Hardwood floor restoration tips?

Debb Masterson
by Debb Masterson
I had a larger area rug in my living area and recently replaced it with a slightly smaller one. I'm wondering how to restore the floor to be the same color. It's a large area of wood that I would have to restore/polish if I couldn't do something to the darker area. Help!
  9 answers
  • Julie Bounds Julie Bounds on Jun 22, 2018

    Some woods are PHOTOSENSITIVE...that is, the color of the wood is affected by light. Brazilian Cherry is one of those and it looks a lot like what's in your picture. The way to change the color of your floor is simply to expose it to as much sunlight as possible and within a relatively short time, it'll all be the same color. Whenever I move a rug (or have one cleaned, for example) I'm left with "lighter patches" on my floors. Don't bother stripping and re staining...just leave them in the natural state and "light 'em up"

  • Janet Janet on Jun 22, 2018

    Looks like you may have to refinish the floor. Also in time the darker wood will fade out too.

  • Nicki Petruzzella Kerns Nicki Petruzzella Kerns on Jun 22, 2018

    Would love to know the answer to this myself. Just got hardwood floors in my living room and haven't bought area rugs yet.

  • Cindy Cindy on Jun 23, 2018

    I’m with the first person who wrote just leave it and in no time it will fade to match the rest of the floor. I’ve moved many rugs to the same problem and in a short period you would never know there was a rug there.

  • Annie Annie on Jun 26, 2018

    Julia is right. Do nothing, this will fade.

  • Debb Masterson Debb Masterson on Jun 26, 2018

    I'm trying to sell my condo so I'm wondering if there's a quicker but easy solution to this.

  • Julie Bounds Julie Bounds on Jun 28, 2018

    I sent an answer to your question a week or so ago, but see that it's been deleted. It is a legitimate answer...don't refinish your floors, that's a lot of work for a solution that a little time and sunlight will correct. I move rugs all the time and this is what I do...open the drapes and let the sun shine on the spot. it'll even out the color.

  • Chubby58 Chubby58 on Jul 13, 2018

    I was wondering the same thing. Thanks everyone for all your answers!

  • Shawna Torangan Shawna Torangan on Jul 26, 2018

    Put the new rug on top of the old rug.