We have an old wood table that has been used and abused for years. Bringing it out over the holidays for card playing, I commented how badly damaged it was and wished I knew how to remove the hideous white heat stains that marred the top. While talking I’m quickly covering the surface with a linen trying to hide the mess.
How did they get there? These white cloudy marks were caused by placing hot dishes directly on the surface. It’s been damaged like this for several years.
A few are from Chinese food takeout containers and another was caused by pizza boxes. It seems the heat from the container scorches or somehow steams the finish.
This is why we should always make sure to place potholders or folded towels on the tabletop first before setting hot food down. We may know this, but someone in the home forgot and so–here we are.
That wasn’t all though, there were also some watermark rings caused by setting coffee cups and glasses of soda directly on the surface. You name it–this piece of furniture was covered in it. Like I said–it’s been abused over time!
The good news is that the damage doesn’t need to be permanent, there is indeed a way to repair this and it’s not that difficult nor is there a need for any special products.
Even though I was dealing with an old piece of furniture that only held sentimental value, I understand the stress someone might be experiencing over a piece that is newer or more expensive.
The picture at the right (bottom) is a snap of the repaired table, all discoloration is gone (there is some glare but it’s due to image quality). One of these days I’ll figure out the camera and take better pictures–the wood has a dark finish but you’d never know it from these pictures!
What did I do to fix the problem? While setting out the table (as mentioned above in the introduction), a relative gave me this curious piece of advice:
- For the scorch marks, just take an iron and apply heat to the cloudy blotches, they’ll disappear!
Terrifying, right? But it’s an old table that we have shoved in a corner so with fingers crossed, I decided to take the chance and give it a try.
Success! How I Removed Heat Stains From Wood Furniture
I outlined the steps below in case you’d like to give this a shot too. It’s pretty aggressive so if it’s too risky for your comfort, don’t worry! I have some other ideas listed here as well (it’s probably best to start with those first).
- The first thing I did was wash the wooden surface and dry it well.
- Next, I took a clean, white cotton towel that wasn’t too thick and placed it over the scorch marks.
- Taking an old iron set to high dry heat, I carefully place it directly over the stain (with the towel in between for protection).
- I let it sit for close to a minute, checked, and nothing happened. The damage was still there.
- I kept reapplying the hot iron with no results, but once I turned the steam on–that’s when the magic happened. The marks literally disappeared!
- I couldn’t believe it and it defied logic to me–wouldn’t the steam cause more harm? All I know is that it worked.
- I was quick to wipe away any moisture and water left on the surface after each treatment.
- Added: A few of the comments below recommend finishing things off by wiping in a bit of olive oil once successfully getting rid of the stains, this helps nourish the wood and give it a bit of love after all that it’s been through.
A few days later and the surface is still great. The cloudy discolorations haven’t returned. I keep running my hand across the tabletop and I can’t feel any damage or change to the finish. I’m amazed at how easily this cleaned up–it’s a totally different piece of furniture now!
Caution: I have no idea if this affects the finish, I’m not an expert. It’s something I tried and worked very well in this case.
| Update (2023): I first published this here on Tipnut in January, 2007, so it’s been over 15 years since I wrote this article. There have been a few more stains develop over the years, but they’re new ones…not the originals mentioned here that were removed. I just go through the step-by-step directions outlined above and I haven’t noticed any long term negative effects to the wood at all. |
Updates
Although many are finding this works on their wood furniture pieces, some are reporting that this makes the problem WORSE (see the comments below).
- The reason for the discrepancy could be what the type of finish is…varnish or shellac.
I believe my old table in this project is varnish, but I haven’t tested it to confirm.
Glorious tips & suggestions have been contributed by many readers and those souls brave enough to test this method. Here’s the condensed version of the possible solutions if this technique is successful in removing the original stain–but then ADDS a permanent outline of the iron:
- Try a lower temperature and move the iron slowly around the location instead of letting it sit (thanks Matthew!).
- Others report success with hot temp & no steam (thanks Flora Monroe!)
- Another suggestion to fix this with just a hot iron hovering over the spots (not laying one down on cloth–but hovering–thanks mark harris, Tom, myf, Roxanne, Diana and Melanie!)–I believe they all used steam for the hover method.
- Also scroll down for Dan’s helpful tip using rubbing or polishing compound instead of the above technique if it’s too scary or aggressive for you.
- Timmer shared that the iron method made things worse, the fix that did the trick: spray furniture polish over top then work it in with extra fine steel wool (carefully so not to take off the existing finish). Next, buff with a clean rag once it dries.
