Asked on Dec 23, 2014

I have a white, hazy spot (caused from heat ) on my veneer table

Lynne
by Lynne
Can this be removed?
  27 answers
  • Tegma Tegma on Dec 23, 2014
    I had a large heat spot on my good dining room table, and for years, covered it with a mirror runner since it was in the center from a serving bowl. Well, I read on Pinterest what various people suggested, and while some didn't work, this did! Just take a heat gun (if you craft) or a hair dryer, and holding it close to the mark, heating it for about 30 seconds or so, before moving on. I kid you not, the mark will disappear! I got rid of mine after 8 years of living with it, just by using my heat gun. You'll see it start to vanish right before your eyes as you move along the ring. What happens is, the moisture which is trapped under the veneer from the hot plate or whatever, is dried up as you use the heat on it. Happy holidays!
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    • Sandy Anderson Sandy Anderson on Mar 25, 2021

      That was awesome. I just held the blow dryer over it for about 10 minutes and it disappeared. So happy! . Thanks so much. The lights shining on the table look like spots, but it was the white spot in the middle that was heat damaged.

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  • Paula Noga Paula Noga on Dec 23, 2014
    Yes, but not with Amish Furniture Cleaner. I had th same problem on my husband's grandmother's library table. It Isn't the wood that is damaged; it's the wax buildup from furniture polish. Clean the table with something you feel safe using on the wood, then try using lemon or even olive oil, and a lot of elbow grease. I personally used walnut oil.
    • Mary Ned Foster Mary Ned Foster on Nov 20, 2017

      I spread a tablespoon of mayonnaise over/on a white circle on my antique walnut stained table a few hours ago. Just removed it with a cloth and the white circle from a hot coffee cup IS GONE!

      mn

      arkansas

  • Karyl Conard Karyl Conard on Dec 24, 2014
    White spots generally mean trapped water. Try a little mineral spirits on a soft white cloth. Gently wipe. Leave for a few minutes. Try again if need be.
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    • Karyl Conard Karyl Conard on Dec 24, 2014
      Yes, it might, although for my project it didn't. I used a very tiny amount and just wiped it across. This allowed the moisture to escape. Perhaps someone else has a suggestion less taxing for the finish.
  • Wanda.ll Wanda.ll on Dec 24, 2014
    http://www.happyhandyman.com/product-p/jb.htm Check here he tells you how to fix the problems you have around the house.
  • Susan Susan on Dec 24, 2014
    Just set your iron on dry heat (no steam) and place a tea towel over the spot and iron it out. Just place iron on towel for a few seconds and keep doing til spot is gone, has always worked for me!
  • Pamela Langone Pamela Langone on Dec 24, 2014
    Use Some Murphys furniture soap if that doesn't help try and very fine steel wool over the whole area then use the soap
  • Louann Poddig Louann Poddig on Dec 24, 2014
    I had one also. I made a paste of baking soda and water, used a white rag (an old baby diaper) and rubbed it into the spot, then wiped with a clean white cloth and it disppeared never to be seen again...Good luck!
  • Launa Elaine Strickland Launa Elaine Strickland on Dec 24, 2014
    I use 1/2 cup of mayonnaise with 1/4 cup of baking soda. I rubbed this mixture in to the white stain with a white cloth. Within a few minutes to a half an hour the stains are completely gone. This has worked for me on antiques as well as modern furniture. Good luck!
  • Gigi Siglin Gigi Siglin on Dec 24, 2014
    Had this problem from a hot pizza box on a wooden table..there is a product you can buy that will rub the spot out...it comes with a little cloth to use...can't remember the name but a hardward store or paint store would probably work...Also raw walnuts rubbed on the spot or mayo...I have heard different things will work...I did get the white spot out with the product I first mentioned.
  • Jane Cashion Jane Cashion on Dec 24, 2014
    I don't smoke but get cigarette ashes from a friend and keep them around in a baby food or mason jar. Mix this with a little bit of mayonaise...the real stuff...and make a paste. Put it on your spot and leave it. You can leave it for a couple of days if need be. Wipe off and polish up your table top. It works really well!
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Dec 24, 2014
    I had a table that had several and also used heat as Patrica Morse suggested. But I used a iron and fluffy white towel instead of a blow dryer or heat gun which would have been easier to use.
  • Dorothy B. Kofoed Dorothy B. Kofoed on Dec 24, 2014
    The dryer idea didn't work on the white stain. I'll try other suggestions
  • Tegma Tegma on Dec 25, 2014
    If this is a good table, I would not use mineral spirits or anything like that. I've heard that it sometimes ruins the table. Again, use a heat gun and you will see it disappear in nothing flat. My table is an expensive dining room table, and it worked after 8 years of trying every suggestion out there. I did the iron and towel method.... nothing! I tried mineral spirits.... it made it worse. I used every idea available on Pinterest and nothing worked until I used the heat gun. Again, this is an expensive table with a design inlaid in it. And yes, it worked. There is not a speck of the white spot left!
    • See 1 previous
    • K_a7863698 K_a7863698 on Oct 17, 2017

