White rings and marks on furniture are caused by water or water vapor coming into prolonged contact with the finish.
Instead, remove white rings from wood furniture with a common household condiment. Moisten a paper towel with mayonnaise and rub it into the spot until the white ring disappears.
Basically, it's moisture. Whether you have water rings or heat marks, those white stains are the result of moisture penetrating a wood's protective finish. This happens with both cold and hot items, but the process of dealing with them are the same.
If you have a white water stain, that means the moisture is trapped in the finish layer of your furniture. A dark water stain means that the moisture is already affecting the wood itself.
There are several ways you can prevent heat marks on your wood furniture or other wooden surfaces. Here are a few of the most practical ways to stop the damage before it happens: Purchase coasters to put under mugs or dishes when they are set on a wood surface. Get a varnish or wax to coat the surface of the wood.
White water marks on wooden furniture can be caused by both heat and moisture. Usually shaped like the circumference of a warm cup of tea mistakenly placed on a wooden surface without a coaster.
Moisture-rich wood is a key source of nutrition for many common pests, such as ants or termites. A large pocket of moisture attracts pests to that piece of wood, which incurs a host of problems. Given enough time, these infestations can spread to the rest of the building, causing more problems.
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.
White film on furniture is usually caused by water or heat. If you live in a humid environment, moisture will most likely find its way to your occasional wood furniture. As water sits on the furniture's surface, it evaporates, leaving behind a white coating of salts and minerals.
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.
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.
Most heat stains on wood aren't permanent. There are a few popular ways to remove heat marks (aka heat stains). Check out this video to see how easy it is to use an iron on a heat stain. You CAN Fix White Heat Mark on Wood Tables with your Iron!
Surfaces that Should Not Be Cleaned with Vinegar
hardwood floors, wood furniture, and other word surfaces – due to its acidic nature, vinegar can damage hardwood floor finishes, causing them to look dingy. Use either a cleaner specifically made for hardwood floors or a mix of soap and water.
White stains in the shape of rings are typically caused by the bottoms of hot plates or cold glasses and mugs resting directly in the wood surface. Condensed water or steam pushes into the wood's finish causing the clear layer to become whitish.
You can remove water stains from wood with household products like distilled white vinegar, toothpaste, and even mayonnaise. Light stains are newer and can be removed using surface treatments like polish.
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.
The most common method for getting water stains out of quality wooden furniture is by using baking soda. This is most effective with stains that have just occurred, so old water rings may not budge, but a new one will disappear.