How To: Remove Scorch Marks from Furniture

Have a piece of wooden furniture with a cigarette burn marring its finish? There's two solutions that might be able to bring back a more presentable surface, one an old timey tip and the other a store bought solution that work to remove surface burns...

The first solution as advised in our handy 1,001 Old Time Household Hints book involves making a paste of cigarette or wood ashes with linseed oil, and rubbing the paste on the burn marks in the direction of the wood grain. Wipe off the residue using a soft cloth moistened with linseed oil. If you're looking for a pre-mixed solution, try Soft Scrub partnered with a Q-Tip and very gently scrubbing at the surface burn. If the burn is too significant, you might need to sand and refinish your smoker's folly.

Comments (5)

stubbed out cigs = the height of ugliness. please, no more

posted by baba yaga on January 23rd 2009 at 10:37pm
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What's next? Advice on how to stow away those unsightly crack pipes on the kitchen counter?

posted by eeka on January 25th 2009 at 5:41pm
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I think it's kind of a handy tip, not just for smokers or people who are friends with smokers. Salvaged furniture? Garage sales, craigslist, Goodwill, the curb? You'll want to get those marks off, wouldn't ya?

posted by K T G on January 25th 2009 at 8:43pm
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Step One: Kick to the curb whomever thought they should stub out a cigarette, or let it burn down while balanced directly on, on your table!

posted by kuroneko on January 26th 2009 at 12:22pm
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Anyone know if this would work for burns from an Iron?

I had a HORRIBLE lapse in judgment prior to owning an ironing board...really bad for my walnut table. Arg. Really really bad idea. I have scorch marks and I keep a table cloth over it to hide it. I'd love to enjoy the beauty of the table I found at a consignment shop for $60...really...it's pretty, except for my iron marks. *hits head on wall*

posted by icmags on January 26th 2009 at 5:54pm
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