      Would a hair drye on high heat do the same as a heat gun?

      And yoy did use this on veneer not wood?

  • Tegma Tegma on Dec 27, 2014
    I'm so glad it worked! As I said, it worked for me after having had the white haze for some 8 years or more. I will always advise this method over any other as it's the only thing that worked. I tried it all, but this was it! I'm glad it was the right thing for you, too.
  • Ann street Ann street on Dec 29, 2014
    I use white cloth and an iron and spot went away.
  • S2j2578614 S2j2578614 on Jul 01, 2017

    I accidentally placed a hot iron on a dresser . I tried the hair dryer method to remove the huge white spot and unbelievably it worked like a charm. Thank you so much!

  • Lisa S. Lisa S. on Nov 21, 2017

    Restore-A-Finish. About $9.00 can.

  • Lorraine Lorraine on Mar 21, 2018

    thank you iron and white towel worked on two spots !!!!

  • Theresabelli Theresabelli on Mar 25, 2018

    Iron worked like a charm in under 2 minutes ... dry towel, medium heat, steam on

  • Lisa Lisa on Feb 11, 2019

    Blow dryer worked perfectly on veneer table top for a heat stain from a hot dish ..

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  • Amanda Kelly Amanda Kelly on Mar 17, 2019

    I actually caused a kind of white claudy mist to appear on a mahogany vaneer by ironing through a blanket onto the table. Anyone have a white claudy mist rather than rings and successfully removed?


  • Corinna Corinna on Jan 17, 2020

    i used the hair dryer and the big white spot is gone with no return. I have looked at that spot for 6 months. Days after purchasing my new table something too hot was set on the wood table that has shining finish. It took about 10 minutes but no damage to table and looks like new with nothing more than using the hair dryer. Thank you for this tip!

  • Denise Binette Jorgenson Denise Binette Jorgenson on Apr 19, 2020

    I had white stains on my veneered top coffee table, and WD-40 did the trick. Rub it in, wipe it off, and cover with Pledge, looks like new!

  • I used a hair dryer and it worked but was going to slow so I got my heat gun out and it went way faster. Afterward I rubbed some old English on. Thanks for the tips!

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  • JH JH on Feb 09, 2021

    THIS WAS AMAZING OMG!!!! Thank you!!!!!! It was like watching magic!!!!! I usually never comment on things but I am so amazed that I had to. I placed a hot bowl on my standing desk - it's laminate - and was so sad. But this fixed it in SECONDS!!!! AHH!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!

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  • Vir51556006 Vir51556006 on Jun 27, 2021

    We had hot squash in paper bowls for dinner and to our horror our new table had two large bleached looking spots. I used a hair dryer for maybe 20 minutes on the highest heat and now the spots are gone!! What a relief…

  • D. D. on May 03, 2023

    My wife was complaining about the silver dollar size white spot on our large oak veneer table that has been there for several years. She had used the iron method, toothpaste and so on... nothing worked. I looked tonight and saw the 'heat gun' recommendation and said 'After all this time...!?' I went to my tools, got and used my heat gun and, voila, the stain was gone in under 1 minute ... terrific!! Thank you!!