Now rug outline on hardwood floors is basically visible lines that get created from a number of different things. It could be residue lines, just the flooring material discoloring, or scratches marks as well.
The point is, when it starts to become obvious and different from your hardwood’s look, the sight is not very pleasant. And often this comes from the rug you chose to place on top of the hardwood flooring in a certain location. The outline gets worse with other factors helping the rug as well. Such as stocking feet, dust and grit below, and so on.
All in all, it’s an annoying thing to happen but with some tips, you might be able to avoid such weird things causing trouble from the rug to your hardwood floor. Basically, what I’ll be sharing today.
Tips to Remove Rug Outline on Hardwood Floors
So, the rug outline on hardwood floors can be from many scenes like what I just said. It typically comes from peeling the rug pad that was beneath. That’s why when someone asks do rug pads damage hardwood floors, I cannot completely assure them because people have different maintenance habits.
And some won’t change these pads every frequently as one should. So, they end up having the issues. This leaves a weird waffle-like pattern because of the degraded rubber or latex backing. The worst part is, most of us hardly release such degradation causing harm to hardwood floor.
Not until there are huge chunks scaring the heck out one day suddenly. And then panicking on treating the issue becomes a normal case. However, what’s done is done, relax and work on fixing it.
I’ll start straight with a way to remove rug pad residue from hardwood that might just be what is making the outline you’re trying to get rid of.
Getting Rid of The Outline With Professional Agents
To get the thing sorted, start by gathering a few supplies that you are going to need. These are a bucket, mop, hardwood floor cleaner, a spatula or a plastic scraper, cloth, murphy oil soap, and wd-40.
Make sure to check the back of all products and read every instruction as well as take note of warnings that could be serious. And then you can start by applying murphy’s oil soap on the stuck rubber pieces on floor.
Give it some time so that the product can work for softening rubber residue. Then you want to use the spatula (or plastic scraper) for gently scraping backings away. Make sure you are not being forceful.
Once the residue seems to leave the surface, you can wipe the area. And then use water from the bucket to mop that area nicely with cloth. Don’t forget to dry that area, hardwood isn’t very good with water staying on top of it or too long.
And that was one way to get rid of the outline, which was left behind from the pad backing.
The Wood Oxidization with Light Creating Outline from Rug
Sometimes the main issue isn’t really the outline from rug but actually a hardwood floor discoloration situation. Confused? Well, basically wood tends to be excellent at oxidizing when you keep them exposed in light. And obviously, that means, they change their color.
There are quite a few species, but right now I can only remember Brazilian cherry and American cherry. Mostly it’s the exotics that have this tendency. The color change is quite drastic by the way. And, this is something you cannot avoid, unfortunately.
So, what happens, once you allow a rug to sit on top of a new wood flooring, that area stays covered and unexposed to light. While the uncovered surrounding change shade due to having direct exposure of sun.
Once you take the rug off after quite a bit of time, there’s this outline that gets created, which is simply due to the difference in wood shade and nothing else.
One discolored hardwood floor fix is simply not placing a rug until six months have passed at least. You can also try moving the area rugs from time to time.
Some even try re-sanding and other fixes to get quick solutions. however, it mostly never works. The unexposed area will eventually catch up the shade of wood, once you remove rug.
In Worse Case Scenario Your Floors Could Be Already Faded!
Now it could also be that you have already tried moving as well as removing the rugs to fix hardwood floor discoloration under rug. Not to mention even the furniture was moved. But the wood isn’t catching up yet.
And there’s no sign of blending of those uneven areas. Well, it could be because the floors are already fading. And in such a scene, it’s best to go for sanding and refinishing the floor. That would cost you a good amount. But to bring back the previous look, this is usually the only safe way.
Read: Best Hardwood Floor Polish and Restorer
Should You Place Something Between the Rug & Hardwood Floor?
Definitely, if the rug comes with those weird seedy underbellies. Because sometimes those are enough reasons to cause scratches over time on your hardwood floors. Yes, even outlines on hardwood are possible from those scratches.
Have a non-slip rug pad right beneath. And that would help by playing the role of a barrier. The ones that come with extra cushioning are nice to have, by the way.
Frequently Asked Question
Can you refinish only the faded area and avoid the rest?
So, you already know that refinishing is often the final discolored hardwood floor fix to opt for. However, since it’s costly, people may wonder if only going for the faded area would be fine or not.
Well, it’s technically possible and you can try such a path. However, sometimes the thing may still look a little less matching with the surrounding. And a perfect outcome is less likely to happen this way. That’s why it’s usually best to go for a complete surface refinishing as well as sanding.
What should you not use on a hardwood floor outline?
It’s tempting to get rid of those ridiculous outlines from rug placement, I know. And in that temptation, a few of us just grab an abrasive agent that would not only be hard on the outline mark but also the flooring itself.
So yes, you should consider avoiding a few things that are straight in danger. Such as alkaline products or direct ammonia. Dulling the floor and even causing scratches to the finish are all possible cases once you chose these agents.
Did I mention even common DIY solutions can be harmful to hardwood when used in large quantities? Yes, the vinegar and lemon juice ones are in this list. Spend some time and find a few non-harmful ways on how to remove rug stains from hardwood floors. Something that won’t invite another problem afterward.
Wrap Up
Now you know quite a bit about the rug outline on hardwood floors and ways to prevent as well as remove when the situation allows. All that is left to do is act upon what you learned today.
Hope things work in your favor and those weird looking outline from that old rug just decides to leave and let you have some peace of mind. However, if it doesn’t, think about refinishing.
