How to remove heat stains from wood? Is there any way to keep the shine and polish of wooden furniture intact? If you’re also worried about the same, then you’re in the right place.
Wooden furniture exhibits organization and adds classic vibes to home decor. But what if it gets dirty and ruined with debris and stains? Especially heat stains. It is a biting-a-bullet kind of task to expunge them.
When wood comes in contact with water or water vapors, it expands to store it and we see heat stains. As we know wooden furniture and water are foes to each other. That’s why heat stains don’t leave a wooden surface that easily. If you’re beating your head around the same problem, then read this article to know how to remove heat stains from wood.
How To Remove Heat Stains From Wood?
Whether its hot tea/coffee cup marks or plate marks, these 8 tactics will efface them in no time:
1. Iron
The heat from an iron can evaporate the water from the wooden pores. But you need to be careful while using it. You can’t use the iron directly on the wooden furniture, so you need to be cautious and read the below-mentioned instructions carefully.
How To Use?
- Take a thick fabric towel/cloth and place it over the stained surface of the furniture. Alternatively, you can use a T-shirt of thick fabric as well.
- Switch on the iron (at low heat) and move it over the cloth/towel.
- After 1 to 2 minutes, check if the stains are gone or not. In case, you can still see the stains, again iron the cloth for two more minutes.
You need to continue this process for 15 to 20 minutes. Be cautious not to use iron in steam mode.
2. Hair Dryer
The next tactic for you since you’re bothered thinking about how to remove heat stains from wood is a hairdryer. The warm winds of the hairdryer will expand the pores of the wooden surface and the moisture will evaporate.
How To Use?
- Set your hairdryer on moderate or low speed.
- Now keep moving the hairdryer on the stained part of the wooden furniture.
- Make sure to keep the hairdryer at a fair distance from the furniture.
- Switch the dryer off for 30 seconds after every 2 or 3 minutes.
- Depending on the size of the stain, it might take around 10 to 15 minutes to completely remove the stain.
Your furniture surface might look a little rough afterward. Apply a little furniture polish onto the surface to retain its shine.
3. Vaseline Petroleum Jelly
To remove the stubborn stain from your beautiful piece of wooden furniture, apply some Vaseline to it. Put it on the surface where the stain is and leave it overnight.
How To Use?
- First of all, clean the surface with a soft and dry cloth. If you’ll not do this, the dirt and debris won’t allow the petroleum jelly to sit on the surface completely.
- Then rub Vaseline generously onto the area that is engrossed with heat stains.
- Leave Vaseline on the surface overnight.
The natural oils present in vaseline help the wood to restore to its original shape.
4. Vinegar & Olive Oil
Sometimes due to condensation, water droplets can leave heat stains on wooden surfaces. In such a scenario you need not roam perplexed in search of a solution for how to remove heat stains from wood. The solution is present right in your kitchen. Mix vinegar and olive oil and your solution is ready (alright, enough of wordplay!).
How To Use?
- Mix 3 to 4 tsp of vinegar and 4 to 5 tsp of olive oil together.
- Drench a cotton cloth or a cotton ball in the prepared mixture.
- Spread it over the affected area and leave it on for about 20 minutes to 25 minutes.
- Afterward, wipe it with a dry and clean cloth.
You’ll find your furniture shining as if it’s brand new.
5. Salt
Struggling hard to get rid of heat stains on your wooden table? Salt is always there for your rescue. A typical seasoning of salt can elevate the taste of food, but did you know it can save your wooden furniture from the wrath of heat stains?
How To Use?
- Mix 1 tsp salt with 3 to 4 tsp of water and make a paste.
- Now smear this paste on the heat stains with the help of a cotton cloth or a sponge.
- Rub the paste with little force over the surface until the stains vanish.
This way you’ll not only get rid of stubborn stains of tea or coffee cups but your furniture will become more glossy as if it is recently polished.
