RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By Dot (Guest Post)
(06/30/2008)
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Thank you for your good advice. I had a old water stain on a set of wood shelves. I tried non-gel toothpaste and it worked very little. So I tried baking soda paste...again little success with much effort. So I mixed some ash from the fireplace with some mayonaise and used my hair dryer and it worked beautifully. Hooray! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By christine (Guest Post)
(06/23/2008)
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I have an oak table(ie, light colour) with a wax finish, and now with white water mark. Have started with simplest and applied heat via hairdryer. There is some difference but not enough. I've read the other posts but don't have amounts for the mayo and baking soda or oil and vinegar. Can anyone help with the mixtures. Do they work on a waxed finish?
Many Thanks, Christine
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By Jennifer (Guest Post)
(06/20/2008)
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My brother called me in a panic that his dinner guests had placed a hot pizza box on his dining room table! When he picked it up, there was a white foggy water mark on it. He tried a bunch of stuff, including blaming his wife, and then called me at work. I googled, found this site, and told him to try either mayo and baking soda or the old english and hair dryer trick (he had been using an iron to try to dry it). He just called and said it worked, and the stain is totally gone!!!!
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By KD (Guest Post)
(06/16/2008)
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We recently discovered water had leaked into our trailer and damaged solid light coloured wood making it very black in spots. I knew about the ashes and Mayo years ago and found it worked for white marks, but these darkened areas have me baffled. Can anyone help?
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By (Guest Post)
(06/04/2008)
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Halle-lolly-lu-ya.
I set a mug down on a piece of paper on my g-friends desk--it's her grandmothers and her grandmother is dead. Yes, a recipe for disaster. So I happened on this site and had at it.
First-before I found the site I had rubbed pledge on it. No good.
Then I tried wood markers, the kind you get at the hardware to mask scratches. No good.
Found site. Blowdryer. No good. Drank a good bit and tried to calm down.
Applied mayo. No good. All this time I'm rubbing and sweating with panic.
Mayo and bits of burnt sage from smudging a room. I'm gonna need smudged soon--when I'm dead. More mayo. Leave it sit like 2 hours. Worry that although it is mayo, it's "reduced fat" or some such garbage. Still there. My fingers are bloody and the mark taunts me. Contemplate just busting out sandpaper. Decide last ditch effort is toothpaste. Scrounge through house to find non-gel. Discover travel size CREST sensitivity original formula. Have at it with a damp cloth. Rub really hard. Give up. Then notice TINIEST edge looks different. Rub like crazy. I think it went dry and worked up friction. GONE. Yes. This site saved my relationship. I promise, for evern'ever, to use a coaster.
Bless you all.
-A Friend
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By Windy (Guest Post)
(05/31/2008)
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Years ago put a plant pot on a medium honey pine wood plant stand. So, of course, as I was in my 20's, I just did not think ahead..and see that watering the plant might overflow the pot,and leak some water. So I have sort of large round, like frying pan size circle marks, and some striated marks.
Like that above. Do you think the mayo and baking soda might be able to get the BLACK marks out? Windy
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By Taisha (Guest Post)
(05/30/2008)
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So I had to iron some clothes on a coffee table in the living room and I put down two thick towels before using my steam iron and it did manage to leave a few white rings in one corner. OMG my boyfriend was so mad, his parents got him the table for xmas, thank god for mayonnaise, old English and my little pocket hair dryer, fixed it up for him after a big fight to make up.
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By momof4 (Guest Post)
(05/12/2008)
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HELP!! I cannot get the white stains left by paper plates off of my wood table. While I was trying the iron trick, it made it worse! What am I doing wrong? I have a white tee, folded over twice, steaming and wiping? Maybe I'm not holding it on the spot long enough? I'm desperate, the spots my husband made, I am making worse!
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By Beckie (Guest Post)
(05/05/2008)
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I just accidentally put a water mark on a piece of furniture (mahogany, I think)that my father-in-law made about 45 years ago. If my husband had seen the ring he would not have been happy. So I found this site. What a life saver! I tried the hairdryer first to no avail. But then I mixed mayo and baking soda. I could not believe my eyes! It worked! And in about 10 seconds! I then got excited and took the mixture to our pine furniture, unfortunately it didn't work, it just looks like I have a greasy spot on the trunk. You win some you lose some. But YEA for getting it out of the mahogany!
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By Eric (Guest Post)
(03/26/2008)
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Amazing, we left a ceramic pot on the very dark brown table and I used Old english oil instead of the mayo, was surprised how much heat I needed from the hair dryer but rubbed plenty of oil on the water mark, then used the dryer about 1 inch from the surface, using circular motion heated it up as much as possible always looking if the finish would bubble but it didn't. took me about 5 minutes of rubbing and heating before it cmpletely went away!
