Removing white water ring on dining table

[Randall J Cox]

My daughter has a dining room table that has a large white ring from someone putting a wet glass on it. We have tried petroleum jelly that someone recommended, nothing. The table is a midrange (pricewise) one made from pine with a shiny finish on it. Any suggestions? Randy

[John TenEyck]

There are various white ring remover products on the mark, just look on Amazon, that you could try. Another option is to put a clean cotton dish towel over it and place an iron on top set on very low heat. Check to make sure it doesn't soften the finish. Over time, the white ring should eventually disappear.

Yet another option is to check to see if the finish is lacquer. You can do that by wiping a Qtip dipped in lacquer thinner on the underside, or some other inconspicuous place. If it removes the finish it's lacquer. If so, spraying the area with the white ring with lacquer thinner should allow the moisture to migrate out. You might need to add some retarder to the lacquer thinner, and you might need to spray it more than once, depending upon how severe the ring is.

Good luck.

John

[Barry McFadden]

I have had success with a soft rag dipped in oil with either Pumice powder or Rottenstone powder sprinkled on it . Just go back and forth over it as many times as needed until you see the ring disappear. I would try the rottenstone powder first as it's less abrasive than the pumice powder.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Cigar ash.
Mix it with mayonnaise.
Daub it on - let it sit a bit - wipe it off.

Used to be very common household items - but - probably not so much anymore.

Pity because it worked like a champ.

[Mark Gibney]

The cigar ash / mayonnaise method was developed accidentally by Groucho Marx when he was wiping up his after dinner mess.
BS aside, the finish on your table sounds to me like shellac. The spot test that John suggested above will also remove shellac. In this case I think checking out some video online might be the way to go.
And if you try the cigar ash and mayo method it would be great to know the outcome.

[John TenEyck]

The cigar ash / mayonnaise method was developed accidentally by Groucho Marx when he was wiping up his after dinner mess.
BS aside, the finish on your table sounds to me like shellac. The spot test that John suggested above will also remove shellac. In this case I think checking out some video online might be the way to go.
And if you try the cigar ash and mayo method it would be great to know the outcome.

Anything is possible, but it's not very likely to be shellac if it was manufactured after about 1920, and almost certainly not if made after WW2.

I've never tried the mayo treatment on a white ring on a shellac or lacquer finish, but I did on one caused by a leaky can of Dow Bathroom Cleaner, aka Scrubbing Bubbles, on an Arm-R-Seal finish. It lessened the ring after 2 or 3 days but didn't completely remove it. Eventually, I had to sand out the spot and feather in more finish.

John

[Randall J Cox]

All interesting replies, thanks much. Will start trying things and let you know what works. This table is only about 15-20 years old, not an antique. Guess I should have stated that initially. Randy