Read the hundreds of comments below for all the feedback people have left and to review the results they experienced. I’m thrilled this tip has helped so many–believe me, I know the state of panic you’re in! Also continuing to organize recommended solutions for those who aren’t experiencing success yet, please drop a note if this worked (or didn’t work) for you :).
More DIY Methods To Try
If the removal technique shared above is a bit too aggressive for you, one of these easy tips may help restore the tabletop to looking brand new again…
- Mix 50/50 toothpaste and baking soda, rub in. Do not use gel toothpaste for this.
- Apply a paste of salt and olive oil, allow to sit several minutes (an hour at most). Wipe off.
- Apply Miracle Whip (Mayonnaise) and wipe away after an hour.
- Mix 50/50 vinegar and olive oil, smear over the watermark.
- Try straight toothpaste (non-gel). Apply with the grain then wipe off.
- Make a paste with baking soda and a few drops of water. Rub in then wipe off. You can also try salt instead of baking soda.
- Rub some Vaseline (or other petroleum jelly) into the watermark and leave overnight. Wash off in the morning.
This DOES NOT WORK on veneer. I tried it and it made it worse! I tried both ways…with towel and hovering…made the spots bigger and the same size and shape as the iron. Maybe it works on solid wood…but watch out on veneer!
TOTALLY BRILLIANT – but how brave you have to be when first applying that hot iron to what you think is already a burn ! Took the white marks away in a few seconds…and to think I was all set to go and have to buy a new table !
will the steam iron method work on a wood vaneered table thanks
omg this just saved my life. my lease ends in two days and i did this to my landlords expensive table. You sir are a hero.
OMG! This worked for me. Saved my dining table that costed like $1500 five years ago. My dining table is one of those modern looking ones in dark brown. Those white burn marks were very ugly. Although I cannot explain exactly why this worked, I really care more that it did! Thanks!!!
WOW…I have had this white stain on my kitchen table for months and decided to check out what others have done to get rid of them. I was very skeptical at first, but decided to try the steam iron. Worked like a charm in about 15 sec. THANK YOU!!
Tried it with the steam iron and a thick kitchen towel on a couple of small white spots, and it worked perfectly!!
Thanks…it helped me…
Mine got worst thx
worked for me…amazing
Luv u! My fiance ruined my cherry dining room table and my coffee table by placing his french press on them, I had close to 9 white rings. I decided to sell them so right before a buyer came I tried ur technique and it saved the table and they bought it immeadiatly. I made a profit and I still get new furniture,lol. Thanks again!
I set pizza boxes down on my wooden table and assumed it would have to be refinished to get rid of the white spots. I finally got up the nerve to try this tip and it worked! I hovered the iron about an inch or two above the spots, pressing the steam button every few seconds and wiping away the excess moisture from the table. Within 1-2 minutes it was completely gone.
My husband thanks you!! My brand new dark wood table with marks from grilled hotdogs on a paper plate…. can’t even see them.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. I left a hot paper plate on my friends table which resulted in a white spot. The steam iron- towel trick worked like magic.
I was so hesitant to use this trick on my table at work. I was so amazed when the huge hot bowl stain literally evaporated. THANK YOU. lifesaver tip
Antique cedar chest used as a coffee table – med-hot iron, no steam, flour sack towel folded into four layers. Marks gone in about 30 seconds. The towel sticks – use caution! It worked perfectly and is a lifesaver.
Wow. Served lasagna on Chinet Classic White dinner plates tonight and after my guests left, was horrified to see round white stains on my beautiful dining room table that is about 11 years old. Placed a white cotton hand towel over each stain, used my Rowenta steam iron on high heat and max steam settings, and moved the iron in a circular pattern over the towel above each stain for 3-4 second intervals. Removed the iron and wiped the moisture off of the table immediately after each session. After about 4 or 5 “treatments”, the stains were gone. It was amazing. I was so hesitant to try this, but it worked absolutely perfectly for me. I don’t know what type of finish is on my table, but I believe it is pine wood. Good luck to anyone with this troubling issue.
WOW what can i say this was absoloutly AMAZING tried many other methods before finding this tip and this one worked a charm easy, simple and removes the stain thorouly thanks heaps!
This is amazing. It worked straight away!!
Thanks so much for the great tip! The spots are totally gone and my table looks like new again. I used a heavy cotton flour sack type towel between my iron and the table. It only took a few minutes, and I got awesome results.
