After canning some tomatoes my wife put the hot jars on a thin towel on ur
kitchen table. It is wood and looks to be finisned in a light oak color.
Where each of the jars were there is a white spot the size of the jars.
Probably due to the heat.
Is there anything that can be done to remove the spots without refinishing
the whole table ?

On Aug 19, 9:34*am, "Ralph Mowery" wrote:
After canning some tomatoes my wife put the hot jars on a thin towel on ur
kitchen table. *It is wood and looks to be finisned in a light oak color.

"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
m...
After canning some tomatoes my wife put the hot jars on a thin towel on ur
kitchen table. It is wood and looks to be finisned in a light oak color.
Where each of the jars were there is a white spot the size of the jars.
Probably due to the heat.
Is there anything that can be done to remove the spots without refinishing
the whole table ?



Many times using a soft cloth and toothpaste will remove the spots.
Toothpaste has a very fine abrasive in it and won't ruin the finish.

On Aug 19, 9:34*am, "Ralph Mowery" wrote:
After canning some tomatoes my wife put the hot jars on a thin towel on ur
kitchen table. *It is wood and looks to be finisned in a light oak color.

Ralph Mowery wrote:
After canning some tomatoes my wife put the hot jars on a thin towel on ur
kitchen table. It is wood and looks to be finisned in a light oak color.
Where each of the jars were there is a white spot the size of the jars.
Probably due to the heat.
Is there anything that can be done to remove the spots without refinishing
the whole table ?


Is the WOOD oak? I've seen a number of "cures" for the problem, but
none that work. Another I recall seeing is to rub cigarette ashes into
the whitened area, but it did not work for me. The finish has whitened,
not the wood....I would take very fine steel wool and test by rubbing
onto a small part of the whitened area to try to remove that much
finish. You might also remove stain if it is a lacquer finish, so there
are no sure ways to undo the damage. If the white disappears, you can
try patching the finish then with a similar gloss clear finish. If it
is a valuable piece, have an expert look at it. If not valuable,
refinish by sanding the top lightly and put on a clear finish....I've
never seen a spot repair on wood that was satisfactory.

On 8/19/2009 8:41 AM ransley spake thus:

On Aug 19, 9:34 am, "Ralph Mowery" wrote:

After canning some tomatoes my wife put the hot jars on a thin towel on ur
kitchen table. It is wood and looks to be finisned in a light oak color.
Where each of the jars were there is a white spot the size of the jars.
Probably due to the heat.
Is there anything that can be done to remove the spots without refinishing
the whole table ?

Relax and wait a few days before trying anything, it has to dry.

Hard to believe, but that's actually the best advice in this thread so far.

So far as using abrasives of various types as people have suggested, bad
idea. The last thing you want to do is damage the finish more, or, worse
yet, remove it down to the wood. The idea of using heat is probably a
good one (after waiting for things to settle down).


--
Found--the gene that causes belief in genetic determinism

In article ,
" wrote:

Ralph Mowery wrote:
After canning some tomatoes my wife put the hot jars on a thin towel on ur
kitchen table. It is wood and looks to be finisned in a light oak color.
Where each of the jars were there is a white spot the size of the jars.
Probably due to the heat.
Is there anything that can be done to remove the spots without refinishing
the whole table ?


Is the WOOD oak? I've seen a number of "cures" for the problem, but
none that work. Another I recall seeing is to rub cigarette ashes into
the whitened area, but it did not work for me. The finish has whitened,
not the wood....I would take very fine steel wool and test by rubbing
onto a small part of the whitened area to try to remove that much
finish. You might also remove stain if it is a lacquer finish, so there
are no sure ways to undo the damage. If the white disappears, you can
try patching the finish then with a similar gloss clear finish. If it
is a valuable piece, have an expert look at it. If not valuable,
refinish by sanding the top lightly and put on a clear finish....I've
never seen a spot repair on wood that was satisfactory.

A guitar maker I know explained white spots as moisture sucked out of
the wood and deposited on the *underside* of the finish. That, he says,
is why you can't ever really do anything to remove them from the topside.

On 8/19/2009 11:17 PM Smitty Two spake thus:

A guitar maker I know explained white spots as moisture sucked out of
the wood and deposited on the *underside* of the finish. That, he says,
is why you can't ever really do anything to remove them from the topside.

That's a good explanation, at least where lacquer is concerned.

It is possible that such spots may be treatable by the careful
application of heat. But nothing you rub on the top side is going to
affect them.


--
Found--the gene that causes belief in genetic determinism

Coat with mayonnaise. Should be fine in a day.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Ralph Mowery" wrote in message
m...
After canning some tomatoes my wife put the hot jars on a thin
towel on ur kitchen table. It is wood and looks to be finisned
in a light oak color. Where each of the jars were there is a
white spot the size of the jars. Probably due to the heat.
Is there anything that can be done to remove the spots without
refinishing the whole table ?