Okay folks, let me tell you about this morning’s mission with my rubber basketball setup grinding on my precious wooden floors. Been bugging me for weeks. Started simple – grabbed a soft rag and some lukewarm water, just damp, not soaking. No fancy cleaners, just water. Kneeled right down and wiped over that whole court area around the hoop base. Felt grit coming up, nasty.

The Scrub Attack

Spotted stubborn black scuff marks near the free-throw line. Grabbed baking soda from the kitchen – cheap stuff. Sprinkled a thin layer, then attacked it in circles with a toothbrush (my old one!). Didn’t go wild, just firm little rubs. Watched those marks fade like magic. Rinsed the spot with another damp cloth after.

Protection Game Strong

Remembered last month’s floor dent drama. Cut an old yoga mat into squares – the sticky kind. Slammed those under each leg of the hoop stand. Pushed the whole setup around a bit to test. Yoga mat squares gripped the floor like glue – no sliding! Also tossed a bigger rug remnant under the whole assembly for extra cushion. Threw the basketball hard against the backboard just to check vibrations… nada. Floor stayed silent.

Quick Double-Checks

• Ran fingers over the clean spots – smooth wood, no grit left.
• Checked under the yoga mat squares after moving hoop – no new dents.
• Peeked at rug positioning – covered the whole high-traffic zone.

Total time? Maybe twenty minutes including hunting down that old toothbrush. Floor looks solid now. Gotta remember: wipe weekly, check those mat squares monthly, and toss the rug in the wash when it gets grimy. Feels good fixing stuff yourself with junk lying around.