How to Clean Up Bleach Spills on the Floor? − The Perfect Guide for You!
Did you accidentally spill some bleach on your floor while working on a cleaning project? That’s okay, keep that project aside now and clean up this spill first! So, how to clean up the bleach spill on the floor?
Now, the procedure and cleaning items you need for cleaning the spill depend on the flooring material. This is because every flooring material has distinct properties and so bleach reacts differently with them.
Don’t worry, we will cover here all the cleaning guidelines for all types of flooring materials that are likely to be damaged by bleach spills.
Starting from hardwood, vinyl, or tile floors to carpets and marble floors stained with bleach, we’ve got cleaning instructions for all! Binge on!
Clean Up Bleach Spill on Hardwood Floor
Hardwood floors are made with porous natural wood which means they have maximum absorbance quality. Hence, apart from their reliable structural integrity, they are pretty sensitive to moisture.
When you spill bleach on these floors, not only does it create a patch of discoloration, but also destroys the surface finish layer. If you don’t clean up the spill in time, it can also lead to cracking, bulging, or splintering the wood.
Required Cleaning Items
Without further ado, let’s get started with the cleaning procedure. For that, you’ll need:
7 Steps to Remove Bleach from Hardwood Floors
Put on your protective eye covers and gloves to get ready for the cleanup. Why so? Bleach and the chemical agents that you’ll be using for cleaning the bleach may generate chemical fumes harmful to health, or come in contact with the skin causing irritation hence, safety first!
Remember, you cannot procrastinate at all. As soon as you spot the bleach spill, get in action before it seeps through the wood.
Take the towels or rags to soak up as much bleach as possible, but gently.
Now, it’s time to make the cleaning solution needed to neutralize the bleach. For this mix the hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a 1:10 ratio. You can also use a vinegar and water mixture in a 1:4 ratio.
Use a clean towel and dampen it with the mixture. Now, put it over the stain and keep it there for 10-12 minutes.
After that, take it off and clean up any residue on the floor.
Make sure the floor is all dry and the visible stain is gone. If it doesn’t work, you can repeat the process till you get rid of the bleach stain.
Now, it’s quite possible that after a couple of times of cleaning up, the floor spot may seem dull. Don’t worry, just apply some hardwood floor polish or wax on the spot and the shine will be back!
Here are some useful Tips from the experts to help you on your cleaning spree!
- Before you use the cleaning solution on a larger area, try it on a tiny spot.
- Do not try scrubbing the floor because you surely don’t want the wood or create scratchy spots on it!
CAUTION!
Remember that the well-ventilation of the area before cleaning with chemicals is a must because the whole process involves releasing a lot of chemical fumes!
Clean Up Bleach Spills on Tile Floor
Tile floors can be made of a few different materials, it can be porcelain, ceramic, or even natural stone tiles like granite and marble. Among these, ceramic tiles are typically used for residential purposes.
While these tiles are known for their durability and resistance to bleach and other harsh cleaning agents, they still cannot fight off the long-term exposure effects of bleach. Bleach can easily make the tiles lose color with time.
Required Cleaning Items
So, if you have a bleach spill on your ceramic tiles, act fast and grab the following items before you clean up the mess.
6 Steps to Remove Bleach from Tile Floors
First up, use clean towels or rags to soak up the bleach spill. Of course, don’t get started with the procedure without wearing your safety equipment!
Next, use soaked paper towels to clean up the tiles and dry them off.
Time to clean; if your tiles have light bleach stains, all you need is a mixture of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 10 parts of water.
Take a clean towel or rag and immerse it in the mixture. Don’t overdo it, just soak it up! Gently put it on top of the stain and keep it there for about 6 hours. That should do the work.
If the last step doesn’t work or you have heavy stains to remove, follow this step. Make a mixture with a 1:1:2 ratio of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium tartrate respectively.
Gently apply this mixture on the spot with a soft-bristle brush. Keep it there for one whole day. Next, take it off using a water-soaked clean cloth or mop to get rid of any chemical residues. And that should do the work!
