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Thread: Removing Water Dye from Wood?

  1. #1

    Removing Water Dye from Wood?

    Hey all,

    Other than sanding down (I'm running out of material to sand!), is there a way/product to remove water dye from wood? i.e. once it penetrates.
    I think the wood in question is possibly applewood, if that matters.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    I don't think it can be washed off completely. Sanding usually requires removing lots of material because the dye can penetrate a few mm, depending on how the grain is. You might be able to bleach the dye out, but that will remove color from the wood as well.

  3. #3
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    I had that problem recently. The dye was darker than I wanted. I was able to lighten it considerably by rubbing with a wet shop towel. When the towel got a lot of dye on it I would get a clean one.
    Charlie Jones

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Charlie Jones View Post
    I had that problem recently. The dye was darker than I wanted. I was able to lighten it considerably by rubbing with a wet shop towel. When the towel got a lot of dye on it I would get a clean one.
    I'm wondering, with zero experience, if heating the wood through a damp cloth would help release dye close to the surface. I've done this many times to remove dents in wood, using a hot clothes iron or a hot soldering iron as the dent size dictated. The heat generates steam which penetrates the wood. It does not seem to harm the wood but may require fine sanding afterwards to blend that spot.

    Of course I have no idea if this will help or hurt. I might try steaming a bit with a wet cloth then immediately replacing the wet cloth with clean one, maybe even a dry one, and heat a bit more. It might be useful to test by adding the same dye to a piece of scrap wood of the same type to duplicate the problem, then test on that.

  5. #5
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    Dye only penetrates a few mils - as in thousandths of an inch. Put some on a piece of scrap then cut it in two after it dries and take a look. All that depth and grain pop you see is right near the surface.

    John

  6. #6
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    Anyone think alcohol might work better than water?

  7. #7
    I've never been successful in wiping off dye. Planing or sanding is the most efficient (assuming you haven't otherwise sealed the dye in with a finish).

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