Removing Water Stains in Wood

It’s happened to everyone. The condensation on your kid’s water cup has left a ring stain from the day before. Or, maybe you bumped into your beautiful mesquite coffee table and the cup of coffee spilled a little but it was enough to leave a stain; even hot dishes can betray you and leave white marks.
Maybe, all these scenarios are not relatable because you take well care of your wood surfaces and use coasters and tablecloths all the time because your wise momma taught you well. In this case, say you restore furniture as DIY projects and you may be dealing with old stains of who-knows-what! Here is a compilation of some house remedies to try.

These 1-5 steps are a couple of the home remedies -because who wants to go to the store if you have what you need in your our pantry. We recommend to try them in order; if the first doesn’t work, then move on to the next.

1. Heat

If the “crime scene” is recent meaning that this stain is from the same day or, at the most, a week then, you can place a thick, clean towel on top of the stain. With the use of your iron, set to a low-to-medium setting, press over the towel for a couple of seconds. Make sure the iron doesn’t touch the wood because then we will have to deal with burn damage -and you don’t want to make more trouble for your self. The gentle heat will release the moisture into the towel. Check underneath the towel to see the results, you can repeat as needed until the stain disappears. Finish by polishing and fluffing the surface with your usual wood cleaner/polish.

2. Mayo

Yes, mayonnaise will not only make your sandwich delicious but it will get read of those unsightly water rings.
Apply a generous amount of mayo over the damaged wood and let it rest for 10 minutes. Wipe clean with a damp rag and finish off with your usual wood cleaner/ polish.

3. Toothpaste

With this method, you have to be precise. Spreading the toothpaste beyond the actual mark may leave a stain of itself. Dab and wipe the toothpaste without leaving it too much time on the wood surface,
These are the steps: with the use of a regular white toothpaste, not the gel kind, squeeze a dab of it in a rag and follow the stains shape.

4. Baking Soda

Mix equal parts of baking soda and water in a small bowl, 1/2 or a 1/4 teaspoon will do. Wet the corner of a cotton rag and gently rub over the water stains until they are gone. Wipe clean and finish off with your usual wood cleaner/ polish.

5. Salt and water

Make a salt paste by mixing one teaspoon salt with a few drops of water. Apply the paste to the stain and gently rub it in with a cotton cloth until the mark is gone. Wipe clean and finish off with your usual wood cleaner/ polish.

The last one is recommended in a couple of websites, but you must be careful as it is a paint thinner and too much can damage your wood finish.

6. Mild solvent

Before using it directly on the stain, test how your wood furniture will react to the paint thinner. Test first on an underside, back or inside area of the furniture. Using a soft cloth, rub gently with the paint thinner. If it dissolves the finish then don’t use it in the stain, if it doesn’t affect the surface you can go ahead and use it in the water stain. Wipe clean and finish off with your usual wood cleaner/ polish.