Best way to remove water rings from wood?

Abigail Ellis
by Abigail Ellis
I read somewhere that mayo works.... anyone tried that or have another method they recommend?
  23 answers
  • Vonnie Turner Vonnie Turner on Aug 29, 2017

    Mayonnaise works well and so does coconut oil

  • Lorrie Mayzlin Lorrie Mayzlin on Aug 29, 2017

    make a paste of cigarette ashes and rub into the ring.... let it dry, then wipe it clean...

  • End29302594 End29302594 on Aug 29, 2017

    These rings are typically the finish material and not the wood itself and can only be removed permantly by removing the finish. Sorry for the bad news...

  • Drbev Drbev on Aug 29, 2017

    Toothpaste and a microfiber cloth. Keep rubbing with the grain of the wood until the ring disappears.

  • Wendy Wendy on Aug 29, 2017

    After trying mayo, olive oil, cigarette ashes, without much success, I came across a tip that works like magic! Take either a linen dish towel or pillow case and lay over the water ring. Then use an iron heated to medium-low and "iron" the cloth, moving it around for about 15 to 20 seconds (it may take a little longer on heavy rings) and voila! The ring is gone! It has worked for me every time!




  • Mfbandit769 Mfbandit769 on Aug 29, 2017

    The ring you see is on the wax and other polishing agents you have used over the years...it is NOT on the original finish. Clean the wood well with a good wood cleaner to get down to the original finish and stop 'waxing' and 'polishing' it.

    • See 1 previous
    • Mfbandit769 Mfbandit769 on Aug 29, 2017

      Nah, probably not Murphy's. I've used it before, but not impressed. The lighter the ring, by the way, the nearer to the surface the damage is. If the ring is dark, it's penetrated the finish.

  • Bowie Girl Bowie Girl on Aug 29, 2017

    I have used both the Mayo trick and the heated iron trick. The Mayo works but not a permanent fix. The iron trick actually made it worse. Be very careful if you use the iron method. I have a bigger area of damage which I now choose to ignore! Could be worse...you couldn't have a table at all. Count your blessings...

  • Eloise Eloise on Aug 29, 2017

    Any number of videos on YouTube address this issue: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=remove+water+rings+from+wood

  • Dawn Dawn on Aug 29, 2017

    If nothing else works, Try Watco medium walnut found at Home Depot. It's wonderful to touch up stains and scratches on wood furniture. Blends in.

  • B J  Alexis B J Alexis on Aug 29, 2017

    Had a stain from spilled water that ran down the leg of a formal dining room table, didn't notice it for awhile -- smear the area with plain Vaseline, let set for a few minutes, rub into the surface. Wait a couple of days and the stain may be gone. Worked for me.

  • Christina Christina on Aug 29, 2017

    If none of the advice mentioned above works (which I tried myself)....what you need to do is go to the store, and find either a table cloth, table runner, place mats, or something of the the kind that you like, and cover it, (which is what I did) unless of course you opt to have the table refinished (which was going to cost me twice the amount of a new table-we now use pretty tablecloths) lol

  • Tina Anders Tina Anders on Aug 29, 2017

    I use club soda and pure white wash cloth or pure white dust cloth. Club soda works wonders on a lot of different stains. Even carpet. You have to use a white wash cloth, dusting cloth, and/or towel. Nothing with color. The colors will bleed into the stain you are taking out and/or spill at time. Club soda don't leave a dirty spot, after each use, when you walk over it and sit stuff on it as it dries. For more of an explanation and details, you can pm me on Facebook. Thank you, Tina Anders


  • 9530106 9530106 on Aug 29, 2017

    Toothpaste, and it will work! Get a non gel type, though.

  • Pam Walker Pam Walker on Aug 29, 2017

    MAYO!

  • Patti Patti on Aug 29, 2017

    Cover the ring with a cotton cloth (napkin, old t-shirt, etc), and use an iron on a cooler setting. Iron over the ring for up to a minute. Usually the rings I've removed using this method are gone in much less than a minute. Peek at the ring by lifting the cotton every ten seconds or so. The ring will be quickly gone. This has worked for me dozens of times.


  • Angie Crabtree Angie Crabtree on Aug 29, 2017

    I used Mr Clean magic eraser


  • Bud Bud on Aug 29, 2017

    Check out my pics

  • Carye Werner Carye Werner on Aug 30, 2017

    Toothpaste rub in rub off. Old English works well at times.

  • Cloey Nickerson Cloey Nickerson on Aug 30, 2017

    Try rubbing with a raw potato!

  • Louise Brusse Louise Brusse on Aug 31, 2017

    I have used mayonaise on a dresser .My son spilled a glass of water on it. The mayo took all watermarks out


  • Diane Diane on Sep 02, 2017

    I did not have any luck with mayo.