Quick Fix: Erase Water Rings from Furniture

Despite how religious you are about coaster use in your house, chances are you have at least one water ring plaguing a piece of furniture. I didn't learn the importance of coasters until after college, and by then my beautiful hand-me-down Drexel coffee table had been tarnished with multiple rings from bottles of beer and wine. Is it too late to save it?

Luckily Peter Stames of Archia Homes has a solution for even the toughest of alcohol and water stains. To get rid of a new stain: Apply a clean cloth to blot the stain, and press a warm iron on top of the cloth until the stain is removed. Make sure the iron is just warm — not hot — and don't use any steam. If you'd rather not use this technique, try rubbing the stain with a soft cloth and olive oil or another natural oil.

If this doesn't work, try using mayonnaise or petroleum jelly and leave it overnight. Simply wipe it clean the next morning — the stain should be gone.

To get rid of an older stain: Moisten a cotton cloth in olive oil, and touch the cloth to a bit of rottenstone (see next photo). Gently rub the stained area with the cloth until the ring appears to be gone. Never wax or polish over an alcohol or  water ring, since this will permanently set the stain on the wood finish.