How to remove stains from wood : instructions for removing stains from wooden accessories (furniture, chairs, tables, etc.), including parquet. Natural remedies, specific products, and DIY to remove and clean stains on wood.
If the piece of furniture is very old, so much so that it is considered an antique , I recommend that you contact a good restorer. The restorer will be able to do a professional job, bringing your wooden piece back to its former splendor. Know that, in full autonomy, he can eliminate scratches from the wood, as long as they are not deep. In the same measure, even the stains in the wood must be superficial, otherwise there will be little that can be done. On this page I will try to explain how to eliminate stains from wood .
Be careful, if they are grease stains ( dark stains caused by oil or food fat), you will be able to remove them only if they have not penetrated into the deeper layers of the wood . To eliminate grease stains and oil stains from wood, you will have to use a filler or wax with a similar color to the wooden complement you need to repair. Let’s see all the details.
How to remove stains from wood
What to do to remove water stains, ink stains, grease stains or other surface stains from wood? I’ll explain it to you now. In the meantime, I’ll tell you what you need:
- Razor blade or utility knife blade
- Cotton ball and soft cloths
- Turpentine essence
- Butter
- Ash
Turpentine can be purchased at DIY, home improvement or woodworking stores. Alternatively, you can purchase it through online shopping, for example “ on this Amazon page ”, you will find Lefranc Bourgeois Essence of Refined Turpentine – 75 ml bottle
Here’s how to remove stains from wood .
Using a razor blade, scrape the surface of the stain. Work very gently. You don’t want to treat the stain from the wood as if it were an encrustation, but only remove the most superficial part without scratching or damaging the wood.
After cleaning any residue, use softened butter to spread on the stain and the surrounding area. You can use your finger to spread it. Don’t worry, you won’t make the situation worse. The reason? You will have to drop sifted ash (cigar ash is also fine!) on the still fresh butter. The ash is alkaline and has a mild abrasive action. This natural mixture will allow you to smooth the surface and polish (thanks to the butter) the wood varnish. In practice, it will be like using a very delicate abrasive paste, a homemade wood polish!
Rub the damaged area with a cotton ball or a soft cloth. Remove the butter and ash residue using a cloth soaked in turpentine essence, excellent for wood. Make circular movements, you will see the stain disappear.
How to remove water stains from wood
Ok, it happens to everyone! You put a glass on the wooden surface and forget the coaster. The droplets of water or another liquid form a circle right on your table. Don’t worry, here the action is easier.
To remove water stains from wood you will have to evaporate the water component, how? With fire and… that’s not a joke!
To remove the circular prints left by the glass on the wood , you can use simple alcohol. Pour a little alcohol on the water stain and light a fire, the flame will last a few seconds, just enough to evaporate the water and remove the stain from the wood.
How to clean stains from wood
To remove stains from wood you have to act promptly. If a grease stain has been there for a long time, it will probably be difficult to remove. You have seen, you can use butter to clean the wood as long as you wash it off with ash and turpentine… Unfortunately, if the stain stratifies, that is, if it penetrates into the deepest layers of the wood, you will be forced to sand and proceed with a complete repainting.




