Acetone, a chemical most commonly found in nail polish remover, can be incredibly destructive to a wood floor. It damages finished wood surfaces immediately on contact, and the damage is typically isolated to the wood's finish. Acetone is colorless, with a slight order, and highly flammable.
Yes, acetone can remove nail polish from wood floors, but it should be used with caution. Acetone is a powerful solvent and can damage the finish on the wood if used in excess. To safely remove nail polish, use a small amount of acetone on a cloth, gently blot the stain, and avoid rubbing it in.
The general consensus is that acetone is NOT a good idea. Acetone is much too damaging to to the wood. Believing you are not carrying out chemical reactions on your deck is also a misconception. You are changing the characteristics of the wood with a very volatile chemical.
Tools and equipment used for working with lacquer, polyester resins, and fiberglass are routinely cleaned with acetone. It is frequently used to prepare wood or metal surfaces for a fresh coat of paint or varnish, partly because it does not leave an oily residue behind.
Acetone doesn't just harm the paint—it can also damage plastic, rubber trims, and other car components. These materials can become discolored, deformed, or brittle when exposed to acetone, causing further aesthetic and functional issues.
When acetone evaporates, it tends to do so without leaving a residue, which is one of the reasons it is favored for cleaning laboratory equipment.
DON'T: Do not use anything with ammonia in it to clean your wood floors. Stay away from wax based products, acrylic finishes, detergents, bleaches, polishes, oil soaps, and vinegar. Instead, get a hardwood cleaning solution (you can pick them up at any big hardware store), spray it on a dust mop and go to town.
The finish is the protective layer of your wood floors. Since vinegar is an acid, it will actually break down the finish on the surface of your floor, and over time it will reduce the shine, and leave a dull appearance.
Risk of Damage: Because it's not designed for hardwood floors, WD-40 might damage certain finishes or stain untreated wood.
Mix 1/4 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid (not laundry detergent) with 1 cup of lukewarm water. Apply some of the dishwashing solution with a white washcloth to the acetone residue and for a few minutes, work in gently from the edges of the spill to the center. Don't rub. Continue until the spill is completely removed.
Alcohol interacts with wood surfaces, acting as a solvent when it touches wood. Solvents dissolve wood finishes, including staining and varnishes. It does so by stripping away the top layer of the furniture. This can significantly damage the integrity, aesthetics and value of the piece.
Acetone is a strong solvent, so it can remove some polyurethane if you use it correctly.
Any damage caused by the remover is likely not severe. The acetone will strip the wood finish, and bleach the wood. If the finish was thin (or non-existent) then the wood will be slightly warped or “melted”. Acetone tends to raise and roughen wood.
Use a broom or hardwood floor mop for cleaning wood floors daily. A microfiber dust mop pre-treated with a dusting agent will pick up dust and dirt and prevent scratches. Vacuum your hardwood floor once a week. Use your vacuum's hard floor setting.
Deep Cleaning for Hard-Surface Floors
The antibacterial formula cleans and disinfects with the power of hydrogen peroxide.
The ideal mixture typically involves a mild solution of diluted vinegar with just a few drops of Dawn. This blend ensures that the cleaning power is strong enough to clean the floors without leaving any harmful residues or damaging the wood.
With the vast array of cleaners available today, consumers need to be aware of how to properly use their products to avoid health hazards and damaging surfaces. Murphy® Oil Soap is one natural cleaner that's effective on hardwood floors and more when used as instructed.
Try using hydrogen peroxide! It's an effective and safe way to remove stains and clean your floors without damaging the finish. You can use a 12% hydrogen peroxide solution, either straight from the bottle or mixed with water. Just make sure to use a lightly damp mop or cloth—too much water can harm your floors.
Baking soda should be used minimally and sparingly on wood floors to avoid any long-term damage.
Do not wet mop wood flooring. Damp is good. Dripping wet is bad. If you can ring out the mop or pad, you're working with too much water.
You can use Pine-Sol® on wood floors, though it is not recommended for use on unfinished, unsealed, unpainted, waxed, oiled or worn wood.
About half the acetone in a typical atmosphere at any time will be lost in 22 days. Microbes (minute life forms) in water remove some acetone from water. Some acetone in water will evaporate into air. About half the acetone in a stream will be removed from water in less than a day.
Acid cleaners are the most powerful type of cleaning agent and should be used with care. If they are not diluted correctly, acid cleaners can be very poisonous and corrosive. Acid cleaners are generally used to remove mineral deposits and are useful for descaling dishwashers or removing rust from restroom facilities.