3 Easy Ways to Remove Water Stains From Wood

We can all agree that the worst part about throwing a party is the party cleanup. And it's even worse when guests accidentally leave messes behind. (Hey, it happens!)

So what if someone forgot to use a coaster and left behind an ugly water ring on your nice wooden table?

NYC home organizing expert Caroline Solomon—@neat.caroline with nearly 150k followers on TikTok—has three easy ways to remove water stains from wood.

Use white toothpaste ...

"If someone forgets to put a coaster down on your nice wood end table and leaves a tragic-looking water mark, don't panic," she says. "Instead, use white toothpaste. Apply a pea-sized amount to a clean rag and then work it around the water ring. It will totally disappear, because there are mild abrasives in here that will help break that down."

... or mayonnaise

"In pinch, you can actually use mayonnaise, too," Caroline says.

... OR an iron

If you don't have white toothpaste or mayo, Caroline says, you can use a clothing iron.

Just place a microfiber cloth on top of the water ring, set the iron to medium heat and iron the cloth while periodically lifting the iron off. "That will eventually lift that water ring right off," Caroline says.

Genius! Caroline also gave tips on how to clear dishes WAY quicker after everyone leaves and shared her trick for cleaning stubborn greasy stains off of pots and pans.