If the water damaged area has turned cloudy white, moisture is probably trapped in the finish. You can remove the moisture by rubbing the area with alcohol. Denatured alcohol, rubbing alcohol or industrial alcohol will work. In addition, you can buy these in any hardware store or online.
While you might expect it to do nothing or just leave a small stain, rubbing alcohol acts as a solvent when it comes into contact with wood and wood finishes. To understand how big of a problem this is, you need to know what a solvent does. Solvents are designed to liquify wood finishes, including varnishes and stains.
Like toothpaste, you can clean with baking soda to remove water marks from wood. 'Simply make a paste from two parts baking soda to one part water and apply with a microfiber cloth (you can buy these from Amazon). Rub the baking soda mix over the water mark gently until it disappears.
If you're looking for a solution with stronger intensity to remove water spots, try rubbing alcohol. Simply apply the rubbing alcohol directly to the water spot, and use a clean cloth to scrub away the stain. Repeat it a few times to eliminate tough stains, but it should eventually come off.
Watermarks -- or water stains -- are often caused by cold glasses, spills, or hot dishes places directly on the wood. Luckily, though, they aren't always permanent. This guide will guide you through the process of removing these stains. But first, remember: even a quick touch-up can damage an heirloom.
Make watermarks left from glasses or bottles disappear by mixing 1 teaspoon salt with a few drops of water to form a paste. Gently rub the paste onto the ring with a soft cloth or sponge and work it over the spot until it's gone. Restore the luster of your wood with furniture polish.
Alcohol. Denatured alcohol and isopropyl alcohol are degreasing agents that work best as spot cleaners, removing surface soils that aren't affected by soap or detergent. Denatured alcohol and isopropyl alcohol will safely remove stains from many fabrics. Use to remove ink or sap.
In some cases, 99% isopropyl alcohol is used as it can be more effective against the most stubborn marks, stains and residues. Sometimes a 70% solution won't quite cut it for the trickiest cleaning tasks, and in these cases it might be worth switching to a 99% liquid for best results.
Rubbing alcohol gets out ink stains from clothes and walls. Hydrogen Peroxide gets out fresh blood stains quickly and economically. For ball point pen ink on your clothes, try a sponge soaked with milk.
Treat water-based stains by applying mayonnaise, petroleum jelly, lemon juice, toothpaste, mineral spirits, dish soap, or oxalic acid to the wood and wiping it off. Strip the previous finish using solvent or sandpaper. Then, paint or stain the wood and seal the furniture in varnish to restore your piece.
Thankfully, most watermarks are not permanent, and it's almost always possible to get rid of the stains from your wood surface, depending on the intensity of the stain and condition of the wood.
Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)
Blot the stain, then use a dry sponge or towel to apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Let it stand overnight and wipe away in the morning. The jelly should've penetrated the surface and replaced the trapped water with oil. If you still see the stain, repeat the process.
Drying out wood slices is actually really easy. All you need to do is grab some denatured alcohol, and allow the slices to soak for 24 hours for each inch of thickness. Take the slices out, and let them dry. Dry time varies based on slice thickness.
The white stains that appear on wood after alcohol touches it are actually damage to the sealant on the wood, not to the wood itself. However, this problem may not require refinishing the wood.
Goo Gone is great for removing crayon marks, glue, and adhesive, all of which can end up on any kind of surface. While Goo Gone is safe for use on most surfaces, including wood, carpet, glass, fabric, and sealed stone, the manufacturer itself says it should not be used on the following surfaces: Silk. Leather.
Vinegar is a strong acid with amazing uses, BUT rubbing alcohol is better for all-purpose cleaning. Remember rubbing alcohol can be used on any surface to clean it. Vinegar is acidic, so it can't be used on everything!
No – isopropyl alcohol and rubbing alcohol are not the same thing. Isopropyl alcohol is pure alcohol and is a colorless liquid with a musty, sharp odor. There are no other ingredients in a bottle of isopropyl alcohol. By contrast, rubbing alcohol contains isopropyl alcohol among other ingredients, such as water.
The argument can be made that isopropyl alcohol does an even better job than vinegar at disinfecting surfaces. However, be careful on finished surfaces as it can also dissolve varnishes, always keep the windows open, and never never never mix with bleach.
Even though you may think the higher concentration is more effective, experts say 70% is actually better for disinfecting. It has more water, which helps it to dissolve more slowly, penetrate cells, and kill bacteria. The disinfecting power of rubbing alcohol drops at concentrations higher than 80%-85%.
Hydrogen peroxide works differently than vinegar and is better at removing different types of stains. Hydrogen peroxide doesn't actually remove stains—it just makes them invisible! It breaks up strong chemical bonds in stains including ink, and in doing so it makes the stains colorless—but they're still there!
First, rubbing alcohol is not pure isopropyl alcohol; it contains other ingredients, including dye, which can leave a dye stain on fabric. The other way that rubbing alcohol can leave stains is that it acts as a mild bleach, as do other forms of alcohol such as vodka or isopropyl alcohol.
Use Baking Soda to Get Rid of White Stains
Remove those white marks from your wooden furniture or coffee table caused by sweating glasses or hot cups or making a paste of 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of water. Rub the spot softly in a circular motion until they disappear.
Mayonnaise and Vinegar—One of the most effective methods is a mixture of 2 parts mayonnaise to 1 part vinegar. Dab the mixture on the stain with a paper towel. Let it sit, covered by a paper towel, for a few hours or overnight. Wipe away the mayonnaise with a clean cloth and finish by polishing it with vinegar.