How to Clean Vomit from Wood Floors

Co-authored by Raymond Chiu

Last Updated: July 19, 2021

Unfortunately, accidents happen. People, animals, and young children sometimes throw up on the floor. Luckily, wood floors are easy to clean with an enzyme-based cleaner and water. If there is a lingering smell, household products can be used to eliminate it. With a little diligence, you should be able to remove vomit from wood floors successfully.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Up the Mess Quickly

1
Protect yourself. If the sick person has any kind of virus, you don't want to expose yourself to it. Put on some disposable gloves. If necessary, use extra protection, like a hygienic mask.
2
Wipe up any large chunks immediately. Vomit often has large chunks of food in it. These should be wiped up immediately using paper towels. Transfer as many large chunks as you can to a garbage bag right away.

EXPERT TIP

Raymond Chiu
House Cleaning Professional
Raymond Chiu is the Director of Operations for MaidSailors.com, a residential and commercial cleaning service based in New York City that provides home and office cleaning services at affordable prices. He has a Bachelors in Business Administration and Management from Baruch College.

Raymond Chiu
House Cleaning Professional

Clean the vomit quickly before there is further damage to the floors. Don't wipe the vomit, which can make it seep into the joints of the floor. Use a sponge or paper towels to soak up as much of the vomit as you can and then use a solution of warm water and vinegar to wipe the stain. Completely dry the area when it's clean.

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3
Scrub the spot with an enzyme cleaner and water. Vomit is often acidic and requires a enzyme-containing cleaner. You should be able to find enzyme cleaners online or at department stores. Spritz some of the cleaner on the vomit. Then, use a damp rag or paper towel to gently scrub the vomit off the floor.
- If you don't have an enzyme cleaner on hand, you can use dish soap. While it's generally best to use a stronger cleaner, dish soap in your kitchen can work in a pinch.
4
Soak up any lingering vomit. If there's any bits of vomit remaining on the floor, soak them up. Liquid residue may linger after cleaning, for example. Press a paper towel or clean rag over the spot to remove any lingering traces of vomit.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Eliminating the Smell

1
Add baking soda. Baking soda naturally eliminates a wide variety of smells. If the scent of vomit lingers after you clean it, mix baking soda and water until you form a thick paste. Then, spread the paste over the area that smells. Cover the baking soda with paper towel and let it sit overnight. In the morning, remove the paper towel and vacuum up the remaining baking soda.^{[1]
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2
Use strong scented soaps. Soaps with strong smells and odor-eliminating agents can easily remove the smell of vomit from your floor. Try applying some of the following to the area in the event the smell lingers:^{[2]
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- Soaps designed to remove pet odor
- Soaps with strong scents
- A blend of strong-smelling shampoo and conditioner
3
Try vinegar and water. Mix one part distilled vinegar with two parts water. Then, add a few drops of a citrus-scented dish soap. Clean the area with the vinegar/water mixture and see if you notice a reduced odor.^{[3]
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4
Spritz on some window cleaner. Window cleaner has a strong smell and may mask bad odors. Dilute the window cleaner with a little water first, however, as the strong chemicals may harm a wood floor. Wipe down the area with the diluted window cleaner and see if you notice a fresher smell.^{[4]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

1
Test any cleaners you use first. Before using a cleaner, apply it to a small, unnoticeable patch of your floor. Let it sit on for a few hours to make sure it does not harm your floor.
2
Contact a professional in the event of a set in stain. Vomit can cause stains in wood. These are best addressed by professionals. You can easily harm wood floor by attempting to clean it yourself, so contact a professional cleaner to address stains.^{[5]
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3
Be gentle when scrubbing. Wood floor can scratch easily. Use a non-abrasive rag when cleaning and scrub out the vomit slowly and gently. This reduces the likelihood of scratch marks.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you get vomit smell out of wood?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

You can use baking soda to remove odors. After cleaning the floors with a cleaner like deionized water, spread baking soda on the floor to remove any odor or residual matter that can stain the wood. After an hour you can vacuum the baking soda.
Question

I have tried many times to get a cat puke stain out of my wood furniture. What can I do if it's still not coming out?

Community Answer

It may still come out over time. Also, you can try looking online for a cleaner specially designed for that. I have cats too and have been using a hard wood floor cleaner and mopping it afterwords to get the stain out. It usually wears off over time.