Remove Water Stain from Teak

A. Water stains on teak furniture (or any kind of furniture - maple, cherry, oak, walnut). I have had to remove water stains, nail polish stains and even cigarette burns. First you have to get an assessment of how bad your damage really is -- minor, moderate or severe. Is it right in the middle where everyone can see, or is it over on a unlighted corner. Let's assume it is right in the middle, 5 inches across and everyone can see it. If it has a finish on it, then just assume the entire finish has to come off. You cannot refinish one little corner -- two different finishes never match. Ok, if the wood has no finish (bare wood then you are a little better off.) If you know what kind of finish the surface has on it, then you know what to replace it with (varnish, boiled linseed oil ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , and tung oil ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] are three examples)

You strip the finish off down to bare wood. Now there is a bare surface with a stain on it. If the stain is light, try to sand it off with a 400 grit or so. Try not to scratch the wood, but to work it in circles. If the wood was stained, there is going to be some discoloration. Right now just try to get the stain out -- don't worry about what's next. If the stain is deep and you can't sand it off, then bleach it off. Get wood bleach ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and bleach it out (I did this with nail polish stains) It might take a lot of bleach. Finally is it's gone. The whole surface is the same color -- but most of the color is gone (and bleached) good. Now smooth sand the entire surface using the 400# to 600# grit. Nice and easy. wipe the surface off. Maybe you could polish the surface with a little steel wool .. very very fine #0000 steel wool ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Rub it off. Get a tack cloth ⇦[this on eBay or Amazon affil links] and tack cloth it every two or three sandings. When the surface looks very uniform -- if you want it darker then get a wood stain ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and put it on with gauze -- one nice coat then wipe it off with a cotton rag. If the color is not dark enough keep doing this until it is dark enough -- stain on, stain off. Ok now the surface is exactly what you wanted, but bare. The color is right, it is smooth as a baby's bottom, and the color and grain and texture is perfect. (if it was not smooth enough then rub it with rubbing compound ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or pumice ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] until it is exactly what you want (because the varnish is not going to make the surface better).

When the bare surface is perfect, tack rag it off about four times. It has to be squeaky clean. Put the piece in a dust free room and put paper under it. Apply the new finish with gauze too -- just like the stain. No bubbles, no brushing, Very easy, very gently put on a very thin layer of whatever finish you chose to use. Let it dry -- real dry. Lightly sand or steel wool it off (pimples on it), tack rag it off twice, put another very thin and very easy coat on and let it dry. Keep doing this until there are four or five (or even ten) coats... each coat will dry with some pimples, and always take them off with a very fine sanding and tack rag them off. OK finally you have a ten layered finish and since it had pimples you light sanded and tacked it and now it needs to be shiny. So take the rubbing compound ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and your hand or a car polish bonnet and lightly buff it. It will get a lot nicer. Then use just a car polishing bonnet -- no rubbing compound. You now have a finish that is actually nicer and stronger than the original. I have done this many times including gun stocks I sold for $1,000. It gives a great finish.

A. Lay a dry tea towel over the white mark. Iron on the towel with an iron set on medium. Go over area a few times, lift towel. Repeat until mark is gone. I've done this to remove water stains from spilled vases and white steam stains on cupboard doors. It really does work.

I just tried Marilyn C's suggestion (above) and ironed a white teak water stain with a tea towel and it worked very well. The stain is no longer obvious and probably wouldn't be noticed unless someone was intentionally looking for it. Certainly, it has not gone completely, but it was far quicker and simpler than refinishing the entire sideboard! Thank you very much.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It worked! I put a white linen table napkin (tea towel) over the white water mark on my teak veneer rolltop desk and ironed it with the highest setting on my iron. After about 30 seconds the stain was gone! I'm not sure of the mechanics involved, but I believe the oil in the wood was drawn up through the water stain into the napkin which made the stain disappear.

We used Marilyn C's iron-and-towel trick on a finished oak table that had a water stain from an accident and it worked marvelously.

