I can't help with the waffle pattern, but know to NEVER use Murphy's Oil soap if you have a Swedish finish on your floor (and maybe other kinds of finishes). I was told that if/when you want to have your floor refinished (buffed and finish reapplied, I'm not sure it's true if you have it sanded to bare wood) the oil used, regardless of how long ago, will prevent another coat of finish from bonding with what's already there. I think that orange oil stuff is also a no no. The link isn't to my original source of that info, but says the same thing.

I wonder if you can have the floor buffed and a new coat of finish applied to fix the problem?

Here is a link that might be useful: wood floor care

This post was edited by olychick on Sat, Jun 22, 13 at 15:33

I do not have a Swedish finish on my wood floors and I was also told by our flooring installer to never use Murphy's oil soap on the floors.
On Murphy's label it says "pure vegetable oil soap". So you are really washing the floor with oil and water. but when the water evaporates the vegetable oil remains. The idea is to clean things not coat them with vegetable oil soap residue."

Here also is statement from Bona-Kemi regarding Murphy's Oil Soap:

"Murphy's Oil Soap was tested as maintenance cleaner for hardwood floors to find the possible effects on future screen and recoats. A 2- 1/4" red oak strip floor was prepared using BonaKemi waterbased finish. The floor was then maintained for four weeks, using he manufacture's recommended procedures. Suggested concentration levels were used on a portion of the floor, with slightly differing levels across the remained of the floor.

Before screening the floor for a recoat, it was apparent that an "oily" residue remained on the floor. While screening, the disk gummed up with a waxy residue.

During application of a new topcoat, "fisheyes" developed in spots, and crawling in some areas was observed. Adhesion on the new finish application was poor with complete failure in some areas

Due to the apparent incompatibility of Murphy's Oil Soap residue with subsequent recoating, we cannot recommend its use as a maintenance program cleaner for hardwood floors."

What I would try is to pour some mineral spirits onto a 0000 (super fine grade) steel wool pad and rub that onto the hardwood. I don't know whether it will work, but worth a try. You can buy both products at any hardware store, Home Depot or even Walmart.

Did you ever find a solution?

I wish someone cold come up with a remedy! I'm an interior designer and I will never use the waffle type area rug pad again. My problem is in my own home. A 10 x 14 area rug pad stuck to the floor- I scraped, but nothing I've tried yet will lift the remaining residue! Why are they on the market? I urge all to stop using this type of pad.

I have the same problem. I took up the carpet pad which had a rubber type backing and am left with waffle marks on my hardwood floor. The floor has multiple coats of oil based poly. A friend had the same problem and told me that regular rubbing alcohol works (open windows while using). I am going to try it. I already tried 'Goo Gone' but it didn't work.

So upset. We just did our floors and bought an area rug. I thought the backing on the rug would scratch the floor so I bought a pad. Worst thing. Now we have imprint in the floor. Can't afford to redo floors again. May just put a sheet under rug? Any suggestions? Foam pad will do the same?? So upset!!!!

What pad did you put underneath it?

I hope that the felt pad will work.

Nix the Murphy's Oil. Your floors may look great for the moment, but after roughly 5 years, you'll be having the floors replaced. My DD found out the hard way after her housekeeper 'kept the floors shiny' with the stuff. The smell is too medicinal also.

Depending on the finish, Murphy's Oil soap can ruin your floors and I read it can even affect the success of any future refinishing. Sorry, I don't know about how to help with the pad mark problem. I'd call a pro to see if they can recommend anything besides refinishing.

Here is an old thread about pads. Some of the felt pads come with rubber or foam on one side, but someone in the thread suggested using them rubber side up, if your rug is large enough you don't need to worry about it sliding. Lots of other people got felt pads from carpet stores that don't have a rubberized side.
Best rug pad

I have used old bed sheets underneath large Persian rugs but only in rooms where furniture is placed on them and I don't have to worry about the rug slipping. It's not a solution for smaller, area rugs in high traffic areas.

I just pulled up a jute rug and have the same waffle marks! Fortunately most are located under a king-sized bed, but I've still got to deal with the surrounding area. I'll be calling a pro next week. As to future rugs, I'm considering making my own felt pads with just a dried bead of silicone around the corners or perhaps some small pieces of Velcro adhered to the corners, etc. I'd rather be able to remove adhesive from four 5" corner spots with GooGone then have to rebuff an entire floor.

My seagrass rug left imprints from the seagrass pattern that showed up on the back of the rug.

back of rug

This left kind of dull spots that look exactly like the pattern.

wbrockster- i wonder if you put down the pad and rug too soon after your floors were refinished... i have used different types of pads for years on different wood floors in different homes- the felt on one side and rubber on other type as well as the waffle types and never had them damage any of the wood...

So what is the best kind of pad for a hardwood floor? I've seen such conflicting information and it doesn't seem that there is anything that for sure won't wreck the floor beneath it.

I'm thinking about moving to a place with old floors of a now-extinct wood that sells by the ounce these days, so no options to do over if I were to mess it up seriously.

