The Vaseline Trick That Brings Water-Stained Wooden Furniture Back To Life

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When folks find out that I am a professional woodworker, I often get asked about problems they have around their homes regarding wooden furniture or trim. One of the most common questions they ask is how to remove water-stained or fix water-marked furniture finishes. There are two basic types of water-formed discolorations you will find on wooden furniture, light and dark. Both are caused by water invading the finish. Dark water stains are more difficult to deal with, but if you have light water-stained wooden furniture, you can consider yourself "lucky." That's because a simple application of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) may well fix your problem. It's just one of many unexpected household uses of Vaseline.

The light water stains are whitish-looking marks, often caused by cups, vases, pitchers, or other water containers being placed directly on furniture with a film coat finish of some sort. (Lacquer, varnish, shellac, and the like.) A film coat finish is just what it sounds like. A thin layer of finish that lies on top of the wood's surface. The water invades the finish, breaking it down and causing tiny voids within the film coat. Those voids reflect light differently and show up as whitish distortions in the finish. This is something you cannot fix with furniture polish alone.

The way that Vaseline addresses light water stains is by penetrating the distressed area of the finish and filling the voids in the film coat. That lessens the difference between the voids and the surrounding finish, letting light reflect more evenly, thus removing the visible distortion. To use this finish hack, first clean the area with mild soap and water and allow it to dry completely. Then apply a thick slather of Vaseline to the affected area and leave it in place overnight. The longer it is in contact with the finish, the more likely it is that the Vaseline will penetrate and fill the tiny voids. Wipe it off the next day with a soft cloth. If the water stain has not completely disappeared, give it a second application. Sadly, if the finish is too compromised, the mark may not disappear completely. (It will certainly be improved, though.)

There are specially made products you can buy to remove light water stains from furniture finishes, but Vaseline has been doing the job for a long time. Prevention, of course, is a better plan than needing to repair a problem, so protecting your furniture finishes by applying a coat of paste wax is a good idea, as is using coasters under any water-containing vessels.

I mentioned dark water stains earlier and want to return to them for just a moment. They are caused when water containing minerals seeps completely through the finish and stains the wood fibers. Unfortunately, the only way to remove them is by refinishing that area and bleaching or sanding away the stained wood fibers. A much more involved and difficult process than the Vaseline trick for light water stains.