Forget my previous comment. I tried the hot steam tip and after initially being delighted, I looked about six hours later and instead of four small white heat stains I now have four stains in the shape of the iron! Not happy
I am delighted this has worked a treat!! 🙂
I had tried absolutely everything suggested on the internet. Mayonaisse, Oil, Vaseline, even my husband’s electric car polishing kit. NOTHING worked! Today when I had the iron by the table with the white marks, I figured what do I have to lose? I used the iron on steam with a white cloth. I moved the iron slowly with a white hand towel on top of the table because I was nervous about heat stains from the iron. Absolutely AMAZING results! Thank you sooo much for posting this!
I was a little hesitant to try it because we spent a good bit for the Amish made oak table,,, the wife said try it on a leaf in case it doesn’t work,, we had 3 white marks,, two on the table and one on a leaf, I used a white dish drying towel, set the steam iron to high, and I could not believe it, all 3 came out, we went over the table and leaf with polish and it looks as good as it did when we had it delivered…. Thanks for a solution that really works,,
Wow!There I stood iron in hand hovering over my ruined mahogany table,shall I try it or not.With hand’s a tremble I Slowly lowered my iron on to my white piece of cotton towel here go’s!!!!!my god it has worked, truly astonishing Table like new.Thank you…………………
I emailed the people I bought the Oak table and hutch from, telling they what I did and how it worked,, I got a email back from them this morning saying they were going go keep it and refer the problem solver to people with the same problem,,, I still can’t get over how the marks came out in under 15 seconds,,,
Thank you so much! I tried the steam and a tea towel and it caused bigger spots, but then I went back over it with a dry iron and towel and they’re GONE! Going to use this trick for my cleaning service!
OMG!!!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
We bought our table about 5 years ago from Pottery Barn. When I tell you that this thing will be still standing in 20 years, it will be!!! …..it has been beaten up, had hot dishes, plates, pizza boxes, chinese take-out, nearly anything and everything you could imagine to produce a stain or watermark on it BUT nothing ever did! It became a joke that this table would outlast the rest of our house, especially with a toddler.
THEN, two nights ago, my husband made buttered noodles and put them on a very thin paper plate. The combo of the hot moisture and very thin paper left a white mark the size of a dinner plate. For the last 24 hours I have been devastated and looking at all options from striping and refinishing to buying a new one (although the collection has changed a bit and now includes a heftier price tag). Just before heading out to our local hardware store and PotteryBarn, I decided to google…hoping of finding others with the same misfortune but WITH solutions!
I just tried this about an hour ago and instantly it worked!!! I was so thrilled that after calling my husband, mother and best friend, I had to write and thank you!! You have saved us so much time and money and I cannot thank you enough!!!
What a great tip! and how wonderful to be living in an age where people are able to share their experiences! What a privilege! Thanks to this our dining table has gone back to its old days and is now sparkling!!! If we could all join in in the effort to make this world of ours a better place by sharing our knowledge through the net I have no doubt our kids would be blessed.
Like others, I was very skeptical; but it WORKED! I am SO HAPPY! My dining room table is my favorite piece of furniture. Thank you so much for this tip. I’d also like to thank Google. he he 😀
Lacquered Coffee Table….Being sceptical, and a little nervous of trying the steam iron technique,I decided to try the hair dryer approach; figuring that heat would do the trick!!
It was amazing to watch the mark literally disappear before my eyes…brilliant!
I left bread to cool on a towel on my table. when I moved the towel there where a6 bread shapes on my table. I was upset it was my fault. read this and thought what the hell. I just used my steam iron and they are gone. I have a steam boost to I tried it and they where gone in seconds. LOVE this! I will never fear heat marks again!
I was about to spend the money on getting our eight-seater dining table sanded and relaquered because of a white mark that had been created from a friend putting a hot teapot on it. A French polisher suggested that I rub a brown paper bag over the mark to create friction to make the mark fade, and if this worked, use the iron. I also found this site and was convinced it might work. We tried it and voila! amazing. The French polisher, Peter Harrison, said water was trapped between the wood and the laquer, which created the mark. The heat evaporates it. How amazing says Eavie, my 6 year old. We are so happy.
left hot corn on the cob off the grill on a paper plate on our favorite dark wood breakfast table. looked like the new table was ruined. found this when i was searching google and wasnt sure but had no other choice except sand the table down and try to match the finish and shine. i used a pillow case and an everyday iron with extra steam. worked like a charm. i really couldnt believe it. i would suggest going lightly, and dont hold it in one area too heavy but this idea totally saved this 4th of july.
amazing! thanks so much! our kitchen table looked so beat up, and now it looks a million times better! 2 big white spots from pizza boxes, and a big white stain from where a plant had sat are all gone! steam iron over a white towel for just a few seconds. Followed up with olive oil and endust and tadaaa!! brand new!