I just had hardwood installed. I am waiting to put my rugs down and looking for a large one for the living room. I was looking for a wool pad (no synthetic fibers - not part wool). Wool pads do not keep the rugs from slipping - they just pad the rug and make it more cushy. But I've read that if the rug is large enough (I think over 5x7) or if it has heavy furniture on it, it won't move.

Has anyone tried WD-40 to remove the latex? Other sites on the internet swear it works!

Anyone have a solution for small rugs to keep them from shifting? I have runners in my hallways that need something to stop the slip, but now I'm worried that the current pads are ruining the floor. Any ideas??

Strange: I absolutely don't doubt any of you who have had issues with rug pads. But like busybee3, I've had oil-poly finished hardwood floors in two places over the last 45 years, and NEVER had an issues with a good quality foam rug pad sticking. A cheap pad, yes, one of those rubbery kind stuck once.

But not a good quality pad, and none of the newer ones - they look like foam waffle sheeting, quite cushy - I've used (we have more rugs than we have rooms) have stuck to the flooring. I just recently pulled up a rug and its pad that had been walked on, with DR furniture sitting on it, for over ten years - no problem at all getting it up.

I will mention this: We did the floors ourselves, both times. In our current home, I allowed two full months of drying time before I put the rugs down. Normally finishes need only a full month to cure completely, but we moved in during a rainy winter and I figured, better safe than sorry.

Also, despite all the advice not to use latex-backed or padded rugs on vinyl tile, I have had inexpensive latex-backed runners on my expensive Metroflor vinyl tiles in my kitchen since 2003. Just recently replaced them a month ago (they're washable, so they lasted a long time), no problem, no damage, no sticking.

Jakkom, could you provide a link/picture of the type of pad you use? Or where to find a "quality" pad? I'm happy to buy good pads, but I'm not even sure I know what that means, or where to find them. I've had wool pads under larger old orientals, but I need something with a bit of grab to go under the runners. Thanks!

none of the newer ones - they look like foam waffle sheeting, quite cushy - I've used (we have more rugs than we have rooms) have stuck to the flooring

Gosh, I've had the waffle type stick to ceramic tile, so I'd also like to know exactly which one you mean.

I will warn you - even with a foam pad, runners slide around! They just slide around LESS. I think it's a question of weight: the heavier the rug, the less it slides around. I have rugs of all different sizes and materials, and no matter what, a heavier rug stays in place better.

This is a thinner pad I've used with success:

http://www.jcpenney.com/comfort-grip-rug-pads/prod.jump?ppId=pp5001280008&catId=cat100310017&&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=DP0605201221443310M.TIF

I think the thicker pads I bought years ago are no longer made. This is very similar, but I can't vouch for it as I haven't personally tried it. As the company points out, it's overkill for cheap rugs. This is meant for thicker or handmade rugs:

http://rugpadusa.com/eco-friendly-rug-pads.html

HTH.

Oh my goodness, rugpadusa will custom cut each pad. I detest cutting rug pads- I'm drooling over all new custom cut rug pads! My husband is sitting next to me and thinks I'm nuts to be so excited. Sometimes he just doesn't get it

Thanks, jakkom. The Penny's pad looks just like the one I had to scrape off the tile. Maybe it's the humid climate here. But the rugpadusa one looks very interesting.

The waffle rug pads are petroleum based and interactive with many floors. I had one mark a stone floor and there's no way to get that out except leaving the idea uncovered over time -- daylight does the work.

I no longer buy pads with any type of pattern as heat, use and time will likely cause it to transfer.

I also had a rug pad stick to a parquet floor that was finished with poly. What removed it is Orange Glo Everyday Hardwood Floor Cleaner.

However, Orange Glo is not for oiled floors, unfinished or waxed. My floors downstairs are oil-finished and waxed.

It's a great product for removing residue and leaving the floor look great.

Unfinished pine floors ~ blue dawn dish detergent and peroxide. Works on everything like magic!

This happened to me too. We had put down the waffle print weave pads in several areas and it left an imprint. The manufacturer suggested I try using odorless mineral spirits and the "red" Scotch Brite pad. That did not work so the retailer is going to try and file a claim. He may also try and "buff" it out with a professional grade buffer. See attached photo of imprint.

yup thats it! so upset. we just redid our living room and cant afford to redo redone floors!

Have the store where you bought the pad contact the pad manufacturer. Or contact the manufacturer directly and request a fix to your problem or request to file a claim. Their tech person will probably need to know the type and brand of polyurethane you used. Apparently the manufacturer of my pad no longer sells the pad. These waffle pads are bad news.

Yikes. I don't have hw yet, but I promise to never again buy a waffle pad. (I have one for a bathroom rug.)

nosoccermom - Did you ever figure out how to get the waffle marks from the seagrass rugs out of your floor? I am having the same issue. Unfortunately, I used a jute rug (same color as my floor) on my wood floors and now we're faced with dull marks (almost like the rubber marks tennis shoes make on floors) in a similar pattern as the rugs. At first I thought it may be dye (since there is a warning on the rugs), but it's as though the finish is scratched. Extremely annoying.

