Removing Water Stains from Wood Furniture

Written by April Reinhardt (last updated July 20, 2020)

My Aunt Nora's and Uncle Jim's old farmhouse housed a mahogany solid-wood dining table that seated eight, and a matching hutch. The furniture was too big for the small room, but there was no other place for them. I needed no alarm clock to awake early in that house. The aroma of Uncle Jim's strong coffee perking on the cook stove wafted up the stairs to the loft room, rousing me from my blanket where I had lain all night long on the hard floor next to my siblings and cousins.

While the others still slept, I crept downstairs to the kitchen, knowing that Uncle Jim would be standing there at the stove offering, "Eggs and bacon, April?" As I seated myself at the wooden table, Aunt Nora was in the corner, pushing the slide of the toaster down, making toast for me while she sipped her strong brew. As I waited for the toast, the morning sunlight streamed in through the window, and I counted the rings left on the table top from years of sweating glasses of orange juice, hot coffee, Coke bottles, hot food plates, and short glasses of Kentucky bourbon.

My aunt and uncle's table bore evidence of use because they didn't bother to treat the water stains left behind from years of family gatherings. Removing water stains from furniture can be quite simple, even if the stains have been around for years. There are several remedies. If one doesn't work, try another, and soon your wood furniture will be free of water stains:

  • If the stain is fresh, wipe away the water and place a weighted paper towel over the water ring for at least three hours. A good weight is a very large and heavy book.
  • For an older stain, place large amount of mayonnaise onto the water ring and rub it into the stain with a paper towel. Allow the mayonnaise to sit over night and wipe it all away in the morning. Using a little more mayonnaise mixed with cigarette ashes, make a paste and rub it into the stain for at least 20 minutes. With a clean cloth, wipe away the mixture and the stain will be gone.
  • Use white toothpaste (not gel toothpaste) and baking soda, mix in equal amounts, and then apply the paste to the water stain. Agitate the paste into the stain for at least 20 minutes, and then wipe clean.

Some people advocate using a hot iron on furniture stains, but heat applied in that manner may do more harm than good. For stains that you cannot remove, consult a furniture expert, especially if the wood furniture is an antique.

Author Bio

April Reinhardt

An admin­istrator for a mutual fund man­age­ment firm, April deals with the writ­ten word daily. She loves to write and plans to author a memoir in the near future. April attend­ed More­head State Uni­ver­sity to pursue a BA degree in Ele­men­tary Edu­ca­tion. ...

MORE FROM APRIL

Dealing with Rocky Soil

When you have rocky soil, your plants and lawn will not grow optimally, if at all. This article has handy tips and ...

Discover More

Using Sod to Patch Lawn Spots

Use sod from your existing lawn as patches. Perhaps you have an out-of-sight portion of lawn from which you can cut sod ...

Discover More

Natural Rugs

Although consumers today view the use of a natural rug as a trendy, conscious effort to be eco-friendly, ancient ...

Discover More

Tough Cleaning Jobs Require Brawny! Brawny paper towels provide the versatility you need: the strength for demanding jobs and the softness to clean up your child's messy face. This 24-roll pack of pick-a-size sheets can handle just about every cleaning task in your home. Check out Brawny 24-Pack Giant Paper Towels today!

More Cleaning Tips

Restoring Dull and Faded Wood Furniture

Wood furniture can add a wonderful touch of elegance to just about any home. However, over time most wood furniture can ...

Discover More

Cleaning Antique Wood Furniture

Antique wood furniture can be a beautiful addition to your home, as well as a treasured heirloom. The trick though is ...

Discover More

Handling Scratched Wood Furniture

To repair or obscure scratches in your wood furniture, try one of these many tips. Scratches in the finish can be easily ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is nine minus 8?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.