Common Problems And Solutions For Wood Furniture

Heat stains on solid wood furniture

The cause of the white stain on wood furniture is caused by placing hot items directly on the surface of the wood furniture and the moisture is trapped within the varnish on the table.

How To Remove Heat Stains On Wood Furniture

Try using a steam iron! Set to medium heat and cover the water mark with a white t-shirt or cotton dishcloth. Run the iron over the t-shirt or cloth above the mark, going over it until the mark disappears. Ironing through one layer of t-shirt works better than ironing through two layers. Larger marks might take a few extra minutes to remove the stains. We have embedded some videos to show you how it works. 

For oil based finishes you need a dry iron at max temp out on a kitchen towel on the table and left there for about 20-30 seconds on each spot and then wipe off the water beads right away. Repeat until no more water comes out

However, this is not a solution that is guaranteed to work in all cases. The effects might be different on another type of furniture. The finish might get damaged and the problem might even get worse. It all depends on the type of finish, the type of material or varnish. 

If you find this technique to be too aggressive and you do not want to try it at all, there are also a few other things that you can try and that might work. For example, you can mix 50/50 toothpaste and baking soda and rub in, make a paste of salt and olive oil and let it sit for up to an hour, mix 50/50 vinegar and olive oil and rub, use straight toothpaste, make a paste with baking soda and a few drops of water or rub some Vaseline into the mark and leave it overnight. Remember that there are just suggestions that did work in some cases but are not fully tested and guaranteed to work for all wood tables.

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Scratches on solid wood furniture

Accidentally scratched your wood furniture by tableware, cutlery, or keys or anything else? We will show you how to improve the condition of the scratches.

How to Cover Up Scratches On Wood Furniture

Try using a walnut! Just rub a shelled walnut on the damaged area, in the direction of the grain of the wood and watch in amazement as the dings, scrapes and scratches all begin to darken and disappear. The natural oils will help darken the wood to hide scratches. Leave it on for a few minutes, then buff with a clean, soft cloth. Repeat until the area blends in with the rest of the finish as much as possible. Please take note that this method will only have the best result on mild surface scratches. We have embedded some videos to show you how is it done. 

There you have it. Simple and easy way to cover up the scratches on your wood furniture. As mentioned earlier on, this method only works if the scratches is mild and not too deep. For more severe scratches, we advise you to get a professional help.  

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Water stains on solid wood furniture

Someone forgot to use a coaster for their sweating glass? We will show you how to remove the stains.

How To Remove Water Stains On Wood Furniture

Try using an iron! Set to medium heat and turn off the steam. Cover the water mark with a white t-shirt or cotton dishcloth. Then, iron the t-shirt just above the mark, going over it until the mark disappears. Larger marks might take a few extra minutes. The method is similar to removal of heat stains but without the steam. You can refer to the videos in that section by clicking the link. For water stains, we have some other methods using household products to buff out those water rings. 

• Toothpaste

Gently rub some non-gel toothpaste on the wood with a soft cloth. Then wipe it off gently with a damp cloth. For even stronger cleaning power, mix equal parts white toothpaste and baking soda. Rub the paste parallel to the wood grain, wipe it off, and then polish with lemon oil.

• Baking Soda

Remove those rings by making a paste of 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon water. Gently rub the spot in a circular motion until it disappears. Remember not to use too much water.

• Salt

Make watermarks 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.

• Vinegar

Removal of  water rings can also be achieved, mixing equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up.

• Petroleum Jelly

You can also try applying petroleum jelly and let it sit overnight. In the morning, wipe the watermark away with the jelly.

• Car Wax

When regular furniture polish doesn’t work, try using a dab of car wax. Trace the ring with your finger to apply the wax. Let it dry and buff with a soft cloth.

However, this is not a solution that is guaranteed to work in all cases. The effects might be different on another type of furniture. The finish might get damaged and the problem might even get worse. It all depends on the type of finish, the type of material or varnish. 

​We recommend before trying these household products, try using a small amount on a small area, away from sight to test the effects of these method on your wood varnish. 

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