How to Remove Pesky Water Rings From Wood

Well, this time Karen’s really done it! Apparently, she’s never heard of a coaster, and now you’re stuck with one of those water rings on your nice wood table. Between this and the sangria carpet stain of 2018, it’s a virtual wine night invite for her!

You don’t want to schlep all the way to the hardware store. Plus, what would you get there anyway?

Watermarks, or water rings, appear on wood surfaces due to excessive moisture exposure. The good news is, it’s only damaged the finish of your surface. That means the wood itself is still very much undamaged and can absolutely be saved!

Never fear! There are several simple ways for you to remove that water ring yourself with items you already have around the house. First of all, make sure you have a clean, dry cloth.

1. You’re Like Oil and Vinegar

We’ve always been told vinegar is bad for wood. Used as a cleaner, it’s not the best. Pair vinegar with oil and you have a ring removal dream team.

Make sure you have a clean, dry cloth. Mix together equal parts of vinegar and olive oil. Apply said mixture to the cloth.

Wipe over the stain keeping with the direction of the wood grain. Repeat until Karen’s party mark has vanished.

When finished, wipe again with another dry and clean cloth. Sit back and admire your work!

2. Good Ol’ Fashioned Iron

Heat is your friend when used properly! Keep your iron on the lowest setting through this process and watch your fingers!

Make sure you have a clean, dry cloth. Place said cloth over the water ring. Now, carefully move the iron across the cloth in the same direction each time.

You should only do this for short increments of time (less than 1 minute). After a few sets of iron pressing, lift up the cloth to see if you’ve succeeded.

If you haven’t, give it another go. This method may take several trials in order to work but be patient and don’t overdo the heat or the length of time on the wood. This may cause further damage.

This method takes care of those wood stains without much hassle at all!

3. Mayo The Force Be With You

You’ve guessed it, mayonnaise! This unlikely sandwich buddy comes in handy when ridding your wood table of that ugly water ring.

Make sure you have a clean, dry cloth. Next, apply about a tablespoon of mayo to the said cloth.

Using a circular motion, surround the water ring area with the mayo using the cloth. If this doesn’t work the first time around, you can reapply and try again.

If you’ve got a particularly stubborn ring, coat with the mayo and leave overnight. Go ahead and wipe it off the next morning.

The smell of your brilliant concoction may create a strong urge for sandwich consumption. You’ll soon be back at the table munching on a ham, cheese, and mayo on wheat. After all, your table just wants to be loved.

If you don’t have mayonnaise around, this same process can be followed using petroleum jelly. The result will be the same. However, the subsequent sandwich craving will not.

4. Feeling Salty?

Of course, you are. Karen almost ruined your table.

With just a little bit of salt and water, you’ll have the pesky water ring gone in no time!

Make sure you have a clean, dry cloth. Combine a teaspoon of salt and a few drops of water in a small bowl. Swirl around until it makes a paste.

With your clean, dry cloth, apply your salty paste to the watermark. Use quick, small, circular motions all around the ring area.

Don’t use too much pressure, though. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to sweat out your aggression on the Pelaton later. For now, keep the motions gentle.

Baking Soda Substitute

You can use baking soda in place of salt with this method as well. Follow the exact same directions.

If the wood is a little dull after the salt or baking soda, use furniture polish to bring it back to life.

5. Minty Fresh and Sparkly Clean

Apart from its intended purpose of keeping our pearly whites sparkly, toothpaste is an excellent option for water ring removal. However, take care to use the proper kind.

Only use toothpaste that is free of gels and whitening components. This is absolutely the time to use that Colgate sample you swiped from your last hotel stay.

Make sure you have a clean, dry cloth. Actually, you’ll need two! Apply a lima bean-sized squirt of toothpaste on to the first clean cloth. Using the same circular motion, work the toothpaste into the wood all around the water ring.

Once you’ve finished, take the second clean cloth and wipe the table clean. Your table will be water ring free and minty fresh!

If you don’t have two clean, dry cloths, use a toothbrush to work the toothpaste into the wood, and a cloth to wipe it clean. To avoid any confusion, it’s a good idea to toss the toothbrush in the trash immediately following the cleaning.

6. Blow It Away

This is one of the most unlikely home fixes for watermark removal.

Make sure you have a clean, dry cloth. Plugin your hairdryer and set it on low. It’s important to keep the hairdryer moving back and forth the entire time.

After you’ve blasted away the water ring, use your clean, dry cloth to polish the area with furniture polish or a little olive oil.

If only your entire house were this easy to clean!

7. Beep Beep!

If you have any car wax, now would be a great time to use it!

Make sure you have a clean, dry cloth. Using any finger of your choosing, run the wax along the water ring.

Wait until the wax has completely dried. The amount of time will depend on how much you’ve used. Once it’s dried, buff the wax out with your clean, dry cloth.

Bye, Bye Water Rings!

If you happen to take a pass through a hardware store, try Jubilee Kitchen Wax or White Ring Spot Remover. Make sure you have a clean, dry cloth and follow the manufacturer’s directions before you begin.

Let us know how we can help keep your house clean and free of unsightly water rings! We’d love to share more cleaning tips with you as well! Give us a call at 208-899-8584 or send us an email.