Oak furniture can become a defining feature of any room in the home. From dining tables and counters to oak bar stools and chairs, this beautiful material offers incredible strength alongside a comforting softness that has made it popular for hundreds of years.
Whether you have an antique or a new piece of oak furniture, the natural qualities of this fine wood mean that stains can happen, no matter how much we try to avoid them. If you’ve noticed a spot on your wood that wasn’t there before, here are some ways you can get it looking its best once more.
Pictured: Traditional Oak Table Top
Avoid Chemical Cleaning Products
While it can be tempting to pick up a flashy cleaner in your next supermarket shop, there are much better (and cheaper) things you can do for your oak.
Many supermarket products will contain harsh chemicals, some of which can cause longer-term damage to your oak furniture. If you want to rely on a chemical cleaner, do your research to ensure it won’t hurt the wood or any finish it has.
Oak is a natural material, and many other natural, human-friendly products can help keep it clean.
Use Vinegar on Light Stains
If you’re dealing with a light stain, such as spilled food or fizzy drinks, then trusty white vinegar can often do the trick.
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Prepare a solution that’s half as much vinegar as water (1:2 ratio).
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Dip a cloth into the solution and then ring it out so it’s damp, not wet, and wipe down the stained area.
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Either rinse the cloth or put a new one underneath clean water, ring it out, and wipe the vinegar away along with the stain.
If the above doesn’t work, you can create a stronger solution that’s equal parts vinegar and water and leave it to work on the stain for five minutes before wiping clean and drying with a towel. However, be careful whenever adding moisture directly to your table as this is the main cause of most stains (more on this near the end).
Pictured: Cheshire White Oak Round Table
Use Toothpaste and Baking Soda on Tougher Stains
If you have darker, more stubborn stains, including marks from pens, pencils and crayons, then the mild abrasiveness of toothpaste is a good choice.
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Apply a small amount of toothpaste onto a cloth and rub it in a circular motion into the stain. You should start to see the marks lifting from the oak.
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Clean with a damp cloth before drying with a towel.
If toothpaste on its own doesn’t work, you can add baking soda for a slightly more abrasive solution. You can also rub it in gently with an old toothbrush instead of using a cloth.
Dark Stains May Require Sanding
If you have particularly dark or old stains that neither vinegar nor toothpaste can budge, it may be something that needs to be sanded out of the wood. Doing this can be more challenging, so if you’re dealing with an expensive antique you might want to get a professional to take a look.
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Sand the stain with fine-grit sandpaper, working along the grain.
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If the stain is surface-level, sanding may be enough to remove the mark. In this case, simply re-varnish.
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If the stain is deeper, apply a small amount of bleach to the stain in the sanded area. Once the stain lightens (which usually takes a few hours but can be longer), neutralise and remove the bleach with a vinegar and water solution applied with either a cloth or sponge.
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Dry the area before reapplying the varnish.
Pictured: Handmade Padstow Oak Bar Stool and Eton Butcher's Block
How to Protect Oak Furniture
Of course, it would be much easier for everyone if stains didn’t appear in the first place. While some messes are unavoidable, there are some things you can do to help minimise and prevent stains on your oak furniture.
Keep it Dry
The number one reason for stains appearing on oak furniture is because moisture has seeped into the wood. Oak is naturally porous, so if it’s left unprotected and with moisture on the surface, those liquids will eventually seep inside and cause stains.
Most of the time, concerns around moisture come from food and drink spills, so try to keep on top of these.
However, moisture problems can also arise from the humidity and ventilation of a room. Try to avoid putting oak furniture against solid walls as this can lead to poor ventilation and moisture build-up in the edges of your furniture. We also recommend avoiding placing your furniture next to a radiator, or storing in a damp space, like a leaky garage.
Pictured: Windsor Dining Chair
Wipe Regularly
Of course, it’s impossible to avoid all spills across the long lifetime of a piece of oak furniture. That’s why it’s important to wipe down any messes as soon as they occur.
Keep a dry cloth handy so you can quickly wipe down your oak furniture regularly – it only needs a few seconds each time. Doing this also stops dust from building, which can occasionally cause long-term problems.
When wiping down regularly, avoid using chemical sprays.
Re-Wax or Re-Oil
One of the best things you can do to protect oak furniture is to apply a wax or similar protective oak coating, like Osmo oil. Oil based coatings are usually more hard-wearing than waxes, so consider upgrading your finish if you have a wax on your furniture. These coverings usually double as both protection and moisture for the oak, lowering the risk of the wood drying out and splitting.
Pretty much all oak furniture will come with a wax or varnish applied, such is its importance. However, depending on the quality of the covering and the furniture’s use, it’s recommended to re-apply a wax or varnish once every year or two to ensure it remains protected.
By taking good care of your oak furniture, it can thrive for many decades of regular daily use. That’s why we believe sustainable wooden furniture is more important now than ever before. If you agree, we invite you to explore our wide range of oak furniture today to discover something new for your home.