At my house, we’re normally very careful about using coasters, but sometimes a glass or dish will accidentally be placed on a wooden table, where the condensation collects to create an unsightly water stain. Those marks can easily be removed using a common ingredient that you probably have in your refrigerator – ordinary mayonnaise!
As soon as you see a water mark, gently blot the surface dry. Then apply a layer of mayonnaise with a spatula or paper towel. Leave it overnight, then wipe and buff with a clean cloth. No scrubbing needed.
It’s important to tackle the stain right away, before the water soaks underneath the finish and stains the wood itself. Not only will the stain be removed, but your furniture will have a wonderful luster from the rich polish.
It might seem strange (and smell a little funny), but consider that the primary ingredients in mayonnaise are eggs, oil, vinegar, and lemon juice, so it’s really nothing more than a homemade furniture polish! The combination of fat and mild acids penetrates the top layer of the finish to replace the water with nourishing oil.
The mayo treatment is convenient and will generally take care of most water marks. And it won’t harm your furniture or prevent you from trying other techniques, in the event of a stubborn stain.
Very interesting post, might need to try this one!
What can I do if water stain has been there a couple of months?
I am doing this right now! It is my mother’s dining room table my son used and abused. It is working, but I am going to leave the mayo on til tomorrow! I am so excited!
This will remove water stains AND restore colour to faded timber furniture.
Equal volumes of Gum Turpentine (not turps substitute): Raw Linseed Oil: Methylated Spirit: White Vinegar: Water:
Shake well and rub into the affected area then leave. Repeat as necessary to achieve the desired result after the first coat has soaked into the timber
Should not leave on for more than 14 minutes. Do not let the mayonnaise dry on it.
I have water marks on my bottom cabinets where some one has let water drip down the front. I know it has been there a long time. Is there anything that can be done short of having them refinished?
Thank You for your help,
R D McCord.
IT WORKS, THANK YOU,
I sat hot food on a paper plate on an end table not knowing it would leave a cloudy white mark. Is there anything I can do to remove the unsightly mark? Thanks ahead of time for your help!
We purchased a 100-year-old grand piano that had been in storage for 10 years, and it was covered with water stains–looked like someone had used it for a potted plant collection! Mayonnaise did the trick! I had doubts since the stains were so old, but it worked.
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I used mayonnaise on a wood china cabinet that a dog had repeatedly urinated on to bring back the color and it worked. Amazing!!!
There are all kinds of fun home remedies out there. Glad to hear it, Gizmo’s!
I left the mayonnaise on too long and it started to dry and is difficult to remove. Any suggestions ?
nice
I have a Kimball piano that I spiled a cup of real hot coffee on, I clean up on the spot, but the next day there was a milkey look stain on the pull out keys cover and other areas where the hot coffee had landed. The mayonnaise program has worked one again.
The mayo left a stain on my table. Changed the color of my wood. How do I get my color back?? Thanks
Hi, Debbie,
Please include a photo with your question so we can better understand the situation.
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Thanks so much!
I just used this mayo technique and it did get the water ring stain out of my table but now I have an even bigger ring sized mayo stain where the wood has soaked up all of the oil from the mayo. Any suggestions for getting this out?
Hi, Diane!
We’re opening this question to the TodaysHomeowner.com community.
Any ideas, y’all?
I also tried this and have been left with a bigger stain from the mayo! Wish I had never tried it!!
Hi, Becca,
Tackling the stain right away, before water soaks underneath the finish and stains the wood itself, is a must.
This method has worked for us 100% of the time under these specific conditions.
Not only will the stain be removed, but your furniture will have a wonderful luster from the rich polish!
Thanks for commenting.
Has anyone figured out how to get rid of the mayo stain (for those who were left with one after attempting this method)??
Our water ring stain was a day old and the Mayo ended up leaving an oil stain.