How to Clean a Bright Pink Post-it Note Stain on an Oak Table

Hair spray has worked for ink pen marks and some felt markers. Just spray it on, leave for a minute and wipe.

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Cover the stain with mayonnaise, straight from the jar. Use the "real deal", not the low fat, light stuff. Let it sit on the stain for 15-30 minutes. I'm not sure if this will work, but since water was involved, I'd give it a try. My Grandmother taught me this trick for removing the white marks left behind by water glasses placed directly on furniture. It's a trick used by antique collectors/dealers because it works without ruining the finish on furniture. I'd be curious to know if this works on the pink stain.
L.

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Dear S.,
I got a stain on my parquet wood floors and was flipping out. My mother suggested mayonnaise, of all things.
I was shocked. It worked. Different types of woods or finishes will respond differently, but you can try mayonnaise. It's not harmful or chemical. I was worried the oils would stain the wood even worse, but it didn't.
At least not in my case.
Anything too harsh will strip your finish. You may have to sand and re-varnish. If there are other things out there for wood, I'd be happy to know what they are.
Best of luck!

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Hi;

That just happened to me last week, only it was on my husband's cherry desk (probably darker than your oak). I immediately got a terry cloth rag and rubbed it with water, and quite a bit came off. Next, I used some Murphy's Oil Soap, and had to do quite a bit of rubbing. At one point, I let some of the oil soap sit there for about a half hour I am happy to report that most of it came off...you can see a tiny bit of pink if you are looking for it, and the light is good! Another suggestion I have that has worked GREAT for us, is to get a piece of glass cut to fit your table top. This has kept our beautiful honey pine table still beautiful after three kids and 9 years! Good luck!

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Hi S.,
If the table has a high shine finish, try using white toothpaste on a clean, dry cloth and rubbing the stain. If it ends up shinier than the rest of the table, use a rubbing compound on the rest, then polish. If the table has a dull or satin finish, try a VERY soft steel wool pad dipped in lemon oil and rub with the grain. Again, you may have to polish the rest of the table when your done. I have also heard that applying Vaseline to a water stain until it is gone then wiping it off. Don't know if it will work with dyed water stain though.
Good luck!
L.

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Hi S.,

The same thing happened to my desk at work. I tried cleaning it off the day it happened and no luck. Over time though and many cleanings later it is almost gone. I would keep trying to clean it with a sponge and soapy water. Give it a month before you refinish the whole table. That's a lot of work and may not be necessary.

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Try alternating between vinegar and mild liquid soap. This worked on a grape juice stain in a new shirt, so maybe it would work?

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Try some Restore-a-Finish and 0000 steel wool. You get it at a hardware store and it comes in several colors - so pick the one closest to yours. You could also try olive oil and 0000 steel wool to gently rub out the color - it's probably just on the varnish and hasn't soaked all the way into the wood. You need to rub in one direction only not back & forth and follow the wood grain.

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Method has an Almond Oil wood furniture cleaner. You can get it at Target. It's a great product because it also acts as a polish. The only thing is that you don't want to leave it damp on the table. Work it in until dry. Don't use a paper towel, use cloth. A cloth diaper is best.

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I use an all-natural product that I purchase from my own business that can easily remove Sharpie permanent marker from hardwood flooring. Although I have not tried it with post-it note ink, I would guess that it wouldn't be a problem. Check out my website and request information, I would be glad to contact you with more information about purchasing non-toxic products without harsh chemicals. www.SwitchingStores.info

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Easy solution... skip using pink post-its. Sounds like you might have to sand it down and re-varnish it. Once something leaks in to wood it's almost impossible to get it out. Wood is absorbant.

try a little Soft Scrub--it worked for me on a desk and a bookshelf.
D.

My dad is a carpenter and I have worked with wood myself and the only way to get the stain out is to refinish the whole table.