Awesome! Our table is a ~5 yr old table from American Signature furniture, I think it has a veneer finish over it if that helps. It certainly isnt made very ‘tough’.
It’s not working guys…what am I doing wrong?
IT WORKED!! :))) i have a vintage 1960’s teak table that had white marks from hot pizza boxes that were placed on it, coupled with white marks from hot cups etc. i’m not sure what polish/varnish was on the table but gave it a shot none-the-less. i hot steam ironed on an old t-shirt placed on the table marks, then furiously rubbed it afterwards with a dry towel. it still left marks but faded. i wasn’t satisfied so persevered again the next day. i had to give it a few goes with the iron, then Danish oiled it afterwards and VOILA!! goood lookin table to say the least.
thank you everyone after making a second white mark on our coffee table with a pizza box i paniced as, although it is not a very expencive or fancy table it was a gift from my husband, i used a combination of steam first with a towel(not much change) then with a cotton pillow case which got rid of the older stain not the new one, then tried a hair dryer worked a charm added a bit of olive oil and now there is a slight mark but it is slowly fadingand is hardly noticable. it is definately veneer, not sure what type though if there are different types? 🙂 Thank you again!!
It worked the second time. Last night, after setting 2 1/2 gallon jars of boiling water for tea on a hot pad, steam-burned my table. Tried the iron, nothing happened. Setting was too low. Got brave, put setting on high.
Disappeared within 30 – 60 seconds. Immediately wiped in canola oil.
Very happy. Looks new.
Works! What worked for me was a fairly hot iron, spray of water on double paper towel, iron on top of wet paper towels, and in seconds the large white spots gone. Great, great, great!
Unbelievable, saved me from having to explain a disaster. Incredible. Thank you.
… have just tried it with a hot steam iron on an old white mark and a new one from last night … it works!! Many thanks to the first person brave enough to try this ……
Hi, I just used this technique on an antique which had a white stain the size of a serving dish on it (water collected under a tray after a flower vase overflowed.) The technique worked with an old undershirt between the wood and the iron. Before ironing the piece, I had tried wood oil, which improved the stain but did not fix it. I passed the iron over the stain a couple times, checking the stain visually and monitoring the heat with my hand. The lighter parts disappeared first with minimal heat. The heavier stain took longer and I ended up using more heat. I started using the cotton setting (medium heat). During the process I used no steam. At the very end, I briefly applied the iron at the high setting to eliminate the densest white section of stain, which I DO NOT recommend because it began to bubble the finish. Because of this observation, I would infer that the technique can damage the finish and requires care and attention to avoid any visible damage. After I finished heating the stain, it was barely visible (unfortunately along with a few small bubbles) from certain angles. To finish the job and make the stain completely disappear, I oiled the whole surface and buffed it off. The oil really seemed to finalize the removal, and my family was really impressed with the results. I suspect that the heat softens the finish for some types, evaporates the water and allows the finish to re-fix itself to the wood, but I’d love some scientific results.
The only thing this did is give me a much bigger white spot. Thanks for nothing.
Hi tried olive oil and a few other things before the iron. I just put the iron on high, steam on high and off I went, not more stain on my new table. WOW couldn’t believed it worked then I put some olive oil and table looks better than new. Thanks everybody for input.
Hello, I have a question about white marks on my table. I have got a used maple table I am refinishing – sanding and using polyurethane. Anyways, it had a few marks on it which I have removed, but my mother (trying to help) gouged and scraped at three marks on one side of the table, assuming she could sand them down to nothing, but now there are three white chalky marks (not water or heat stains). These are marks right in the wood as I had already removed the old lacquer or mostly all of it. Is there any way I can get rid of these pressure marks…If i continue sanding it does not seem to work and I really want to start protecting it, but figure the marks will still show through the clear polyurethane. I didn’t want to stain it but just leave it natural… what should i do? Or is it even possible to get rid of these marks?
OMG!!!! Hallelujah it worked. Make sure you have the STEAM on!!!!!!!! Thank goodness for this site.
That’s amazing! The steam did the trick!! THANKS!
Wow Thank you so much i couldn’t believe my eyes that this actually work
WOWZERS – this actually worked and saved me from getting a royal butt kicking from the wife!
THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Awesome, this worked very well and very fast!