You may also try sanding the tile for 10-15 minutes to remove the stain in case it’s not coming off! However, this is only applicable for unglazed tiles or else you’ll spoil the color and texture.
CAUTION!
Do not randomly mix bleach with different cleaning agents like vinegar or ammonia, as the mixture can release harmful fumes!
Clean Up Bleach Spills on Carpets and Rugs
With pores in the fibers and woolen threads in carpets and rugs, they are pretty susceptible to moisture and fluid. As you spill bleach on them, it’s not an easy job to get rid of the stain or the discoloration that comes after.
Don’t worry, stay with us; we’re going to assist you throughout!
Required Cleaning Items
Don’t panic, breathe, and gather the following items to clean up the spill and stains!
6 Steps to Remove Bleach from Carpets or Rugs
As soon as you spot the stain, get in action because every single second the carpet fibers are absorbing the harmful bleach chemicals!
Grab the power towel soaked in water and blot up as much bleach from the carpet as possible. Remember not to rub the bleach because it will only spread the stain.
Now, pour only a quarter tsp of dish soap into a cup of water to make the cleaning solution. Gently apply it to the stain and leave it for 5-6 minutes.
You may also try using a mixture of 2 tbsp of white vinegar and 3-4 cups of water for this.
After 5 minutes, use a sponge to rub off the chemicals. Finally use cold water to rinse the carpet and let it dry completely.
If the stains don’t come off, feel free to repeat the process a few times!
Now, this may result in discoloration of your beautiful carpet. For that, you can use a crayon that somewhat matches the color of your carpet.
Just color on the discolored carpet spot. Then gently rub the color onto the carpet with a wet towel.
CAUTION!
Do not use any harsh cleaning tools, ammonia or undiluted vinegar on the carpet. It can change the color of your rugs as an instant effect, in worse cases fading the color entirely.
Clean Up Bleach Spills on Concrete Floor
While concrete floors seem to be pretty sturdy and don’t get affected by even harsh chemicals, prolonged exposure to bleach sure has effects on them.
It can cause the topmost layer of concrete to get dissolved and create etches and scratch spots on it. Of course, there are also the risks of discoloration and dulling the finish!
To remove the bleach spills from concrete floors, you can try out any of the following two methods.
Method 1: Using Paper Towels
Required Cleaning Items
So, without further wasting time, collect these cleaning items mentioned and get to work!
3 Steps to Remove Bleach from Concrete Floor Using Paper Towels
Use regular paper towels to blot up the excess bleach spills first.
Next up, use some sort of absorbent material like fuller earth clay or cat litter to absorb the bleach. Simply apply it on the spot without engaging in any rubbing action.
After a couple of minutes, sweep up the absorbent material and dilute the bleach residue with cold water. Take your mop and distribute the water thoroughly over the stain.
Method 2: Using All-Purpose Cleaner
Required Cleaning Items
5 Steps to Remove Bleach from Concrete Floor Using All-Purpose Cleaner
To make this cleaning solution, you’ll need nothing more than a concrete floor cleaner and water. You can use products like Rust-Oleum Cleaner and Degreaser, Simple Green Oxy Solve Concrete Floor Cleaner, etc. Follow the given instructions on the packaging for mixing with water.
Use a mop or brush to apply the solution on the spot and scrub it with gentle strokes.
Then, clean the spot with clean water and dry it with a rag.
Make sure the spot is completely dried off and the stain is gone. If it didn’t work, repeat the process.
Finally, to ensure a bleach spill like this doesn’t affect your concrete floor anymore, apply some concrete sealer. Some of the top-rated products include the Foundation Armor concrete sealer, Ghostshield Siloxa concrete sealer, Eagle Armor Seal, etc. for protection. Try them out and you’re good!
Don’t forget to correctly dispose of the chemicals and rags, paper towels, and absorbents containing chemicals.
CAUTION!
