Hi! I’m normally over in Cooks Talk, so I’m not even sure this is the right forum to post this, but hope someone can help me. We inherited a rosewood dining room table. It’s lovely, but has some white spots on it from heat? water? At anyrate, I’m wondering if there’s anyway to get rid of them without refinishing the entire table. Luckily they sit under where a placemat would be, but still…it would be nice to have them gone. Thanks for your help!
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first off, welcome to BT.
Now I am thinking that the Rosewood has a shellac finish by your description. Here are two old tricks to try first before we dig a deeper hole.
Toothpaste..Crest ( not gel) and tad of water on an old t-shirt type cotton. Rub and apply a bit more. As it dries, buff it off, then repeat as needed.
Next good thing is Cigar/cigarette ashes and a damp cloth as well.
Both are very mild abrasives and will not harm the finish, but often works to get the ring to vanish.
IF those don't work, we have to get more intense by using alcohol which is the solvent of the finish. But that is later, try these first.
Good luck.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
Thanks, Sphere. I don't have none-gel crest, but do have some sensodyne (none gel). Would that work? Otherwise will try ashes. Don't have cigarette ashes, but would wood ash work?
Also try eucalyptus oil gently rubbed in circles.
Yes, any non-gel is fine.
Wood ashes IF, I repeat IF they are finely sifted, they COULD add scratches from larger particles.
Let us know how ya fare.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
If you can post a pic it would help assess what the rings / spots look like and where they might have originated. Finding the source goes a long way towards finding the cure.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
I will see if I can figure out how to post a picture. A local wood store recommended a product called Jasco White Ring Remover. Has anyone tried it? The toothpast didn't do it and I'm a little leary about trying several different methods for fear of doing more damage. The alcohol method sounds fairly benign, so we might give that a shot. Thanks for all your advise!
The reason I say pic is because we dont know if its a water mark in the wood or an abrasion on the finish. Or damage in the finish.
If its something sitting on the surface, the process is basically whatever removes the mark but doesnt damage the finish. Could be alcohol works. If its a shellac finish as suggested, alcohol will melt the finish. Not instantly, but it doesnt take very long. If you're rubbing away at it, before you know it, you'll have bare wood.
If its a water mark, you might have to get to bare wood. Then we're talking finish repair or more likely refinishing.
If its just damage to the finish but not underneath, mild abrasives might fix it. Theres a risk in steering you wrong that the instructions you get will make things worse, not better.
Last thought is Knots is probably a better resource. The FWW crowd spends more time at this than most of the hammer swingers over here. Theres a little cross over, but thats a better target audience.Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
Thanks. I'll post over in Knots then too.
Here you go! The largest spot is about 2" long.
I'm one of those non-nail bangers. But prefer BT.
Doesn't look like water-spotted shellac to me. But test that alcohol, or any solvent, on an inconspicuous spot before you go to rubbing on the top.
My normal method is to start with the mildest solvent and work up. Eventually you get to what works as a stripper. Then it's refinish time if you aren't extremely careful. That's well after you tried some oil to the spots to make sure it isn't a real easy fix. Lemon oil or whatever supermarket product you have around.
Sometimes I've been successful with pumice/rottenstone to remove similar marks, usually in lacquer. They're mild abrasives, remove very small amounts of finish. If lucky, there's a thick enough finish to remove the damaged part and still leave something clear. I dampen felt with water or oil and dip into the pumice or rottenstone and rub. Pumice is coarser, rottenstone for a mirror finish.
Whatever you do, avoid sandpaper. Very easy to remove some patinaed wood. Then the fun really begins.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
There is a product in better hardware stores called Howard's restore-a-finish, or something close to that. It's essentially a tinted lemon-type oil which comes in various wooyd colors. I've had excellent luck with it for the situation you describe, as well as for cat scratches, moving dings, & other assorted mischances. You rub some on let it sit a minute, & buff it off.
Good luck!
Kate: We tried Jasco and it worked a little, but we've had several people recommend Howard, so may give that a try. We are a little hesitant to try multiple products for fear we'll end up doing more damage than good, but do want those spots gone!
Howard will not hurt your finish in any way. It will just color the white area & blend it into the original finish. White rings are just in the top layers of the finish. You don't want to abrade them - just tint them back to the original color, & make sure to have a big supply of coasters & hot pads on hand so they won't happen again.
They look terrible, but they aren't that big a deal...
Yes, you're right...kind of like a pimple. You feel like it sticks out like Vesuvius on your face, but it's small, really, and disappears...
If the white spots are from something hot being put on it ( coffee cups etc )
then the white spots are usually moisture that has been driven out of the wood by the heat and got trapped under the finish
If the finish is shellac then pure alcohol rubbed on will make it go away...if polyurethane then the only 'cure' I know of is to remove that area of finish and start again.
Been through this with a coffee table......various things worked. Best one was the lightest of sanding and then rub with a raw walnut 1/2 for the colour
It looked like the perfect match except from a certain angle. Short of a refinish nothing will give the perfect 'fix' other than a full redo.
try and ask the folks over at Knots
Not an exponent of the DILLIGAF system.
The first thing to do is buy denatured alcohol and brush on a layer over the spots, it might take several applications before the spots disappear. This will work on many finishes and not harm them. I have made a lot of money removing water stains from furniture when I refinished for a living.
It is not necessary to use any abrasives to get the job done.
Application of alcohol appears to soften the surface, and so far after a couple of wipe on/rub lightly/ wipe off exercises, it does not seem to change the white discoloration. In terms of technique - is it wipe on, let evaporate? Or is it wipe on let sit for some period, then lightly wipe off? Would heat application help? Can it melt the surface, and when wiped off take the surface with it?
Thanks
So far have tried - Jasco white ring remover cloth, Howards Restore A Finish, fine polishing compound, and a couple of alcohol rubs, but not done yet :)
There is a difference between alcohols, I only use denatured alcohol with a brush and let it soak in and dry up with out ever touching it. If that does not work, it is possible some of the other techniques you have tried is stopping the alcohol from releasing the moisture in the finish.There is fifty ways to refinish the spots if not water based damage but that is beyond my typing abilities.
Thanks. Will keep trying. I'm on a mission now! :)