We have had an extendable solid-teak dining table for nearly 40 years, manufactured by a well-known Australian company, Parker Furniture. Recently, it became time to restore and we moved the table out to the garage where I gently rubbed the surface (along the grain) with very fine #0000 steel wool ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , dipped in methylated spirits ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , The table looked like new again but time prevented us sealing it with the chosen polyurethane varnish.

To my detriment, I left the table in the garage then Sydney experienced heavy rain with cyclonic winds recently. Roof condensation dripped onto the now unsealed teak table. I wiped off the water droplets ASAP but telltale white stains remained. I quickly Googled "water stain teak" and found this website.

Armed with Marilyn C's Canadian advice (lol), I tried the tea towel trick. However, the tea towel I used must have been too old -- it was linen, hard and thin. I then tried some more absorbent toweling and it worked a treat! As I slowly lifted the hot towel off each small splotch, the towel briefly gripped the affected area of the table -- a little like waxing of body hair. Thank you, Marilyn. As you said "It really does work".

I had a twelve inch water stain on my oak table and the tea towel and iron worked in about 20 seconds. I couldn't believe my eyes and so happy it didn't need refinishing! The best tip ever!

Thank you very much Marilyn yet again, the tea-towel tip worked. I had 6 foot of steam iron stains from turning up curtains up (I even laid a towel on table to protect it but it still stained) thank you again you're a life saver

The iron-and-linen-napkins technique really works. Thanks much.

I have just used the Tea towel and iron method on my teak table. Brilliant result, no mark left.

I tried the dishrag and iron trick! It was amazing. I had a ring left from a white ceramic gravy boat. In 10 seconds it was gone. I cannot thank you enough, I was so upset. It looks like new! Amazing!

A. I had a water stain on my nice dining room table. My brother just puts anything on it. My kids are better than him, with not putting anything wet on the table. Anyway I used an S.O.S pad ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] to scrub it out and it worked. No more water stain.

A. My wife had great success using her hair dryer ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] for about an hour on water stain on teak table!

I had a white stain on my teak table caused by a wet towel. I dried it with an hair dryer and it completely disappeared in less than 5 minutes! Thanks for the trick!

! Hi. The hair dryer and the iron & towel are actually doing the same thing. What causes most white stains is that water mixes with the oil or lacquer of the finish and forms a stable white emulsion, like mayonnaise. The oil binds onto the water tightly enough that the water can't evaporate at room temperature. But if you raise the temperature enough with a hair dryer or iron, you can evaporate that water out of the emulsion, restoring a transparent oil or lacquer finish again. But be patient and allow time for the water vapor to leave, and before raising the temperature because you don't want to make things worse by burning the finish.

Regards,

Thank you to all who posted the tips on using a tea towel & iron on stains. I found 3 spots where the cat had vomited on my Amish made Oak dining room table. I caught it within a few hours, but I thought the damage had been done...3 large cloudy white stains. Scrubbing & enzyme solution didn't work. I went at it with a dry iron & a tea towel folded several times. The white shadows are gone! If you get down at eye level you can kind of still see the outlines, but no one will do that so I am happy! Thank you. Thank you!

Q. The same has happened to me with the iron/towel method. Please let me know, if you found how to fix it. Thank you.

Hi, I've just used the iron and tea towel method to remove a stain from my dark stained coffee table and I'm pleased to say It worked and the stain has gone. Thanks

I hate when the internet is truly useful. I tried the trick of white towel with steam iron on a table I was almost ready to sand off completely (Teak). I had already sanded with 2400 grit and refinished by the way, but after the finish was applied, the stain showed through. Well, the towel and iron trick worked wonderfully. Can't see where the stain was at all.
Thanks !

