Blue stain in elm

[--Tom--]

Currently refinishing some ercol furniture from eBay and there are some bluish stained areas on the top, which look to be from something wet being placed on top.

I’m not sure how deep it will be so before I try skimming with a fine set plane, it would be good to get some advice from anyone who’s cleaned up similar marks.

Being ercol the top is elm.

The darker of the two looked a bit like a scorch but after a quick swipe with the sander looks more like a stain now

 

[marcros]

What is the furniture? It looks a bit like ink to me, and I have seen a post somewhere about removal of ink. Is the piece likely that an ink bottle or pen could have leaked on it?

 

[Blackswanwood]

It also looks like ink to me. Oxalic Acid or Liberon Wood Bleacher may help if it is.

 

[--Tom--]

It’s a drink cabinet (well that’s what we use it for)

(Picture lazily taken from internet, mines the same but tattier)

The top is just above belly button height and I’m 6ft 3 so an awkward height for most to write at. But being 70 years old, ink stain seems a good guess.

Will order some wood bleach, though bar keepers friend is mainly oxalis acid so may give that a try unless there’s a reason not to?

 

[--Tom--]

Let’s see if this works

 

[marcros]

Well that's brave going straight in. I think I would have waited a bit longer for some more advice, particularly from somebody who had successfully removed ink stains before.

Good luck and fingers crossed.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Well that's brave going straight in. I think I would have waited a bit longer for some more advice, particularly from somebody who had successfully removed ink stains before.

Good luck and fingers crossed.

I have ... but I’m not offering any guarantees! :lol:

 

[--Tom--]

Success, after first coat the pale one is pretty much gone, and the darker is almost out.

Will do another coat now, then guess it’ll need a bicarb wash to neutralise.