Replies

1. 
   jako17 | Mar 12, 2007 05:41am | #1

   Toothpaste

2. 
   Gretchen | Mar 12, 2007 02:49pm | #2

   Are they white or black?  If white, you can try putting a slather of mayonnaise on them and covering with saran for a while. If that doesn't work try wisping the mark with a barely dampened cloth that has denatured alcohol on it.

   If they are black, the damage is in the wood, not the finish, and it will need refinishing.

   Gretchen
3. 
   Ipaint | Mar 16, 2007 12:52am | #3

   Oxalic acid. Use a Q-tip or small artist's paint brush. And wear gloves, no joke- it's very caustic.
   http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oxalic-acid-bleach.html

   I Paint

4. 
   frenchy | Mar 16, 2007 03:33am | #4

   spiff,

      It depends on what the finish is. If it's shellac and it's white it's time to remove the shellac but that's not a major deal.

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 16, 2007 04:30am | #5

   It may not be necessary to remove shellac entirely to remove white rings.  Just wipe the surface with a pad very lightly dampened with alcohol.  You don't want to dissolve the finish just or even get it wet. The idea is for a light haze of the alcohol to evaporate taking the trapped watervapor with it. 

   The rest of the list of things to try includes mayonaisse (or other oily substances), "blush eliminator", which is an glycol ether solvent, or as was mentioned a very mild abrasive may be able to remove the ring such as toothpaste or rottenstone or even pumice if you have to remove the rings on a satin finish.  This list comes from Bob Flexner's Understanding Wood Finishing. 

    

1. 
   frenchy | Mar 16, 2007 05:38am | #6

   Steve,

    while you may be correct, in all likelyhood to remove white rings on shellac will call for removal of the shellac.

    True it might only go down a little way thru the finish, In my experiance it's rare that happens..

    Shellac "fixes" so darn easy that it's not a big deal.. wipe it down with alcohol  and then build it back up with shellac.. I'd say a 10 minute task. an hour if it goes down to the wood.

5. 
   cowtown | Mar 17, 2007 12:06pm | #7

   http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=6517&cookietest=1

1. 
   Gretchen | Mar 17, 2007 02:54pm | #8

   If you are going to recommend that product for $16.99 I will enthusiastically recommend Howard's Restor-a-Finish for $6.99.  It works on white rings.Gretchen