Is this White Line Syndrome (WLS)?

[Logit883]

I was wiping the floor today with a microfiber cloth to clean up water from the dog after being out in the rain. I noticed this at the end of one of my floor boards after I was finished. I'm nervous that I pulled up some of the finish (although I was wiping pretty lightly). After Googling, I found something called White Line Syndrome. I was wondering that that's what this is, and if there's any way to touch it up other than refinishing the floors. Luckily it's only on a few of the boards, and only on the ends.

 

[JPfloor]

I'd say that's exactly what that is. The finish is peeling or stretching probably from movement of the board.

You could try and pick at it very gently with the point of a blade or a needle. Not sure if it will look better or worse when you're done. If perfection is what you seek you're gonna have to sand and refinish.

Climate control is key to avoiding that issue.

 

[C.J.]

If that’s the only affected spot I think I would run a utility blade down the gap and fill it with putty. Mohawk makes a great kit for this kinda stuff.

 

[Incognito]

I agree you're best off poking/cutting/scraping very gently to remove the crusty, white residue. You really don't have anything to lose at this point so long as you don't GOUGE into the actual wood. You're just trying to remove the discoloration.
Believe it not I used to use Chapstick or Paste Wax over the seams after such tinkering and wipe/buff it off real well not to leave the wax smear.

Start with the least aggressive means to remove the whiteness and proceed to less gentle methods. Until you're actually down there digging away you can't know exactly what will work best.

 

[Incognito]

If that’s the only affected spot I think I would run a utility blade down the gap and fill it with putty. Mohawk makes a great kit for this kinda stuff.

Yup.............if you can't scrape it away and seal over it your next step is to putty over it--------before any sanding/refinishing comes into consideration.

 

[havasu]

When I get that, I use floor and furniture sticks and since they are color matched wax, it gets wiped in and never seen again. I also use felt pens for lighter gouges

 

[JPfloor]

I always carried a set of these when working in peoples homes...

https://www.amazon.com/Furniture-Re...t=&hvlocphy=9004481&hvtargid=pla-698808571835
Still not gonna be perfect though...

 

[Incognito]

But the further back you get.......even as you drive farther and farther away it's starting to look MUCH better from that angle. Kinda what the OP did mention so that's why I went with that old, tired joke.

 

[C.J.]

Those colored markers have saved the day more times than I can count.