When you host gatherings with friends and family, there’s always a chance that someone might accidentally leave a heat stain on your coffee or dining table. Heat stains occur when hot items make contact with your wooden furniture, leaving behind a hazy white mark. This happens because the heat generates steam, causing the wood pores to expand and absorb moisture. As the wood cools, the pores shrink, trapping the moisture and resulting in a cloudy discoloration.
The good news is that you can easily remove these annoying heat stains from your wood furniture, as long as you address them promptly. Instead of resorting to sandpaper or considering donating your table, try one of the three methods outlined below. You’ll only need a few common household items, like a hairdryer or toothpaste, and a bit of time.
Before You Start
Some people believe that heat stains will fade away on their own, but the truth is quite the opposite. Heat stains are easiest to remove when dealt with promptly. The longer you let them linger on your dining table, the more challenging it becomes to get rid of them.
Keep in mind that while these methods are generally effective, they may not work for every piece of furniture or every type of heat stain, especially those that have been there for an extended period. However, trying one of these quick tricks increases the chances of releasing the trapped moisture and restoring your wood furniture to its original beauty.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste does more than just clean teeth – its alkaline properties make it effective at lifting stains from wood. Stick to plain white toothpaste, as gels or colored varieties won’t work.
Create a mixture of one part toothpaste and two parts baking soda, forming a thick paste. Apply this paste to heat stains and white marks, let it sit for a minute, and then wipe it off. Repeat until you achieve the desired results.
Mayonnaise
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