General Chat

Yesterday, a visitor placed a baby's bottle containing freshly boiled water on a dark, solid wood, coffee table. Needless to say, after she moved it and tried to rub the mark, I ended up with two very distinct white ring marks as she put the bottle down in a different place!

I thought I would be taking the table to be repolished but checked on the internet for a cure. I found some suggestions to use an old t-shirt and a warm steam iron, moving and rubbing frequently. To my amazement the white rings have gone! If the light catches the area, you can still see the marks but looking down at the area, it looks fine. I have polished it with some proper dark beeswax polish and it will be fine for now with the odd book or ornament.

Very odd but amazing - I didn't really expect it to work.

Domestic goddess - well, for today anyway.
Elisabeth

EDIT - if anyone tries it, speed is important, few moments with the iron and rubbing quickly, repeating until it has gone. I have just tried it on an old tatty piece of furniture and it removed a white ring that has been there about ten years.

If it doesn't work, don't blame me.

Beverley,

I suppose you could use a new one if you wished. I actually used a thin, worn out cotton teatowel with a terry cotton teatowel too. I think it just needs to be a smooth fabric. I am just amazed it has worked. I have just given it another good rubbing with the beeswax and though I can see where it is, I don't think anyone else wouldn't notice it. :)))

I must e-mail the young Mum to tell her all is well. She was mortified that she had done it.

Elisabeth x

Elisabeth, that's a useful tip. It's always embarrassing to spoil someone's furniture without intent, I expect the young mum only has newer materials at home that don't mark.
I loaned my son's ex a folding dining table that came from my aunt to my Mum to me, it was only meant to be over Christmas when she was entertaining but while she was still involved with my son I let her use it. I was saddened to see her lack of respect for it tho, it wasn't perfect but it had no water marks on it, and I kept suggesting she use a cloth over it, or table mats. They split up a few years ago and my son still sees her young son as he was part of his life for so long, but altho I have asked him about getting it back, he seems reluctant to say anything. I dread the state it's in but it has sentimental value for me besides being useful because it folds into a narrow piece of furniture. I suppose I will have to go round, she keeps changing her phone number so the one I have is way out of date but she did text my son to wish him a happy birthday earlier this month.
Why don't people realise that real wood needs care.

Lizx

An old *march out* trick was to rub gently with toothpaste.... that always worked, too ;¬))

Love

Daff xxxxx

Don't you just luv em?
Deanna X

Daff,

Toothpaste is also good for a short-term fix for picture nail holes in walls if you don't have polyfilla at hand.

Elisabeth
xx

Just off to try the toothpaste......if that fails I may try the iron....watch this space.


Edit: Lololololol

have just re-read what Daff put. hehehehehe....I thought she meant for the white ring on the furniture.......good job I didn't try it.

Susan with numbers,

She did mean the toothpaste on the furniture. It is slightly abrasive and can work. A very gentle rubbing with liquid Brasso can work too, but can remove a polished surface.

Elisabeth x

Edit: On the subject of ironing the white mark out - I told my husband what I had done and he claimed he knew about that solution. Quite how he knew escapes me - he really isn't into being a furniture restorer.

I will wait until some-one else tries it Elisabeth.....one never knows what our Daff means lol and I won't take any chances with my lovely polished surfaces.

She will be telling us that spit and polish is ideal for fluffy slippers next.....lol

LOL do NOT put polish on suede shoes!!

spoils them completely!! LOL

Hey you Mrs with the numbers... spit and polish IS good for some fluffy slippers... but only in Jean's Army, bless her.

And yup... toothpaste rubbed gently on wooden furniture will lift the watermark if it isn't too deep.... oh, not sure about French polished stuff... we only had good old G Plan Utility, lolol

Elisabeth, they do like to feel a part of it though, don't they?? I had forgotten the brasso one... we always had brasso in.... oh and flour and water paste as well for the walls, lolol

Love

Daff xxxx