How can I get rid of these white spots on breakfast room table?

Tammy Sea
by Tammy Sea
No matter how hard I try, somehow someone ends up placing something warm on the table. Even the smallest bit of warmth will leave a white spot on the finish! How do I remove them?

  18 answers
  • Sylvia Candler Sylvia Candler on Mar 22, 2017

    Have you tried soaking the spots with mayonnaise? The full strength, full fat version, not the low fat kind. I had a spot on my butcher block dining table and it took 3 tries but it came out.

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Mar 22, 2017

    Apply oil,coconut oil,butter,peanut butter,or mayo with a soft cloth in a circular motion with a micro fiber cloth.

  • Audrey Gratton Audrey Gratton on Mar 23, 2017

    Rub walnuts on them

    • D D on Mar 28, 2017

      Audrey, exactly what my great-grandmother and grandmother did!

  • Pati Pati on Mar 23, 2017

    First wash with an oil soap (Murphy's Oil Soap). Let it dry real well. Rub vasoline on the spots. Leave Vasoline on over night. Wipe off in the morning. Additional information can be found on-line. Worked for me when I had a huge white spot caused by a pizza box.

    • Brenda Brenda on Mar 26, 2017

      Vaseline was going to be my suggestion... basically the majority of these suggestions have the same bottom line ...: oil

  • Giovanna Zambri Giovanna Zambri on Mar 23, 2017

    Very simple way that has worked for me over and over is a plain white t- shirt, moist hand towel and an iron .place the white t-shirt on the stain then put the moist towel down on the t- shirt and iron the area within secords it is gone

  • Shirley Heikkinen Shirley Heikkinen on Mar 23, 2017

    After you get the spots removed, find some creative ways to prevent them in the future! Trivets or cork pads for hot dishes, coasters for cups & glasses, etc.

  • Cre12952047 Cre12952047 on Mar 23, 2017

    Use a damp, soft cloth wrapped around your fingertip, and dip it in either cigarette ash or fireplace log ash and rub lightly....works like a charm, I have done it many times.. Sandy💁🏻

  • Antoinette Schor Antoinette Schor on Mar 23, 2017

    You are not going to like this idea but it works like a charm. Get cigarette ashes and rub them into the white spots then go over them with a clean dry

    cloth. Clean all spots then use Murphy'a oil to polish the table

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Mar 23, 2017

    Murphy's oil soap will not remove water marks. It actually leaves a very oily residue. Not a fan. There are a lot of better products available.

  • Suzy Laendle Reeder Suzy Laendle Reeder on Mar 23, 2017

    worked in an upscale furniture store...the reason this happens is from pledge type silicon based furniture spray. Stop using them!!

  • Larry shriver Larry shriver on Mar 24, 2017

    Sometimes white rings on furniture can be removed using toothpaste.........just put a little on the spot and rub very carefully. Will depend on the extent of moisture in the affected area.

  • Eroque022810 Eroque022810 on Mar 25, 2017

    Larry that worked for me I used the plain white tooth paste let it sit on it for a little bit once I had rubbed it in the way of the wood grain since it is abrasive. In our old place I had never had this problem Don know why the started in this house. I only have adults in the house now all grown up but they refuse to use placemats that I have in middle of table. When you I did place mats at each chair but as adults they are lazy. So for now just leaving them. I figure my husband can deal with it since I would paint table in a bright color and seal it.

  • Rosie Rosie on Mar 25, 2017

    A water pipe burst in our (new home) guest bathroom. Our maple trim around doors & custom maple vanity was sprayed w/ water & damaged. I love my vanity & did not want it replaced.

    I poured a small amount of olive oil in a bowl, added approx. 2 tablespoons of table salt (a little goes a long way). I then wrapped a small clean cloth around my finger, dipped it in the oil/salt solution & VERY lightly rubbed it (circular motion, small areas at a time) over the white spots. Let it sit for 5 mins, take a clean cloth & gently wipe it off. White spots gone!

    Our insurance adjuster was surprised. It's been several months now & it still looks great! Good luck!

  • Vic301971 Vic301971 on Mar 26, 2017

    Years ago our company put a hot cup directly on my coffee table. It was my grandmothers and I was crushed. Heard a person on the TV say that the ring was not in the wood but in the wax. He said use some tooth paste and rub gently over the spot! GONE I was the table again and it was perfect.

  • Five little hens Five little hens on Mar 27, 2017

    I had the same problem on my mahogany dining room table. I swear this works:

    Take a tablespoon of softened butter and a couple of tablespoons of cigarette ashes. (I had to hang around outside the building to find someone who smoked.) Mix it together to make a paste. Gently rub the paste on the white spots with the grain of the wood with a soft dry cloth like you're polishing it. Let it sit for a minute, gently wipe off with clean cloth and polish with furniture polish.

  • Kaye Kaye on Mar 27, 2017

    Suggest multiple application of old english. It takes a few tries but eventually penetrates.

  • Mo Mo on Sep 21, 2021

    I read on here to use a blow dryer and it worked- my table is laminate. I tried the tooth paste but did not work. Blow dryer was AMAZING! My table looks brand new