Wood Furniture - White Marks
Some of the causes of white marks are liquids
containing alcohol (perfume, medicine, beverages), heat
and water. Your success in removing such marks depends on
the amount of damage and its cause. The following
treatments may be helpful in minimizing or removing such
marks.
Many spots will disappear if rubbed with a solution
made of equal parts of boiled linseed oil, turpentine and
vinegar, or with a cleaning-polishing wax. If the mark is
stubborn, rub with 3/0 or 4/0 steel wool instead of a
cloth. Rub with the grain of the wood. Do not use steel
wool on high gloss finishes. Turpentine is flammable so
follow cautions for solvents: no flame or spark nearby,
do not get on skin, do not breathe.
Rub spot lightly with a paste of powdered pumice or
rottenstone and linseed oil.
Spots on all finishes except lacquer can be treated
with a cloth dampened with spirits of camphor, essence of
peppermint or oil of wintergreen. As these may make the
surface tacky, do not rub. When dry, you may need to
smooth the roughened spot by rubbing with a paste of
powdered pumice or rottenstone and linseed oil.
Alcohol spots often respond to a quick exposure to
ammonia. Rub lightly with a cloth dampened with non-sudsy
water and a few drops of household ammonia.
Not all treatments will work on all finishes. When
completed, wax/polish entire surface. If spots cannot be
removed, refinishing may be necessary.