How to Fix Wood With White Discoloration

White discolorations on wood are stains caused by moisture penetration and occur most frequently on wood furniture items. The moisture can be the result of actual water or excessive heat forcing moisture into the wood. Tiny moisture droplets get trapped inside the pores of the wood and cause a white appearance. Removing these white stains requires a variety of approaches to evaporate the moisture in the top wood finish and down in the actual wood.

Hair dryer
Furniture oil
Rubber gloves
4-0 steel wool
Cloth
Furniture wax or polish
Toothpaste (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Plug in a hair dryer and set it to the lowest heat setting. Turn the air flow on and direct it at the white discoloration. Hold the hair dryer at least 6 inches away so that you do not scorch the wood. Continue holding the hair dryer in place until as much of the stain disappears as possible.
- 2
  Wait until the wood cools and then pour 1 teaspoon of a wood oil product directly on top of the white discolorations.
- 3
  Put on rubber gloves and rub the discolored area with a 4-0, or 0000, steel wool pad, which is very fine. Use circular motions as you rub to polish out the white stains.
- 4
  Wipe the wood surface with a clean soft cloth to remove the oil. Examine the wood for signs of remaining discoloration and repeat the process as needed until it no longer remains.
- 5
  Apply a furniture wax or polish to the wood to prevent future white discolorations from developing.

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Woodworking