Simply amazing
Thanks for the post
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By katie (Guest Post)
(03/25/2008)
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Amazing! This will have saved some of our deposit on our rented furnished house! Thank you everyone.
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By Kelly (Guest Post)
(03/04/2008)
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I placed a reed difuser with oil in a ceramic vase on a brand new dark wood dresser... what do you suggest to remove the stain? If I use the hair dryer do I lay the cloth over the mark then use the dyer or wipe with the cloth while drying?
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By dulcinea (Guest Post)
(03/03/2008)
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I was extremely skeptical about how the mayo would work, especially since I don't own a hair dryer, and was put off with rubbing ashes of any sort into my table. But I had to do something, so I decided to take my weak steam iron and hold it over a dab of mayo with a heap of baking soda mixed in, while buffing the water mark with a paper towel (surprise, surprise-I didn't have any diapers on hand either!). I made sure not to keep the iron in one position, holding it about 2-2 1/2" from the mark. Well....It worked!! I had to turn the light on to make sure my eyes weren't failing me, haha! Thanks so much for this advice.
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
My mark was more of a cloudy white on a BRAND NEW cherry table I had forgotten to use a trivet on. I found the steam iron/hair dryer advise and decided to use the protected version with the doubled up t-shirt and steam iron. It took a couple tries, but it looks new again! The Wrangler on YahooAnswers explains, "If the problem is only moisture blemishes (white rings, white fog, etc) then it is a simple matter of moisture trapped inside the finish itself.
A quick, simple method of removing excess moisture from a wood finish, is your hair dryer. No sanding, no chemicals, no mess...just apply some warm air to the surface to help the moisture evaporate. Do not let it blow continuously in one spot...the surface could get too hot. The idea is to help the moisture evaporate, not damage the finish." It makes sense to me! It's more the heat that helps evaporate the trapped moisture, than the steam helping, but maybe that helps to equalize the environment. It worked and I'm happy!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
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Post By Stewart (Guest Post)
(02/10/2008)
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I just tried using mayo, ashes and a blow dryer to remove a white water stain from my hardwood floor, it worked well. Thanks for the tip.
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Request: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
How do I get rid of a bad water mark on my pine table?
Kevin
Answers:
RE: Removing Heat and Water Marks from Wood Furniture
I tried the ashes and Mayo, nothing, then the toothpaste, nothing happened so I got the iron out turned the steam on, put a cloth over the top of the stain and like magic my heat stains disappeared. I had numerous stains that were hidden under my tablecloth for years now my dark stained table is like new again. Thanks for all the tips, I new one of them had to work! (11/20/2006)
By Cheryl
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
This hint is a life saver! We just experienced flooding from the Nor'easter and the front base of our 100 year old bookcase (we bought less than a month ago) had all sorts of watermarks.We tried Old English, Howard's Restor-a-finish and my husband was just taking out the steel wool when I went online and found this. The mayo and woods ashes worked a little but really kicked in with the hairdryer. THANK YOU to whoever discovered this! (04/21/2007)
By Laura Berman
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
Hard to believe, but it does work! I had a water mark that was a few months old, even though the casserole was put on a straw trivet, the steam still made a mark...tried the oil and vinegar, didn't work, burned some paper and mixed with mayo (wasn't sure if miracle whip would work, but the mayo did!)....applied and rubbed, nothing, did another application and then heated with blow drier, half disappeared, and on the thrid try the entire mark is gone. The mark was the circumfrance of the casserole, so wasn't small....and now you would never know!!! Thanks for the great trick....felt kinda silly, so mixed it up when no one was home, but you can bet I'll remember this one to pass on to others!!!! (04/30/2007)
By stephanie
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
This morning I found water marks on the dining table from a couple hours earlier, a cherry dining table made by Stickley (a new one, not an heirloom).
Tried something new of my own thinking and it works pretty well: toasted (roasted) sesame oil, the brown kind used for flavoring, not the clear or amber kind used for cooking. You can find it in the supermarket or an Asian food store not far from the soy sauce.
It's not a perfect solution, but since the table already had a little bit of mottling from hard use and some cat scratches (from when we forget to clip their nails and they go table surfing), I wasn't looking for perfection.
By regular applications of the oil, gently rubbing it in by hand, and a little bit of hairdryer use (although the warmth did not seem to add all that much), and sometimes just letting the oil sit on the stained spots, the spots gradually darkened to approximately the normal shade. It left it a little darker around the edges of where the stain was, but only slightly.
