White water rings

[CanadianScroller]

A friend of mine came home to some white rings on her furniture caused by careless use of paper plates.
It is my understanding that the rings are caused by moisture in the finish.

I have no idea what type of finish is on the table.
Is it possible to remove the stains without refinishing the entire table top?

I have heard that mayonnaise can be used as a rub but I have not tried it.

[Jediscroller]

Carl,
I've heard of the mayonaisse trick but have never tried it. I've managed to remove rings by buffing with bees wax. These were small rings from drink glasses however and not too bad.

[MacS]

White Rings ?

There are many so called "remedies," but if you want to put the odds on your side you first need to know, what the coating is. You also need to know, what the sheen is.

What may work on one coating, may ruin another coating.

Do you know, how to check to see the kind of coating on the piece?

[CanadianScroller]

This is not my table and it is out of the town where I live so I am not sure of the finish or whether or not I can find out.

[MacS]

White rings

I rather not give advice without knowing the type of coating, or the degree of the sheen of the coating.

I don't want to make it worse, nor, do I want to ruin your freinds table.

[workin for wood]

The most common cause of rings is not water under the finish but rather water under the wax that is applied onto the surface. This is the easiest to remove as well..simply apply a wax remover and then re apply a wax, such as Johnsons paste wax. Always try this first, no matter what the cause or what the finish, a wax remover will not damage the finish.
Lets say that doesn't work..get some toothpaste and apply it with a soft cloth. Rub Hard, rub often, this is almost guaranteed to work, and will not damage any finishes.
Worst case scenario...use mineral oil and 0000 steel wool. That is the last resort and the most work, but it does work 99.9 percent of the time.
Most older furniture has a wax on it and the water simply goes under the wax. Otherwise, there are small cracks in the finish that allow for the vapor on a glass to seep down under the finish. Either way, the finish needs to be repaired after the stain is removed. For an oil based finish, as most are, I'd recomend a tung oil rubbed out really thin over the table top to seal the pores and/or cracks in the existing finish. On a water base finish, use paste wax. remember, water won't get under wax, but wax wears down just like a regular finish, so maintenance is the key.
Good luck, happy rubbing times

ps, don't use a high speed buffer...that's too agressive and will melt the finish if your not really careful.

[CanadianScroller]

Thanks Jeff I will pass that info on.

[Taffy Turner]

A method that I have heard of (but have not tried myself) is to place a piece of blotting paper on the table top covering the white mark, and then go over it with a flat iron set on medium heat.

The theory is that the heat of the iron draws the moisture out, which is then absorbed by the blotting paper.

Obviously care is required so as not to scorch the wood.

Regards

Gary