| Most water rings on furniture can be removed by | | | | much wax on your furniture, or a finish that is thin |
| spraying the affected area with a product called | | | | and worn. You can test a finish by rubbing an |
| No-Blush, available online or at most commercial | | | | inconspicuous spot with a rag moistened with either |
| refinishing supply stores. Sometimes, water rings can | | | | denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner. If finish can |
| be removed by denatured alcohol. In rare cases, it is | | | | removed by the alcohol, the finish is shellac. If finish |
| necessary to bleach the affected area. The | | | | can be removed by the lacquer thinner, the finish is |
| technique used to repair water rings will vary with | | | | lacquer. If the finish cannot be removed by either of |
| the type of finish and the type of ring. | | | | these solvents, you have a reactive finish. |
| Repairing Water Rings Requires Little Skill | | | | The Nature of Water Rings |
| Professional refinishers state that water ring removal | | | | There are two types of water rings: blush rings and |
| is a common and simple repair. Often, their | | | | mineral rings. Blush rings are the most common and |
| customers remark that if they knew how easy the | | | | are caused by placing drinks or hot/moist items (like |
| repair was, they would have done it themselves. In | | | | a pizza box) onto furniture. Blush rings are white, and |
| truth, water ring removal does not take a lot of skill. | | | | appear as cloudiness in the finish. |
| What it does require, though, is a basic knowledge of | | | | Mineral rings are caused by leakage from houseplant |
| finish chemistry and the nature of water rings. With | | | | pots. Water leaks through the pot and picks up |
| such knowledge, water ring repair can be easily | | | | minerals from the dirt, which is carried into the wood. |
| accomplished. | | | | Mineral rings are dark colored because minerals from |
| First, Understand the Nature of Furniture Finishes | | | | the water have been absorbed by the cells of the |
| A successful water ring repair begins with knowledge | | | | wood. Such a ring is a permanent stain. The only way |
| of the type of finish that is damaged. There are | | | | to repair mineral rings is to bleach them, which |
| more than fifteen types of furniture finishes currently | | | | requires completely stripping and refinishing the |
| in use, but to repair water rings you only need to | | | | furniture. |
| know two things: evaporative finishes and reactive | | | | How to Repair Blush Rings |
| finishes. Evaporative finishes are easy to repair, and | | | | Blush rings are caused by moisture trapped in the |
| reactive finishes are difficult to repair. | | | | finish. The repair can be made by softening the finish |
| Evaporative finishes are a mixture of solids and a | | | | enough to allow the moisture to escape. Begin by |
| solvent. Once applied to wood, the solvent | | | | making a smooth-surfaced ball out of linen or cotton. |
| evaporates, leaving the solids to form the furniture | | | | Moisten the ball with denatured alcohol and tamp it |
| finish. A characteristic of an evaporative finish is that | | | | into the palm of your hand to be sure that it is simply |
| it can be re-melted by its original solvent. The most | | | | moist, not wet. Carefully wipe the alcohol across the |
| common evaporative furniture finishes are shellac, | | | | blushed area. Repeat as needed, but allow the alcohol |
| lacquer, and wax. | | | | to dry between swipes; drying will only take a minute |
| Reactive finishes dry by chemical reaction; as drying | | | | or two. Ninety percent of the time, this repair |
| occurs, the molecules in the finish bind together to | | | | technique will work. If it does not work, I suggest |
| form a hard and durable finish. Reactive finishes | | | | buying a can of No-Blush and spraying the damaged |
| cannot be re-melted by their original solvent. | | | | area lightly. No-Blush will chemically soften the finish, |
| Common reactive finishes are polyurethane, varnish, | | | | and contains a retarder to slow down the drying time |
| epoxies, and common house paint. | | | | enough to allow the moisture to escape. |
| How to Tell What Kind of Finish is on Your Furniture | | | | Repairing water rings can be easily accomplished if |
| A reactive finish that is in good condition is extremely | | | | one knows what kind of finish is damaged, how the |
| resistant to water rings. If you have rings, chances | | | | ring occurred and what solvent will soften the finish. |
| are you have either shellac or lacquer as a finish, too | | | | |