The oil seems to have a penetrating quality, and because it has color in it, that seems to help the process. Again, not perfect, but the table looks a lot better now. (05/28/2007)
By Ronski
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
Mayonnaise has always worked for me. But the morning after our Fourth of July party I found watermarks on my coffee table that mayonnaise couldn't seem to touch (even leaving it overnight). I just tried the iron and it worked beautifully and quickly. Thank you so much! (07/09/2007)
By Loganbiz
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
I just bought a cherry Dining room suite for $200 from a garage sale. It had big white heat stains all over it! The seller said some were new and some a couple of years old(from casarole dish size to multiple coffee cup size. He wanted $300, thinking I had to sand and try to match finish and colour I offered $200. That thought changed when I found this forum. Thinking the mayo and ash was completely crazy. I tried it with "Miracle Whip" and a yes HEAT GUN. It worked!!!! I noticed the trick was to get it so hot, that when you wipped off (the almost cooked) mayo it gave off smoke/vapour when touching the hot uncovered wood. I wish I took before and after shots. Who ever thought of this or first and added this to the forum, I lift my glass to you. CHEERS! (07/22/2007)
By Jay
RE: Removing Marks from Wood Furniture
Many years ago I had a spot on our wood dining table from a straw-like hot pad being used under a very hot dish. The result of course was a big mark on the table. First I mixed a little cream of tartar and made a paste and rubbed it on the spot. Then I used a pecan nut and the oils from it totally removed the burnt spot. (10/11/2007)
By Ruthie
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
The ash and mayo mixture worked great! I just used it on a cherry wood coffee table. A dinner plate size white mark left from the day before from a warm pizza box. Put the hair dryer on high and had to work it around the area for about ten minutes. I then repplied the mayo mixture a second time to spots that seemed not so easy to get rid of and eventually they all disappeared. The table looks just like new! Thanks so much for the help. (11/03/2007)
By Sue
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Request: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
How do I remove water marks from wood furniture?
Linda from Penryn, CA
Answers:
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
For dark finishes like Walnut, if the marks can't be removed without totally refinishing, I would try applying some "Old English" dark furniture polish. It's similiar to furniture staining, and works great to hide lighter spots and scratches, while blending in with the rest of the wood finish. (You may want to test it first to see if it will give the desired result.) (03/24/2007)
By tismom
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
Could not believe my eyes! I didn't have access to ashes so I used a small amount of baking soda. You cannot tell the mark was there, and it was a significant one! (03/29/2007)
By Deb
RE: Removing Water Marks from Wood Furniture
The steaming iron did not work. It left a bigger white stain on my table. (04/10/2007)
By HockGan
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Request: Removing Heat and Water Marks from Wood Furniture
I have old dark water marks on a light wood table top. How do I remove them?
Billie from Roy, WA
Answers:
RE: Removing Heat and Water Marks from Wood Furniture
Oil and vinagar works for me everytime. Put a bit of both on rub in and wipe off with a cloth. (08/26/2006)
By Kinga
RE: Removing Heat Marks from Wood Furniture
The day after having friends over for dinner, we successfully removed seven prominent heat marks from our refinished 1860s walnut dining room table by first using toothpaste (Colgate Cavity Protection) followed by mayo and ashes. We were so happy to find this website with suggestions and advice. 9/26/06 (09/26/2006)
By Kay
It worked... but now its too shiny.
One of our relatives place a HOT cup of tea on our new black-stained rubberwood dining table from World Market and left a huge white ring. The mayo and ash only worked after we really heated it up with the blow dryer.
The problem is now that spot looks too shiny (overpolished, or too much heat from blow dryer?). I cleaned the area to remove any excess oil. I very lightly rubbed 150 grit sandpaper over the area, but now it looks slightly whiteish. I used a cream polish over it, but with no change. Can anyone give some tips to help us save our satin-finish? (09/27/2006)
By Brian
Hair Dryer
The hair dryer realy does work! Make sure its not on the same spot for a long time as the varnish may bubble) any tips for bubbling varnish? (10/26/2006)
By vicky
RE: Removing Heat and Water Marks from Wood Furniture
This is just not working for me! I tried the mayo, heated mayo, tooth paste, tea. Then I finally burnt some paper to make ash - then I mixed that with the mayo. I scrubbed and scrubbed under a blow dryer - still nothing. The one mark I am working on was just made this morning!(11/23/2006)
By Katelyn
RE: Removing Heat and Water Marks from Wood Furniture
I tried using mayonnaise on my white water mark, but it didn't seem to help. Then I tried the hair dryer, and I could NOT believe my eyes when it gradually disappeared! Thank you for great advice! (01/20/2007)
By Anna Maria
RE: Removing Heat and Water Marks from Wood Furniture
I bought a used walnut table with white heat marks on it. Nothing I've tried has worked. I tried the mayo and ash, which slightly took the white mark off, but still alot there. I realize the ash provides a 'grit' similar to steel wool, so how long do I need to scrub and how hard? I'm scared of removing the shiny finish. Also tried the hairdryer, to no avail. (02/16/2007)
By Anna
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Request: Removing Heat and Water Marks from Wood Furniture
I am trying to get a heat stain off my pine table. As well as water marks? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Tanya from Milton, ON
Answers:
Removing Heat and Water Marks from Wood Furniture
For heat marks or water marks on wood furniture, mix some wood ashes with mayonnaise (really!) and rub the glop into the stain with a soft cloth. You may have to use more than one application, but there's a good chance the stain will become invisible. Once it has disappeared, polish with regular furniture polish. And next time, use a trivet or a coaster!
