How to Get White Circles Out of Wooden Furniture

In a perfect world, everyone would use coasters, and ugly white rings on furniture would never be a problem. Unfortunately that's not reality. Almost everyone has discovered a white ring under a glass left too long with no coaster. Whether it's Grandma's heirloom sideboard or your brand new coffee table, don't panic. Refinishing the piece is an option of last resort. First try a simple home remedy recommended in The New York Tmes by Bruce Johnson, national spokesman for Minwax and home-repair book author. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Set a hair dryer on the lowest heat setting. Turn the dryer on, and move it back and forth above the white ring, being careful not to let the area overheat. Johnson said this will remove the moisture trapped in the furniture's finish. It works best for marks that are only a day or so old. If the dryer doesn't remove the ring, proceed to step two.

2

Place a small amount of mayonnaise on a soft cloth, and massage it into the white ring. The mayonnaise can be left on the spot for several hours if the ring doesn't disappear right away. Apply more mayonnaise if the initial application dries out.

3

Pour lemon oil on the white ring, and rub lightly with super-fine steel wool if the first two options don't yield results. Don't apply a lot of pressure with the steel wool, and be aware that this method could alter the furniture's finish in that spot.