saltwater stains on wood

Thanks again. I've had a go with warm water, and that does seem to have got some of the salt out - I think the problem is that the grains have got into the grain. My husband has gone home, but is coming back tonight, and I've asked him to bring some white vinegar (I'm in the middle of nowhere, so am relying on what I've got in the cupboards*). I have some beeswax polish here for some reason, and will apply that after the vinegar.

The wood is swollen though, so even if I reduce the stain I think I'm going to have to cover it with something. It's so annoying, as it was entirely preventable.

*Now I think about it, there might be some white vinegar in the bathroom cupboard, as I mix it with washing up liquid to clean the shower.

If the stains are still white, that's a good sign. I've used a hair dryer on them, then rubbed in cooking oil or mayonnaise, followed by shoe cleaner polish. (We often treated stains in our holiday properties, and I just grabbed anything available from the cupboard.) If the stains are left to darken and go brown, then you've pretty much had it.

This may be irrelevant but I have had some success in removing white rings on tables caused by water spills or cups or plates etc
Lay a double thickness of clean dry teatowel and iron over with a hot but dry iron. This somehow sucks any moisture out of the wood and you can then wax or polish (not spray like Pledge, real polish) it. Use your own judgement about how long to persevere - if it’s priceless Hepplewhite, go carefully!

All I can think of otherwise is to get a lamp (of the non-salt variety!) to put on top of it. That's definitely plan B. Mine was to only have a vase of dried flowers in future!

Thanks, Rosie. It's definitely worth a try. All I can think of otherwise is to get a lamp (of the non-salt variety!) to put on top of it.

We were advised by a furniture maker to try white vinegar applied with a soft cloth and working with the grain to get a water stain out of an oak sideboard. It did work but I don't know if a saltwater stain would be different. Might be worth trying a little bit in a hidden area in case the vinegar affected the wood colour? We used furniture oil afterwards, when it was dry, to re-nourish the wood.

Oops - that posted too soon.

The heating has been on since Friday, so I think it is as dry as we will get it, but the stain is still there.

Any ideas would be welcome, if anyone has any. Thanks in advance.