Before you put your careless spouse up for adoption, let us save your furniture…and your marriage.
Uh-oh! Did someone forget to use a coaster for their beverage on your beautiful wood coffee table? First off: breathe! Accidents happen, and it's not the end of the world (or your table). Second: don't reach for that can of varnish just yet. You can remove water stains from wood with things you already have around the house.
Supplies
Electric clothes iron
Clean, non-abrasive cloth (a dish towel works great!)
Directions
Warm up your iron to a medium heat setting (Polyester/110-150° F). Place a cloth over the stain and iron on top of it, using moderate pressure and continual circular motions. It's important to keep the iron moving to avoid burning the wood.
After about 20 seconds, remove the iron and let the towel cool for a few moments. Check the stain.
If the stain is fading:
Repeat the process and iron the cloth over the stain in 20-second intervals, checking often to assess the progress.
If the stain isn't budging:
After a few cycles of dry heat, you can try using the steam function on the iron. Just as you did before, keep the iron moving in circles over the towel to ensure even heat distribution. Be sure to check in every 20 seconds and watch the stain vanish!
Tips
The newer the stain, the easier it will come out. If the stain has had years to set, this may take a bit longer.
To ensure no heat damage occurs to the wood, remove the hot towel and step away from a stubborn stain after about 2-3 minutes to give the wood time to cool down and recover. After a 5-minute break, come back to it and continue.
If you don't have a clothes iron handy, you can try using a hairdryer instead. Start on low heat, and be sure to keep the blow dryer moving.
This method only works on light-colored water stains. If the watermark is dark or black, that means moisture has penetrated past the varnish and has gotten all the way down to the wood.
Final Thoughts
Removing water stains from wood can be intimidating, but it's not impossible. With a few supplies and some patience, you can remove even the most stubborn marks.
As for preventative measures, maybe consider stocking up on some cute coasters to keep nearby as a “subtle” hint for the high-risk family members.
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