White ring in the finish - how to get out

[Brian Ashton]

Hi guys and gals

A friend as asked me if I could try to get a white ring from a cup out of the table finish. I'm pretty sure its lacquer and not varnish or shellac based. Decades ago I seem to recall reading that a white ring could be "pulled" out with some sort technique but I can't remember what that trick was.

Anyone have some ideas on how to get the ring out?

[John Coloccia]

It helps to know what the ring is :) It's most like moisture that's been drawn into the finish, turning it cloudy. It's just like spraying when the humidity is too high and you get haze. Anyhow, that's a "water mark". The two tricks I know are to suck it out and to replace the water with something else.

To replace it, glob on some oily furniture polish and let it sit on there for a few hours. Maybe overnight. If you're lucky, you'll come back in the morning and the ring will be gone. Some people use floor wax. Some people use petroleum jelly. Some even use mayonnaise. The key is that all of these substances have oils in them that will soak into the finish and replace the water. Oil in the finish is A-OK, okey dokey :)

To "suck" it out, use some alcohol. Be very careful, especially if you don't know what the finish is. If it's shellac, you'll make an incredible mess. If it's lacquer or some other non-alcohol varnish, still be careful. Apply a little with a cloth and wait. You may need to use more or less, or wait longer, but the ring will magically disappear before your eyes in about 5 minutes. Try this on an inconspicuous area first!

One thing you MAY want to try first is take a air dryer on low, and gently warm the area for a while. I've read that this can work though I've never tried it. The other two I've tried and they work.

As a last resort, you can do some steel wool and oil (for lubricant), buffing compound, etc. What I'm getting at is you can rub it out if you have to. I'm sure you don't want to go here and I don't blame you.

[Prashun Patel]

You might take this question to the Finishing Forum. You'll get more good advice there.

Personally, I've had luck fixing rings on a shellac'd table I made. A gentle rubbing with an alcohol MOISTENED (not soaked) rag remelted the finish (it took a decent amount of rubbing), and allowed it the moisture to escape. The area appeared dull after, so I applied more shellac lightly blending it to the surrounding areas.