Once you apply so many cleaning agents on the floor, it sure is going to be slippery. So be mindful of it and don’t walk over it before it’s completely dried!
Clean Up Bleach Spills on Vinyl Floor
Although homeowners typically prefer using bleach as a cleaning agent on vinyl floors, it’s not the best practice. The issue with bleach is that they dry out easily and quickly.
And if you continue using it over time, the floor may even become susceptible to chipping or breaking! So, with a big spill of bleach on your polished vinyl floors, clean it up immediately!
Required Cleaning Items
4 Steps to Remove Bleach from Vinyl Floors
The steps are pretty easy beginning with wiping the vinyl surface with a damp cloth. You may also use a soaking mop if there’s a large area to cover.
This one is an interesting step. Yes, to remove bleach stains from the vinyl floors you need bleach! Stroke the stained area with some bleach using a brush or sponge.
Before it dries up, rinse the spot with cold water to get rid of all the residue.
When you’re done, grab a clean and dry cloth and wipe off the moisture to completely dry it off.
Be quick to act or else the bleach will dry out on the surface and stick to it resulting in no possible chances for removal!
CAUTION!
Do not scrub on the surface at all; be gentle, because of course, you don’t want to damage the pretty vinyl flooring, do you?
Clean Up Bleach Spills on Marble Floor
Honestly, marble has a timeless beauty to it. However, it is an extensively porous stone that has adverse effects from bleach spills!
There is calcium carbonate in marble reacting with bleach. This can erase the natural oils and protective layer on marble, which doesn’t only result in fading the color, or weakening the material but etching on it deeply!
Required Cleaning Items
So, before it causes irreparable damage to your priceless marble floor, collect the following items and clean them up!
6 Steps to Remove Bleach from Marble Floors
Similar to other cases, the first step is to use some paper towels or soft cloths to blot up the bleach residues instantly.
Now, dilute the whole spot with cold water. The next step is to neutralize the bleach using a mixture of mild liquid soap and warm water.
Grab a sponge to mildly wipe the stained area. After you’re done, use some cold clean water to rinse the floor.
Now, most times when the marble floor is etched, you need to restore it back to its original finish. To do so, you need a marble polishing product or etch remover.
To use the etch remover is no big deal! All you need is to make a paste with the etch remover powder and water. Then gently rub the paste onto the etched marble for a while till the shine is back.
After following all the instructions, just use some damp cloth to wipe the surface and dry it off completely with a rag. This should work just fine!
Pay attention to completely drying off the floor with dry clothes or else there will be new water spots on it.
CAUTION!
Don’t forget your safety equipment like protective goggles for the eyes and rubber gloves for the hands!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use sandpaper to remove bleach from hardwood floors?
Yes, you can use 100-grit sandpaper to sand the stained spot for 10-15 minutes till the bleach stain is not visible anymore on the hardwood floor.
What color do bleach spills turn carpets or rugs?
Bleach spills or stains will readily dull the color of carpets or rugs. The bleached spot will become faded, blemished, or have a slightly yellowish or orange hue to it.
How do you get rid of bleach stains from porcelain floors?
You need to use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water to apply on the spot. Leave it for 5-10 minutes and scrub off the bleach stain from the porcelain floor.
– How Do I Clean Up Bleach Spills on Laminate Floors?
When using bleach on laminate floors, be cautious as it can cause damage. To clean up a bleach spill, immediately blot up the excess liquid with a cloth. Then, mix a solution of water and vinegar to neutralize the bleach. Finally, use a clean, dry cloth to thoroughly dry the area.
Conclusion
Now you know how to clean up bleach spills on different floors! Yes, the bleach stains sometimes may act pretty stubborn, especially if it has been on the floor for quite a long time.
So, what you need to do is act fast as soon as the disaster takes place! And always remember not to impulsively start scrubbing the floor to remove the stains, because it works to rather worsen the situation.
That’s a wrap for today; grab your cleaning tools and get to work, folks!
