How to Take Care of a Hardwood Floor after a Flood

Clean the floor. Use a non-metal scrub brush that's stiff but won't scratch your wood floors. A non-sudsing detergent and a bucket full of water will remove mud and other debris. Remove the baseboards in the room so you can get into all of the nooks and crannies.

Drill a few holes in the walls between the studs before you replace the baseboards. This allows excess water to drain from the wall without contributing to further damage in your walls or floors.

Use your regular floor-cleaning liquid to clean the hardwood once all of the water has drained out of the walls and the mud has been removed.

Let the floor dry out on its own, without forcing the issue. Keep your home as dry as possible with a dehumidifier and keep the thermostat set to no higher than 60 degrees Fahrenheit to faciliate drying. Ventilate your home with open doors and windows as much as possible. Depending on the extent of the flooding, the drying process can take weeks or even months.

Take care of deformities in the floor boards after the hardwood has dried completely. Nail down boards that have minor warping but no signs of mildew or molding under the finish. Use a sander to even out inconsistencies and small bumps.

Remove mold and mildew from flooded hardwood floors with a mixture of water and washing soda. Combine a gallon of water and 4 to 6 tbsp. of washing soda, and scrub with a brush. Rinse the clear water, and rub dry with a soft cloth.

Take the finish off the floor if the mold has seeped under the coating. Clean the floor with a water-trisodium phosphate-and-bleach mixture to remove the finish. Mix together one gallon of water, 4 tbsp. trisodium phosphate, a stain remover available at home improvement stores, and a cup of bleach. If the mildew doesn't come off after the finish is removed, you might need to replace your floor boards.

Refinish your hardwood floors after all of the drying and cleaning has been completed. Protect the wood with a preservative coat before you apply your finish.