Hi @nickpar,
A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and thank you for your question.
That’s a frustrating situation. Carpet cleaners can be quite harsh and often contain oxidisers or solvents that react with timber finishes, so unfortunately, the stain you’re seeing may be more than just surface residue. Since warm water and vinegar haven’t helped, it’s likely the finish or even the timber itself has been lightly bleached or dulled.
The first thing I’d suggest is trying a gentle wood-specific cleaner, like Cabot's Floor Clean, which is designed for sealed hardwood and may help lift any remaining residue without damaging the finish. Apply it with a soft cloth, rub gently in the direction of the grain, then dry immediately.
If the discolouration remains, you’re probably dealing with an etched or lightened patch in the finish. In that case, your next step is to try reviving the surface. A product like Feast Watson Surface Restore can help blend out light surface damage and restore some colour. Apply with Super Fine Steel Wool, following the grain, and buff it out with a soft cloth.
If that still doesn’t do the trick, the last resort would be light spot-sanding and reapplying a matching finish. That approach can be effective for more stubborn or deeper marks, but it’s worth testing gentle methods first to avoid making the spot more noticeable.
Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Jacob
