Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) Petroleum jelly can gently penetrate the wood's surface without damaging it, much like it does your skin. Blot the stain, then use a dry sponge or towel to apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Let it stand overnight and wipe away in the morning.
Vaseline can bring the life back to old wood furniture and even make stains less noticeable. It is also a great wood polish. Rub Vaseline on the area and let sit for 24 hours to get the best results.
Method Three: Mayonnaise or Petroleum Jelly
Another useful tool in removing white heat stains from wood furniture is oil. The dense ingredient is able to penetrate the surface of the wood, freeing up trapped moisture that is causing the stain.
Stuck drawers are a number one furniture hate, but a handy DIY trick can help them to open and close smoothly in no time. The easy trick is to use a cheap accessible lubricant to get them open – in this case, petroleum jelly.
If you want to create a distressed look on a piece of furniture or home decor, you can get it done cheaply with a little effort using petroleum jelly. Transform any piece of wood furniture into a shabby chic mastetpiece in an afternoon.
Vaseline and ointment stains will get darker the longer they sit on the fabric and will become harder to remove—in some cases, they can become permanent stains. Once you notice the spot, it is best to get it out as soon as possible.
White stains.
In both cases water is the culprit, in the form of condensed moisture (cold) or steam (hot). This water pushes into the wood's finish below to cause the otherwise clear layer to turn white or a milky gray. It sounds bad but it's actually less severe than you think.
While petroleum jelly has many benefits, it shouldn't be used for everything. Avoid putting petroleum jelly on your face if you are acne-prone, as this may cause breakouts in some people. If you have questions about your skin or how to take care of it, see a board-certified dermatologist.
Iron vinegar on cedar - cheap, easy and fast!
Here's how to age wood and make it look old and gray. Iron vinegar on fresh cedar lumber: Soak some steel wool in white vinegar for a few hours or a few days - the longer it steeps, the darker the aged effect will be.
Pour enough white vinegar into the container that it will submerge the steel wool. Put the top on and shake it up good then let it sit for 24 hrs. You can get different levels of aging if you let is sit longer or shorter periods, but for most of my purposes 24 hrs is perfect.
I sanded my wood countertops well, then vacuumed and wiped them down with a damp cloth. I'm using water based wood dye so there's no issue with using a water dampened cloth to clean off all the sanding dust. You can purchase dyes in liquid or powder form.
If you do it well without leaving the spray on the surface, wd40 will not affect the wood finish - but will clean the wood and keep it smooth and splinter-free for a long. That's the reason many woodworkers use wd40 for cleaning and fixing the splinters on hand tools that come with wooden handles.
Can I use olive oil on wood furniture? Yes, you can. Use a cloth to work the oil into the wood grain, rubbing back and forth. When the wood has absorbed the oil, leave it for ten minutes then wipe the excess off with a clean cloth.