If the stain is still visible, sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the stain. Pour a few drops of distilled white vinegar onto the baking soda. Using a soft-bristled brush, gently scrub the stain until it lifts. Wipe the baking soda and vinegar mixture away with a clean, damp cloth.
An easy way to remedy this is by using items like mayonnaise, olive oil, or petroleum jelly. Apply a dab of either substance with a soft cloth and rub it into the mark in a circular motion. If the stain is not removed completely, apply more product and leave it on for an hour or two before trying again.
To restore water-damaged wood furniture, first dry the piece thoroughly. Light water stains can be removed with a mixture of baking soda and water, while deeper damage may require sanding and refinishing. For severely warped wood, replacement or professional repair may be needed.
Brian Bennett is a former senior writer for the home and outdoor section at CNET. Nothing ruins the luster of wood furniture quite like a watermark. 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.
Brush and rinse as much of the watercolor from the surface as possible. Apply Soft Scrub with a damp sponge and rub in a circular motion toward the center of the stain, rinse and dry. If any stain remains, apply nail polish remover to a cotton ball, blot stain and rinse. Repeat if necessary.
Olive oil and salt is another effective way to remove water stains from wood, as the salt helps absorb the moisture. Here's how to do it, according to Sokolowski. Mix equal parts salt and olive oil. Apply the mixture to the stain and gently rub it in using a microfiber cloth.
Take a clean cloth, add a thick mayonnaise and petroleum jelly and rub it all over the stain in a circular motion. Once you are done applying it to the stain, cover the stain and let it rest for some time. Lastly, wipe off the mixture with a clean cloth.
WD-40 has been advertised as a method for removing water stains from wood, but unfortunately, it doesn't work most of the time. WD-40 is a lubricant for things like squeaky doors and rusty hinges, so it's made with petroleum oil.
Buff the surface lightly and evenly with No. 0000 steel wool dipped in linseed oil. Work with the grain of the wood, rubbing evenly on the entire surface, until the white haze disappears. Then wipe the wood clean with a soft cloth, apply two coats of hard furniture wax, and buff the surface to a shine.
Complete reversal of water damage in wood is challenging. Quick action and proper restoration techniques can mitigate harm, but certain effects like warping or irreversible decay may remain.
Another way to dry the wood is by ironing it or removing the water air bubbles with a needle or printer. Once the wood has dried, you can assess the extent of the damage and move on to sanding it, applying furniture oil, and flattening the wood.
Vaseline can be a great quick fix if you are trying to remove a light water stain from wood. It's a good solution for wood table tops because they are a high touch surface!
To lighten the dark staining, you can use either hydrogen peroxide or chlorine bleach, but do not mix the two chemicals. For hydrogen peroxide, begin with a 1:1 dilution of hydrogen peroxide and water. Soak a white cloth in the solution, and wring lightly.
Vinegar and Olive Oil—Mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil in a bowl. Use a cotton cloth to wipe in the direction of the wood grain until the stain is gone. Mineral Oil—Use a soft cloth to apply mineral oil to the stain in the direction of the wood grain.
Dry-cleaning solvent and alcohol are commonly available at grocery, drug and hardware stores. Do not use flammable solvents like gasoline, lighter fluid, etc. Rinse with water and blot completely using soft, white, absorbent material. If the stain is not removed completely, call your local FIBER CLEAN at once.
While baking soda is often considered a mild abrasive, it can still pose a risk to wood floors. The gritty texture, when applied with scrubbing or pressure, can create micro-scratches on the finish of the wood.
Alternatively, you can mix Murphy® Oil Soap with hot water to remove grime without hurting the wood, and then buff the area to restore its shine. If the floor is still showing a stain, spots or white rings indicate that moisture has penetrated through the surface's protective finish layer.
Final Verdict. The best overall hard water stain remover is CLR Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner.
Weak joints, warped, dried out wood, cracks, peeling paint, doors and drawers that stick or don't close properly. These are all potential signs of heat damage in furniture.
Mayonnaise is surprisingly effective at treating water stains on wood furniture. Its primary ingredients—egg yolks, oil, and vinegar—work together to combat water damage in wood finishes.