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

2

Wipe down the stained surface.

  1. 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] Then, wipe down the wood surface to get rid of any lingering dirt, grime or oil.[3] Dry everything off with a clean cloth or microfiber towel once you’re done.[4]
    • 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]

Community Q&A

  • 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?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff 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.
Advertisement

About This Article

Crystal Chadwick
Co-authored by:
Licensed General Contractor
This article was co-authored by Crystal Chadwick and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Crystal Chadwick is a Licensed General Contractor and the Owner of Yin & Yang Construction out of Salt Lake City, Utah. With over 16 years of experience in the construction industry, she specializes in remodels, repairs, and handyman services. Crystal leads her team with vision and a detail-oriented approach, allowing them to provide quality work and design to their clients. This article has been viewed 100,314 times.
1 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: October 25, 2022
Views: 100,314
Article SummaryX

To remove wood stain, start by using a paintbrush to apply a thick layer of stain stripper to the wood. Then, let it sit for 20 minutes, reapplying the stain stripper every few minutes to any spots that look dry. After 20 minutes, scrape it off with a plastic scraper, and wipe down the wood with a steel-wool pad dipped in the stripper. Next, wipe with a damp rag to remove any remaining stripper. Finally, let the wood dry for 24 hours before sanding off the stain with medium-grit sandpaper. To learn more, including how to sand off hard-to-remove wood stain, read on!

Did this summary help you?
If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Advertisement