# Magic Eraser on hardwood floor



## bank123 (Mar 26, 2013)

My hardwood floor is Brazilian Cherry with poly finish (that's what the builder said; I don't know the product specifically). It was installed about 2 years ago. About 1 year ago, I used Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove something from the floor but it made the floor look shiny. Yes, previously it was somewhat dull, but after I used Magic Eraser it was quite shiny. I assumed that it removed the finish and somehow made it look shiny. Would somebody help me fix it please?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

More than likely the magic eracer put some kind of oil or wax on the floor altering the sheen. If you would wipe the floor down with napatha I bet it would take the shine off.


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## dodgeboy77 (Mar 18, 2009)

Magic Eraser is a mild abrasive. You just polished the floor a bit. I've noticed that if I use it on painted surfaces repeatedly, it takes the paint off (like around switch plates)

Now you have to do the whole floor so it matches! 

Bill


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

Try knocking down the shine with very fine steel wool.
Find an inconspicuous corner as a test before you jump into scratching up your floor.


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## bank123 (Mar 26, 2013)

Unfortunately, I tried wiping it out with both Naptha and Mineral Spirit but none worked. I really don't want to use steel wool because it can take off the finish that's not affected. Is there any other suggestion?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

bank123 said:


> Unfortunately, I tried wiping it out with both Naptha and Mineral Spirit but none worked. I really don't want to use steel wool because it can take off the finish that's not affected. Is there any other suggestion?


I'm sorry, I hadn't personally used the Magic Eraser and thought it had oils in it like similar products. The napatha would have cleaned the oil off. Since that didn't work your best option now would be to mask off the unaffected boards and buff the spot with steel wool. It will take some of the finish off however unless you spent hours at it, it shouldn't take the finish off. Plan b would be to mask off the unaffected boards and apply more of the same finish over the top. The problem with that is you would have to mask it off at the seams where the boards would meet end to end. Then since you don't know what product was used on the floor it would be tricky at best to come up with the exact same sheen. It might be a lot easier to hire a professional finisher that will have flattening agents they can adjust the sheen to match what is there. Each different paint companies finish will have a different sheen. It's one of those things that would take trial and error to get right.


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## bank123 (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks for the quick reply Steve. Masking off will be tricky since the spots are scattered around and not perfectly rectangular etc. so it's a great chance that it will do more harm than good. I think I just live with it. One thing that amazed me is that I always thought Magic Eraser took off the finish, but after I tried to really "feel" the surface I think it's the residue.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

I saw a product in the paint section of one of the Box stores, HD or Lowes not sure which, that was made to take the shine off of a finish without sanding. Maybe that would work. Sorry I don't remember the product name.

I also think the fine steel wool idea would work without damage. You could try Comet cleaner without water.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

bank123 said:


> Thanks for the quick reply Steve. Masking off will be tricky since the spots are scattered around and not perfectly rectangular etc. so it's a great chance that it will do more harm than good. I think I just live with it. One thing that amazed me is that I always thought Magic Eraser took off the finish, but after I tried to really "feel" the surface I think it's the residue.


You have buffed it with the eraser. Much like rubbing out a finish with pumus. It's a super fine abrasive.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

bank123 said:


> Thanks for the quick reply Steve. Masking off will be tricky since the spots are scattered around and not perfectly rectangular etc. so it's a great chance that it will do more harm than good. I think I just live with it. One thing that amazed me is that I always thought Magic Eraser took off the finish, but after I tried to really "feel" the surface I think it's the residue.


Perhaps it is a residue. You know those pens on TV that make a scratch go away on a car. All that is, is a very thin finish that covers the scratch. Perhaps the Magic Eraser has some urethane in it that has a different sheen to it than the rest of the floor.


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## bank123 (Mar 26, 2013)

Al B Thayer said:


> I saw a product in the paint section of one of the Box stores, HD or Lowes not sure which, that was made to take the shine off of a finish without sanding. Maybe that would work. Sorry I don't remember the product name.
> 
> I also think the fine steel wool idea would work without damage. You could try Comet cleaner without water.
> 
> ...


Why do you think steel wool would work? I'm afraid I damage it even more (now the shiny part is hardly noticed without light). You mentioned in another comment that Magic Eraser took off the finish. How can I use steel wool to remove it without making a dent? Thanks.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Bank
The steel wool should only cut the shine. The eraser has just taken a dull finish and polished it smoother. Try 0000. 

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The floor finish has flattening agents that makes it either satin or semi-gloss. I will see if I can find some data on the magic eracer but if does contain a coating it may lack the flattening agents or perhaps not enough of it and came out too glossy. Steel wool makes microscopic scratches in the finish. Unless you stay at it for a long time it won't take the finish off, the scratches will just take the shine off.


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## bank123 (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks Steve and Al -- I will try steel wool then. I also remembered that when I used Magic Eraser to remove the pot scratch on the countertops, it made countertops shiny too. As strange as it seems, I think the shiny thing is residue.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

bank123 said:


> Thanks Steve and Al -- I will try steel wool then. I also remembered that when I used Magic Eraser to remove the pot scratch on the countertops, it made countertops shiny too. As strange as it seems, I think the shiny thing is residue.


 Hold the presses. It appears the stuff may have worked more like rubbing compound and polished the floor. To tell you the truth I'm in over my head with this topic. Give me a day or two and see if I can come up with some answers. There is a guy on another forum that has more experience than me. Perhaps he can give me some answers.