My Sister needed to store her "Queen Style" coffee table. She said I could use it, but make sure coasters are used at all times. Well I was away for two weeks, while someone stayed at my house.
When I came back, I thought I'd die. White stains on the table. Looked like Heat stains. Of course "no one was guilty". I tried the Iron & Tea towel method. It worked 95%. You don't notice it unless you're looking for it. Thank You Thank You, whoever discovered that method.
Lynda
Lynda Morrissey
- Moncton, N.B., Canada
May 29, 2009

Thank you so much Marilyn C. The tea towel and iron idea worked perfectly!

The iron and the tea towel trick worked! My son laid a damp washcloth on an end table and I was left with an ugly white spot. I tried the iron and tea towel method and, after just a few minutes...no more white mark! It doesn't take long, so keep your eye on it. Thank you soooo much!

Yes! The hot iron and tea towel method worked extremely well on a solid oak desk. Two milky white dampness spots disappeared after only a few minutes of ironing the marks with the iron set to medium, and using the tea towel. Thank you very much to the lady from Canada, who provided the tip.

A. I had several water stains on my oak table, much like some of the other posters. I used a heat gun ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , on the low setting, keeping it about 2" above the spot and within 5-10 seconds, the water marks disappeared. Rubbed a little olive oil on the area with a paper towel and everything looks new.

OH MY GOSH! I was amazed that this works with the iron and tea towel! My spots disappeared after about 30-40 seconds. Thanks to the lady in Canada! Try this before you refinish your wood tables.

This is the first week in our new house, and steam from the top of a rice cooker left a huge white water mark on our black stained kitchen cabinets. We were in a panic, until finding this post. We tried mayonnaise overnight with no luck, and a hair dryer didn't make a dent in it either, but the iron and cloth trick did the job in minutes and there's no trace of a stain. Many thanks for me and my wife!

I tried the Towel and Iron suggestion on my teak wood table to remove white water stains. It worked beautifully. The table looks practically brand new. Don't have to hide it under a table cloth any longer! Just took a Steam Iron set on medium, gently applied pressure on a white cotton diaper back and forth across the water stains and they just disappeared.

Yes! The hot iron and tea towel method worked extremely well on a solid oak desk. Two milky white dampness spots disappeared after only a few minutes of ironing the marks with the iron set to medium, and using the tea towel. Thank you very much to the lady from Canada, who provided the tip.

! I had several water stains on my oak table, much like some of the other posters. I used a heat gun, on the low setting, keeping it about 2" above the spot and within 5-10 seconds, the water marks disappeared. Rubbed a little olive oil on the area with a paper towel and everything looks new.

A. Solutions to stains on wood furniture surfaces:
There are two main types of stain. One is in the surface, the other is in the wood.
The lighter color, or whitish ones are usually in the surface (coating). The white is moisture trapped in the film coating. The reason the iron and cloth works is that the heat from the iron "opens" up the molecular structure of the finish and the moisture is drawn up into the cloth. The damage varies with the kind of exposure and the age and condition of the finish.
The dark color stain is usually in the wood. Either there is no finish or the moisture got through the finish and to the wood. Minerals in the wood react with moisture to make a stain. This is a more difficult problem to solve. Most of the time you will have to remove finish from the area to treat the wood directly (bleach). Oxalic acid ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] obtained from the paint store will often do the trick. Follow the directions on the box and you may have to repeat the process. If this does not work, there is a stronger two- part bleach that can be used. However, unless you are a skilled handyman, this process, and the follow up finishing, may best be left to a professional.

We too had a beautiful water stain and some white marks from a table cloth that had been ironed directly on our teak dining room table. Initially, I was a bit reluctant to try the white cloth and iron remedy but only because I wasn't sure if I should use the steam setting on the iron or not. Well, I decided against using steam and put my iron on the cotton setting. I placed a clean white bar towel over the individual stain and held the iron on the towel for 15 seconds. I then removed the towel and wiped away all moisture from the spot. For some stains, I actually had to do it several times but it removed the stains/marks. This tip worked beautifully and, now, the table looks like new. The set is approximately 40 years old and belonged to my husband's parents. You can imagine how thrilled we all are. Thank you Marilyn C. (in Canada) for posting this tip. The table looks amazing!

