go rancid.

[Larry Browning]

Is this a new hardwood floor? Oh, wait you said it was from last winter. That can't be it. I've got to say, if this is the biggest problem you have with your house, a small oil spot in a closet, then you really have no worries at all. I am with the others, just ignore it.

[Lee Schierer]

Purchase a piece of identical flooring and a multi-tool. Use the multi tool to remove a small section where the stain is and carefully cut and install a new piece of flooring from the piece you just purchased. Finish the wood, stain it to match if the floor is stained and finish it with an oil based polyurethane. You'll have a floor that looks like new and a new tool for your workshop. A win win for you.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Mix up some corn starch (or sawdust) and mineral spirits into a paste. (make a poultice)
Apply the paste to the oil spot and let the mineral spirits evaporate overnight.
As the mineral spirits evaporates, it will draw the oil out of the wood.

I prefer to use corn starch or sawdust instead of kitty litter - it's easier to dispose of later on.
Just toss it on a fire.