6. Mayonnaise
No, no, it’s not break time and we are not going to make a sandwich now! We’ll use mayo as a dip measure for how to remove heat stains from wood.
How To Use?
- Spread a little mayonnaise on a paper towel and then put it over the heat stains.
- Leave it undisturbed overnight.
- Remove the paper towel in the morning and wipe the surface with a dry and clean cloth.
- Now dab a cotton ball in vinegar and rub it over the surface.
This is one of the most effective ways to keep your wooden furniture protected from heat stains.
7. Toothpaste (Non-gel)
Yes, you read that right! Toothpaste can do a plethora of other wonders than just cleaning your teeth. But remember to use non-gel toothpaste for removing heat stains.
How To Use?
- Apply a little toothpaste on a cotton ball and then rub it over the stains. Alternatively, you can also use a clean toothbrush for this purpose.
- Then wipe the surface with a microfibre cloth.
Toothpaste not only removes heat stains but also provides a protective layer to wooden surfaces.
8. Lime Oil/Lemon Oil
Lemon oil and lime oil can act as stain pullers for heat stains. But with this, you’ll need two more tools- a ball of steel wool and denatured alcohol. To know how to remove heat stains from wood, read further.
How To Use?
- Drench the steel wool scrubber in lemon oil or lime oil.
- With very little force, rub the oil-drenched steel wool on the wooden surface.
- Lastly, drench a cloth in denatured alcohol and rub it over the freshly cleaned surface.
That’s all and you’re good to go.
9. Baking Soda
If you’re wondering how to remove heat stains with typical easy-to-find kitchen shelf products, baking soda has to be your go-to option.
How To Use?
- Mix two tsp baking soda in 1 tsp of water.
- Apply the prepared paste onto the stained surface.
- After 10 seconds rub the mixture on the stain with the help of a soft cloth or toothbrush.
- Alternatively, you can also use baking soda along with toothpaste instead of water. Use them in equal proportions and rub the mixture with a cloth over the heat stains. Wipe it off with a water-drenched cloth afterward.
Remember that the consistency of the paste should be thick and glue-like.
A Few More Handy Ways
- If your pet or little kids have spoiled the wooden decoration, for instance, a wall hanging or painting, you can rub a potato on it to get the stains discarded. Alternatively, you can use potato juice and apply it on the stained surfaces with the help of a cotton swab or cloth.
- A mixture of salt and borax can also help you bring back your furniture into its original form as if it’s newly purchased. Salt will provide a solid base for the wood and borax will clean it thoroughly.
- White vinegar is also an exquisite choice if you want to know how to remove heat stains from wood easily. Use a sponge/ a cotton swab or a cloth drenched in white vinegar to smear it all over the stained surface and rub it with the help of a clean and soft fabric. Your furniture will shine as if it’s newly bought.
- Lemon juice and salt act as a splendid mixture to resolve the issue of heat stains. Take the juice of ½ a lemon in a bowl and mix 2 tsp of salt in it. Now apply it on the wooden doors, furniture, and even gate handles with a cotton swab, or simply use the half-cut lemon to do the job.
- If you want to know how to remove heat stains from wood overnight, use toothpaste and baking soda together.
- Olive oil mixed in water can also act as an emulsified solution to expunge the heat stains from the wooden furniture.
Bottom Line
Stubborn heat stains are highly visible and ruin the presentation and lovely look of your furniture. That’s why it is a typical query of people ‘how to remove heat stains from wood.’ The relieving thing is that the whitish ring or heat stains mean that the moisture has just reached the wax or finish, which means the stains are easy to clean. The above article has enlisted 8 ways on how to remove heat stains from wood at home in no time. Also, bear in mind the following precautions:
- Before applying any of the solutions/mixtures listed above in this article, try and test it on the hidden side of your furniture so that you can see how it reacts with the type of wood used to make your furniture.
- Allow proper ventilation in the area where you’ll use these solutions so that the moisture can leave the furniture easily.