You can consider it a blessing if you have hardwood floors in your home; many people only wish they had them. Not only are these floors lovely, they are particularly practical as well. Wood floors are known to last for many years when they are properly maintained and cared for, and they stand up well in all types of weather conditions. Despite this, even those who are very particular not to allow water on the wooden flooring have been known to occasionally develop a mold problem.

It seems that most likely cause of mildew and mold on hardwood flooring comes from flowerpots. If the water drainage is not cared for properly and in a timely manner, it can cause major problems when it comes to your hardwood floors being at risk of mold. Generally, the damage that lies beneath the flowerpot is quite extensive by the time it is found.

The good news (if you can believe there is good news in a situation like this) is that this is not damage that is permanent. With a little work and the proper information this problem can be repaired. In most cases, if your floor is finished, the mold can be removed and you will find that only the finish of your floor is actually damaged.

Your first step is to find a scraper (these can be found at local hardware stores, often in the paint supply department). While size isn't the most important feature of this scraper, 8 inches wide is a good start. Pull the scraper along the grain of the wood and adjust your pressure so that the edge of the scraper is in contact with the finish of your floor. Be careful that you do not dig too deep with this tool or your will run the risk of damaging your floors.

The next thing you will need is a sanding sponge (180 grit) that is designed for the purpose of finish removal. You should then sand along the grain until you have removed most if not all of the mold. If there happens to be a little mold remaining you can use a diluted mixture of Clorox on the area to finish the job. You should be careful though as this could harm the floor if proper caution is not taken.

Once you've finished sanding and bleaching, sand again--this time with 200 grit sand paper. Then you should touch up the finish with the same finish, if possible, that was used on the remainder of the floor, if you can't find an exact match you should go with the closest possible match.

To prevent this type of problem, be sure that all your potted plants have proper drainage and that there are no pots leaking onto your flooring. In fact, all liquid spills should be quickly and properly cleaned up as they occur. These small steps will safeguard and prolong the magnificence and lifetime of your beautiful hardwood flooring.