Wood is a sturdy material, adopted by humans into their everyday lives in diverse ways. It has great shine and luster to it, the degree of which depends upon the kind of wood you use. It is used greatly in construction and furniture-making all over the world. As a material, wood is extremely sturdy and can have a long life depending on its usage, but is not resistant to the wear and tear of everyday life.
White stains or watermarks, visible on the top of your wooden furniture, are due to the moisture that has soaked into the top layer of the wood finish. This moisture gets into the wax and naturally clouds it up, forming the whitish stains. One of the biggest assets in avoiding these stains are coasters and table covers, which protect the surface of the wood from any moisture or spillage. But being proactive doesn’t work all the time. Doing or hiring someone to do a house cleaning in your home can help.
Wood furniture is usually labeled as ‘damaged’ with the appearance of watermarks or stains of water on wood. But you need not be so quick to disregard your wooden piece, instead, stick around to find out how to clean wood or more importantly, how to get rid of water stains on wood.
Here is a list of ways you can DIY the stains out of your wood. It is naturally a job best left for professionals to do, to protect the wood from further damage. My Cleaning Angel is our cleaning company that provides all sorts of cleaning services. So, if these tips and tricks don’t work out in your favor, contact My Cleaning Angel and book cleaning services online for a job well done!
Tips and Tricks to Remove Water Stains from Wood
These tips will come in handy when you’re trying to remove the coaster rings/water stains off your furniture. These are the most reliable techniques to clean wood, but you might have to go through the process of trial and error to figure out the best trick that works in your case.
1. Buff It Off
If you have recently spilled water on your wooden floors or any wooden piece of furniture, acting quick might work in your favor. If the stain has already formed, you will need a cotton cloth, hairdryer, and oil-based wood polish.
– Use a soft, cotton cloth to buff the surface over the stain.
– Work in the direction of the grain for best results.
– Use a hairdryer on its lowest setting to help with the process.
– Cover up the now clean wood with oil-based furniture polish.
2. Use an Iron to Get Rid of the Moisture
If the rings on your furniture are light-colored or cloudy, it means that the moisture hasn’t yet reached the wood. If the stain is new, acting fast helps secure your chances of removing the stain. Use a heating tool to remove the moisture from the surface of your wood. Here’s how to go about it:
– Take your iron and make sure no water is left inside in case of a steam iron. (You can use a hairdryer, heat gun, or any other heating device)
– Lay a cotton t-shirt, napkin, or cloth over the stain.
– With the device on its lowest setting, use it lightly over the fabric and repeat until the stain has vanished or diminished completely.
3. Scrub Away Your Worries
If you have been unsuccessful in removing the stain with heat, the next step for you is to move onto a rag and toothpaste. Using white toothpaste instead of a gel is ideal for this process.
– Squeeze a generous amount of toothpaste onto a rag.
– Rub the toothpaste into the stain and rub only for a minute to see the results.
– Wipe it off with a clean cloth.
One thing to keep in mind is to not over rub the furniture and focus only on the stains. Overusing toothpaste can otherwise damage the finish of your furniture.
4. Rub on Some Mayo
Another way for you to clean wood is to use mayo on the stubborn stains. For this, you will need again a rag and some mayo.
– Put some mayo on a rag and rub it on the water stains. The ideal hack here is to start from the least inconspicuous area and do a patch test.
– Let the mayo set in and leave overnight if needed.
– Wipe it off with a clean cloth.
If the mayo seems to work but only slightly, consider adding some cigarette or fireplace ash to the mayo and then rubbing it in the stain. The friction caused by the abrasiveness of the ash works well with the oil to rid you of the moisture stains.
5. Use a Mix of Olive Oil and Vinegar
If all the above tricks have failed you in removing the stains, maybe this one will help. Olive oil is a miracle worker and will not disappoint here either.
– Mix equal parts of olive oil and vinegar in a bowl.
– Use this mixture to cover the water stains on your furniture using a rag.
– Rub this mixture in the direction of the grain until you see some improvement.
– Wipe it off with a clean, dry cloth.
Olive oil and vinegar are great ingredients to use on your expensive furniture. Vinegar helps in the removal of the water stains while olive oil acts as a natural polish for the wood.
6. Sand Away
When no above-mentioned trick works on your stains, don’t lose heart. There are still many ways to recover your wood from these ugly watermarks. But keep in mind that this trick must be used as a last resort.
– Take mild grain sandpaper.
– Sand the furniture sound to bare wood.
– Use a lacquer, oil-based furniture polish, or linseed oil to refinish it.
No Success? Consider Hiring My Cleaning Angel!
Wood furniture is often really expensive and not easily replaceable. To protect your wood furniture from damage and to keep it looking fresh, you have to take care of it. Using chemical-induced cleaning products can damage the surface of the furniture and destroy the wood underneath. A clean rag is enough for surface cleaning of wooden furniture. To protect from water stains, use coasters, and table runners and monitor the surface for any stains, regularly.
For most water stains on wood, you have to gauge the severity of the stain. The watermarks that have turned brown or black scream trouble. Most stains are easily removed by the above-mentioned tricks, but older, darker rings require professional help. You can find help cleaning your living room in a past article.
My Cleaning Angel is a cleaning company ready to dispense expert cleaners to your home in less than 60 seconds. We have a team of qualified professionals ready to cater to every one of your cleaning problems. Whether it is a deep cleaning of your house, washing scorched dishes, or getting rid of water stains on wood, we do it all. Getting stains out is hard from any surface and requires a bit of elbow grease, but hiring qualified professional help makes it so much easier. So the next time you observe water stains on your furniture, call My Cleaning Angel services to take care of all your cleaning needs!
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