If you’re bleaching a wood floor, then you can apply chemical stripper or use a sander.
Set out a drop cloth under your workstation so you can easily collect all of the old finish and throw it away. Scraping your finish off may also remove some of the stain on the wood.
Oxalic acid lightens the stain slightly and works best on naturally light woods. A 2-part bleach solution removes most of the color, and it also can lighten the natural color of dark wood. Both types of bleach will work on either oil-based or water-based stain. You can buy wood bleach and oxalic acid from hardware or home improvement stores.
If you’re applying the bleach to a wood floor, then use a mop to spread the bleach solution across the surface.
You can neutralize the bleach at any time whenever you’re happy with the color.
If you’re working on a wood floor, then use a mop with clean water to rinse the floor.
Only use 2-3 bleach treatments on your wood since the color of the wood may start to look dull or grey.
Don’t shake the can of polyurethane since it could form air bubbles on your wood and ruin the finish.
Only use super fine (0000) or extra fine (000) steel wool since you could remove too much material with coarse steel wool.
Work in a well-ventilated area since mineral spirits can create harmful vapors. Let the shop cloths dry completely before throwing them away since they could be a fire hazard. Steel wool and mineral spirits work best on oil-based stain, but it may work a little on water-based stain.
Mineral spirits and steel wool will only slightly lighten the color of your stain, so it may take multiple applications to notice any changes.
If you can’t find natural wood stain, you can also use mineral spirits for oil-based stains or water if it’s water-based.
You can buy empty paint cans from hardware stores or online.
The color when you first add the stain may be different than when it’s completely dry. Let it sit overnight so you can see what the wood looks like once it’s dry.
Keep track of how much natural stain you add so you can replicate the same color in the future. If your stain gets too light, add another 1⁄4–1⁄2 cup (59–118 ml) of the original.