Nope. Our floors are pretty old, and we'll refinish them once the dog dies :(

I put a felt pad under another seagrass rug (but haven't looked underneath it -- yet).

I have to say that those cheap waffle pads never left an imprint on my floors.

The only thing I'd feel comfortable recommending anyone to use on their finished hardwood flooring would be mineral spirits on a clean cloth. If there is a residue from the padding, the mineral spirits should remove it. If it's not a residue, and the finish has been effected, screening and recoating really is the only solution. The only other product we recommend using to clean a finished hardwood floor is ammonia free windex, or something similar to it. All the other harsh chemicals will indefinitely wear on the finish.

Here's a link with some helpful general care and maintenance info for your hardwood floors: http://www.thecouturefloorcompany.com/floor-care-and-maintenance-tips-westchester-ny.html

You can browse our website for more info about hardwood flooring at www.thecouturefloorcompany.com

....and check out our Facebook page here: Facebook

What bothers me is I didn't see any instructions or warnings on or inside the packaging of these pads that Shaw Industries manufactures. I let my newly refinished hardwood floors dry for over a WEEK before putting down the pad and rug in mu family room. Yet when I complained to Shaw about the waffle imprint, they sent me a letter saying "Newly refinished hardwood flooring should be allowed to cure for a two week minimum period prior to any objects being placed upon the wood flooring." So why isn't the consumer advised about about this on the packaging if they know this? Also, in my dining room, where I put down an expensive felt-backed rug pad instead of the Shaw pad, there were NO waffle marks.

I just used a Dawn and warm vinegar combo to wash first, then sprayed my Guardsman furniture polish on and buffed with a soft cloth. Looks almost perfect again. Mine was an imprint too from a rug that has sat there for five years on walnut floors. So happy the polish buffed it up again

WD40 works and elbow grease

I too, have these marks but they appear to have been from the jute rug which I also had a waffle pad under. Only one year on refinished red oak floors. Tried the dawn and vinegar and scrubbie routine, to no avail. Maybe if I add polish now, but I don't see that happening. To regularly clean floors I use Bona, but hadn't cleaned underneath this rug in a while. Doesn't appear to be residue, but a clear imprint of the jute. UGH! Any other ideas out there?

Same here, but with seagrass. I now put felt pads underneath.

As far as I can tell, the fibers create a pattern on the back of your rug, which then removes the shine/luster from the hardwood floor. I have waterbased poly finish.

I just had my laminate wood floors installed a few weeks ago..I too made the mistake of using the waffle rug pads...

ZEP hardwood and laminate cleaner did the trick..

works great... wet cloth and saturate with ZEP and a little elbow grease....

no more panic mode...

FYI, I found a solution to the same kind of prob as the original poster. A cheap woven rug made of synthetic materials had "etched" it's pattern onto my floors (which were red oak with a satin water-based polyurethane finish. And BTW, I did NOT put the rug down until several years after the floor was finished). Tried rubbing alcohol first, but it seemed to actually sort of "melt" the finish a little, and even though it helped a little, it seemed way too dangerous to use, I mean it seemed like it would just remove the poly finish if I rubbed too hard. So simply I tried LIGHTLY rubbing with "0000" steel wool (WITHOUT using any alcohol or mineral spirits or anything) then lightly buffing by hand, and it worked like a charm! Hope this helps.

Goo Gone did it effortlessly

My floor people told me you should wait 45 days before putting down any rug pads or rugs. It’s needs that time to cure.

Terry,
Did you put a new coat of poly on the floors after using steel wool and then Buffing lightly? Also, what grit of sandpaper did you use to buff? Thanks

The Dawn/Vinegar recipe works! i just tried it on my terribly damaged wood floors.

I tried murphy's oil, goo gone, etc but didn't have any success, until the thought occurred to me to use fine grade steel wool with furniture oil, like old english. I sprinkled a few drops on the steel wool (fine 000) and with medium pressure rubbed with the grain of the wood flooring just for a few seconds and then rubbed the oil off with a clean cloth and it worked like a charm! I did a little square foot section at a time. The added bonus is that you can also remove little paint smears or marks at the same time.

Furniture polish worked like a charm for me on my prestained hardwoods. Only downside is the floor is very slick. After removing the waffle marks, wash the floor with dish soap and water. Dish soap will cut through the oil in the polish and remove it. Vinegar and water alone does not work to remove the slipperiness. Then wash the floor again with vinegar and water to make sure you get rid of all the dish soap residue.

I just removed a seagrass area rug and waffle pad from my wood look porcelain tile floor and I have the same problem as those with wood floors. I have used a steam cleaner on my floor twice today and I can still see the waffle marks. Any suggestions on how to remove the imprint from my tile floor?

Goof Off works with a microfiber cloth.

The 0000 steel wool and Old English worked like a charm... thanks guys!!!

P.S. rub with the grain...