By Becki in Indiana
Ashes on Light Oak
This worked wonderfully-but now I have black from the ashes in the grain of the wood (light oak). Any ideas how to remove that?
(01/03/2005)
By Kim
HairDryer to Remove Water Marks from Wood Furniture
Try a hairdryer, heat the watermarked spot, using a very soft cloth to rub hard. The sooner the better, but sometimes will work with old watermarks. Cloth must be absolutely soft -- no seams or anything that will scratch the finish. A diaper is best. Let sit and cool. Then apply your regular furniture polish. (05/11/2005)
By Robert
Thanks for the Tip
Thank-you so much! This worked on a white heat mark that had gone through from a hot teapot on a thick rush mat!! Also worked on 2 white heat marks that had happened last Christmas. I mean, these were not small marks! Thought my pine table was ruined but thanks to your tip it looks as good as it ever did! (09/27/2005)
By Cornish Queen
Mayo With Ash Worked, Mayo Alone Didn't
I had already tried Mayonnaise on a water stain and it didn't work. So I got some ashes out of the wood-stove, mixed the mayo again and this time it worked! Thank you so much! (10/12/2005)
By Sharon Forbes
Miraculous
I just couldn't believe this when I read it but having tried all else on a very large heat mark on a dark mahogany table (and yes I did have mats out) I thought I had nothing to lose. Miraculous- Thanks! (11/13/2005)
By Anne Davies
Hairdyer and a Diaper
Hairdryer and diaper worked great on a white watermark on antique sewing machine with original finish. First tried mayo only with little or no results Wiped up mayo and then heated stain with hair dryer while rubbing with diaper. Stain is completely gone.
Thank so much (12/12/2005)
By Rick
Mayonnaise and Ash
I had previously tried everything and this morning found your site and also the mayonnaise and ash trick I cannot believe how ridiculously easy it has been to remove a white heat mark on our large antique dining room table!
A big thank you!! (12/18/2005)
By Rod (UK)
Aloe and Baking Powder
i tried aloe vera oil and baking powder and it worked better than anything I'd seen in my life. (12/31/2005)
By pongo
Hair Dryer
Hairdryer worked great on a 3 day old watermark. Just hold it close to the wood and watch it disappear. AMAZING! (01/15/2006)
By William from GA
Burnt Some Paper and Twigs for Ash
Thank you! I didn't have any wood ashes, so I burnt some paper and twigs and got the ashes. It worked! my favorite dining table is saved! (01/18/2006)
By wendy
Mayo
My Mother always used Mayonnaise to remove water stains from any of the wood furniture. Depending on how the water was on it you may need to leave the mayo on the surface for a long time. (01/26/2006)
By Jackie
Works
Wow - really works - Felt a bit daft mixing the mayo but watched the mark disappear - thank you ! (03/09/2006)
By John in Grandborough UK
Mayo and Ash
How great it was to see that others "in-the-know" are able to pass on these old tricks of the trade. My grandfather who was one of the great Master Craftsman of Grand Rapids, Michigan Furniture making fame - used this same formula for working "magic" on many priceless pieces of furniture that passed through his hands. He never once had a complaint, and as many have already observed, it's such an "easy fix". Grandpa said it's because of the fats in the oil - and the wood still was porous and would drink in the oil once it was broken down with heat. I'd love to know how many gallons of mayo went onto the furniture he so lovingly cared for. He not only built priceless pieces, but, cared for old ones that were brought to him by folks to who sought out the very best hands to care for their furniture. Thanks for the opportunity to give him one more pat on the back, Bev in Grand Rapids (04/19/2006)
By Beverly K. Combs
Thanks
WoW it really worked. Thanks for the help. (08/01/2006)
By Nick
Amazing
Ok, we are house sitting for some neighbors while we are in between house. Being a guy, honestly, I had no idea a warm plate could leave a white heat mark on a table. So, heated up my plate, ate lunch and oops, a big white stain/mark on our friend's table. We initially thought of replacing the table or getting a furniture repair company in to fix it. Found this post. Got some ash, mayonnaise, mixed it up and rubbed it in with a soft rag. It didn't work as well until I took a hair dryer and heated the spot while rubbing vigorously. Amazing! Not even the smallest remnant. Thank you, Becki! (08/08/2006)
By Chris
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