This method may sound a little weird to most of you but I promise it works! After we first got married I was on the hunt one day to find something that would remove water spots from my table. After trying a few different things I cam across a phrase in an old book that said to try mayonnaise. I grabbed a bottle of the plain from-the-store stuff and tested it out. To my disbelief it worked! Not only did it take away the water spots but it made my table nice and shiny.
Since mayo is so expensive I rarely buy a bottle from the grocery store for this cleaning habit but I often find it at my local discount grocery store for $0.50 for an expired bottle (it doesn't matter if it's in date, you aren't eating it!)
*Note: my table is made from real wood.
Here's a before and after shots.
I wipe the mayo all over the table. Then with a wet rag I wipe it completely off. Then I dry it with a dry towel. None of the mayo is actually left on the table, it just leaves it nice and shiny! Make sure to get it all off otherwise it will be a little greasy.
Have you ever tried this crazy trick? Do you think you will?
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Do you wipe it off after or do you leave it on the table?
Does it smell after a while?
Thanks.
Andy
I wipe it completely off the table. I wipe it all over, then wipe it off with a wet towel and then dry towel it. It does not smell because nothing is left on.
I get it. I will try it on my old oak table.
Thanks.
There was an article in This Old House recently listing 10 uses for mayonnaise. I never knew it could do so much other than dress a sandwich or potato salad.
There is no point trying this on my kitchen table because the finish is gone from 23 years of homeschooling and our kids had a fit when we said we were going to refinish it! BUT we bought a real wood table and chairs at a thrift store for our son who just got married and I am thinking this would be worth a try on that table. It looks similar to yours right now. It would be awesome if we had the same results!
I am going to try that!..I wish I hadn’t thrown that old mayonnaise away, now!
It’s the oil in it that makes this happen
Wow, that’s really an amazing difference. I have a very old art deco desk that I’d be curious to try it on. I’ve used oil on it (can’t remember which kind) and it really did nothing because the top of it is so dry. I also have a nicked and scratched up oak coffee table that I’ve been indecisively procrastinating fixing up (refinish, paint, decoupage, etc.) for years. Worth a shot!
For some reason it makes sense
it also removes stickers from wood doors. just let the mayo soak in good, then scrape off. im assuming its the oil in it that makes it work so well.
I have done this before and it works and polishes great, but something that works much faster on water spots on hardwood floors is to use a piece of white t-shirt and a dry iron set on cotton. Press iron on cloth a couple of seconds, then check to see if spot is gone. Repeat if necessary.
I’ve heard of it. But have to say in almost 30 years of marriage, I’ve never ever tried it!
I have an old sewing machine cabinet, that needs a little TLC –I may try this!
Pat
When I helped my Grandparents referb. furniture for their second hand store, we also would add instant coffee to the mayo to “fix” scratches.
My kitchen table is kinda in the same condition as yours. Did you issue where it’s sticky also?
Like this quit fix! I have always rubbed pecans (out of shell) on scratches and then polish over. It works on any furniture.
Hmmm this didn’t work for me. I used some generic mayo but I didn’t see any difference. I even have a huge water spot from a relative that recently visited and it is still there too.
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