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## bank123 (Mar 26, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> Hold the presses. It appears the stuff may have worked more like rubbing compound and polished the floor. To tell you the truth I'm in over my head with this topic. Give me a day or two and see if I can come up with some answers. There is a guy on another forum that has more experience than me. Perhaps he can give me some answers.


Thanks a lot.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

bank123 said:


> Thanks a lot.


OK the guy I wanted info from has been offline since the middle of January. I found a couple of websites I was able to open with my bad internet and the Majic Eraser is a abrasive. There is no residue on the surface. What has happened is described as rubbing the floor with a pencil eraser and is very similar to what you would be doing with steel wool. I guess it's a little late but they don't recommend using Magic Eraser on finished wood.

You could do some tinkering with automotive scotchbrite pads using different grits to see if you can dull the sheen down. Personally I think the only way to put the floor back like it was is to recoat the floor. Since you don't know the spacific product it might be necessary to do the entire floor to come up with a uniform sheen. I would contact the builder and see if you can find the painter that finished the floor. Chances are he's still using the same brand finish today. If you had the brand then there is only a few different sheens to choose from.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

I agree with this - 

"You have buffed it with the eraser. Much like rubbing out a finish with pumus. It's a super fine abrasive."

using any abrasives are going to remove more finish, of which there is a limited amount already. i would either live with it, or attempt to dab/spot on some satin or sg poly finish. try in an inconspicous location first in case you aren't happy with it.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

Magic eraser is really just a sponge embedded with the equivalent of Ajax or Comet abrasive cleaner. You have, indeed, rubbed out the finish. If this was my floor I would pick up a board of the same wood and finish from some place like Lumber Liquidators. Then I'd pick up a rattle can of lacquer in various sheens. Take them home and experiment with the sample board to see if you can duplicate the original sheen. On my oak floor, the matching sheen is semi gloss. once you have gotten as close a sheen match as you are going to get, do the actual floor. You don't have to mask it off, just lay down a really thin coat that extends a little bit past the shiny area. Don't get carried away. When that coat is dry, you will likely be the only person who knows it's there. I've been hiding scratches in my floor for years and my wife has no idea that the original surface is completely full of scratches she can't see because they are covered with lacquer that doesn't match the original sheen exactly.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

bank123 said:


> Thanks Steve and Al -- I will try steel wool then. I also remembered that when I used Magic Eraser to remove the pot scratch on the countertops, it made countertops shiny too. As strange as it seems, I think the shiny thing is residue.


I'm sure the shine is not from residue. The eraser works the same as wet sanding with fine sand paper. I've done the same thing when I cleaned the stains around the garage door door handle. It actually buffs out the paint on the door.

You just need to un shine the spots. 

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## bank123 (Mar 26, 2013)

RogerInColorado said:


> On my oak floor, the matching sheen is semi gloss. once you have gotten as close a sheen match as you are going to get, do the actual floor. You don't have to mask it off, just lay down a really thin coat that extends a little bit past the shiny area. Don't get carried away. When that coat is dry, you will likely be the only person who knows it's there. I've been hiding scratches in my floor for years and my wife has no idea that the original surface is completely full of scratches she can't see because they are covered with lacquer that doesn't match the original sheen exactly.


I actually contacted the builder and knew the product that they used on the floor (DuraSeal water-based poly-urethane satin sheen). It's not a common one. Can i just buy something that is sheen=satin from Lowe's and use it? Did you use the cloth or brush to re-coat the floor?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

bank123 said:


> I actually contacted the builder and knew the product that they used on the floor (DuraSeal water-based poly-urethane satin sheen). It's not a common one. Can i just buy something that is sheen=satin from Lowe's and use it? Did you use the cloth or brush to re-coat the floor?


 It's kind of doubtful if a different mfg would have a satin that was exactly the same sheen for touch up. It wouldn't hurt anything to try a different brand of water based satin on it. The worst that will happen is the sheen won't match and you will be searching for the Duraseal or have to do the entire room. If the floor has every had wax on it or someone used aerosol furniture polish on furniture in the same room you should first go over the floor with a wax and grease remover. Any amount of wax on the floor can prevent adhesion. Once clean, scuff the finish with 220 grit paper and apply the finish with a clean rag in a small spot and let it dry to see what it looks like. If it works apply the finish with a floor finish applicator pad.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

Well, now that you know the manufacturer of the finish you can contact them for the sheen number of the finish used. It may even be on their web site. Believe it or not there is actually a standard for measuring sheens and manufacturers use standard measurements to make sure that a batch of satin made today matches a batch made 10 years ago with the same sheen number. While you are contacting them, ask them if it comes in a rattle can and ask them where you can buy it. I had suggested lacquer because it's a pretty safe topcoat on a fully cured floor, but since you know for sure what the finish is, I'd go for the same stuff.


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## bank123 (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks everyone. Let me ask more one more question. Now that I know the specific product that used to finish the floor, can I just apply it on top of the damaged area? Do I need to screen before recoat?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

As long as there is no foreign substance like wax on the floor you should be able to scuff the damaged area with a scotchbrite pad and just coat the spot. If there is a chance there might be something on the floor you probably should wash the area you are going to finish with a wax and grease remover before scuffing the floor.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

Screening the existing finish will give you better adhesion, but only on the places you screen, and then you need to apply finish beyond the screened place or you will have a screened boarder around your touch-up. I'd probably live with the adhesion risk given that I have successfully applied lacquer touch up over polyurethane, which according to every law of finishing should not work.


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