Oh thank you for the "iron & (in my case a hand) towel" tip for getting rid of white water marks on a teak table. I noticed the large marks when removing a temporary tablecloth shortly after my grandchildren had left. My wife was out at the time and I dreaded the scene when she returned and saw the "damage" to her prized table.
I used the iron "trick" and it worked wonderfully!!
I even tried it on a smaller water mark that had been on the table for several years. It removed it as well!!
Now I'm a hero!!
Thanks again.

OMG!!! I am so happy that I came across this site when I googled "water stains on my teak furniture".

I immediately turned on the iron and got a cotton men's handkerchief. Voila! Stain is now gone from my Scandinavian teak dining table.

Thanks!

Tried removing the water mark off our teak table using the hot iron and cotton cloth (an old T-Shirt) Works perfectly, just as mentioned.

Thank you

A. White marks on wood = cotton cloth and ironing
Black marks = oxalic acid. (Barkeepers Friend ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] works great). Make a paste, apply, let dry. Wipe off. Redo as necessary. You'll need to refinish afterwards, but it works like a charm.

White Ring Remover

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

Boiled Linseed Oil

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. Regarding removing water stains on TEAK WOOD furniture, as well as putting moisture back into the wood. Here is what you do.

You do not sand or "refinish" Teak Wood or apply any lacquer. Teak wood is natural.

Purchase Homax White Ring Removal cloths. Clean wood furniture with a good dusting first and follow the cleaning instructions on the Homax package. I cleaned my entire Teak Wood buffet with the Homax ⇨
Most of the stains and minor scratches came out.

Also purchase boiled linseed oil ⇨
and follow the directions. I used old white tee shirts to apply the oil and another to wipe off excess. Let the linseed oil stay on your wood for 10-15 minutes and then remove excess with clean cotton cloth.

You can use this process on all of your wood products whether the wood is natural like Teak Wood or has a lacquered surface. My 50 yr old contemporary Teak Wood buffet looks like brand new. I will repeat the cleaning in about a month since I never cleaned it properly in the past.

Hope this helps everyone!

Wind blew vase off Parker teak tea table and stained it. Followed the tea towel method and it improved a lot. Decided to put some oil/polish on the table when the wood was warm when the pores of the wood were more dilated. This seemed to be a good idea. Will iron table again to try and even it up. Thanks for the tip.

OMG! C'S suggestion of the Iron actually works. I have a Teak Table of my mother's which is an original 1970's G Plan. I had a pot plant on it as it has a tile strip down the centre and the plant got inadvertently moved onto the wood part of the table. It left a huge white water mark. Not any more. So grateful for the advice. Many thanks. Alison

Hi. Dozens of readers reported success with the iron and towel, or a hairdryer. What is apparently the case is that the lacquer has absorbed a little bit of water, which causes it to turn into a white oil & water emulsion sort of like mayonnaise. And it apparently will hold that water at room temperature indefinitely, even for decades :-(

But get it warm enough, and you drive the water out, and the finish once again becomes just lacquer rather than a water & oil suspension, so the discoloration is pretty much gone. Doesn't work every single time 100% for everybody, but it darn well works great for most :-)

Regards,

I have just tried Marilyn C's answer using a hand towel and iron. It really does work although I did it several times before the white stain completely disappeared.

!! Genius Marilyn C. in Canada's trick continues to work. Just fixed 2 new round water stains from glasses left overnight on my 40 year old teak kitchen table. Iron was on medium, no steam. I first used cotton dishcloth folded over a couple times and it didn't work. I unfolded them to make them thinner, ran the hot iron over for about 20 seconds and great outcome. Will rub a bit of teak oil ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] into the area.

Marilyn, can you now get the border open for us Americans? I miss my camp on Charleston Lake in Ontario....:)