Remove grease stains from pine

[stuckinthemud]

I have a pine floor sealed with Diamond Wax. Spilled some greasy food and the grease penetrated a tiny scratch and stained the board. The wax is doing its job of preventing cleaning products reaching the timber. Other than stripping the wax, what are my options ? Vinegar? Steam? I have scrubbed hard with dish soap and hot water. Criss-cross scratching to open the sealed surface?

 

[RichardG]

I doubt you’ll get it out without removing the covering but you could try a warm/hot iron and some absorbent paper/material although i suspect you will not be able to get it warm enough without damaging the diamond wax.

 

[TRITON]

Talcum powder or rottenstone and meths.
Rub the meths in and use the powder to draw the stain out.

I'd an oak rolltop i found in the skip of a large cabinetmakers(too expensive time wise for them to do it, so better to bin and use new)
I took it into college and was instructed there how to draw the oil stain out.

Seem to remember using sandpaper and a cabinet scraper to help remove the affected area without taking too much off.

 

[stuckinthemud]

Thank you, will let you know how I get on

 

[D_W]

Either remove material or apply and extract a solvent that will draw the grease out with it.

 

[Fergie 307]

I had a friend who had got grease from the seat runners on a car on her white coat. Pre paint wipe removed it a treat, never tried it on wood but don't see why it wouldn't work, maybe dampen some sawdust with it and put it over the area. It evaporates very quickly so you would probably want to cover it. I think Halfords sell it in cans nowadays, or If you take a jar along to any car paint shop I'm sure you could sweet talk them into giving you some.

 

[MARK.B.]

When i was a nipper i remember my Dad covering a wooden tabletop with what looked to me like garden soil , when asking why he said it to remove grease and oil from granny's kitchen table that was left from him rebuilding the engine of a Motor bike. If I remember correctly (memory getting like a scratched record still works but jumps a bit with some bits missing ) he said it was Fullers earth

 

[julianf]

Talcum powder or rottenstone and meths.
Rub the meths in and use the powder to draw the stain out.

Im not saying this wont work, but...

If the meths is a methanol ethanol mix, a triglyceride like vegetable or animal oil will not be soluble in this.
Some meths has propan-2-ol added, and a triglyceride is soluble in this, but, IF that is the reason why the method works, then just using the isopropanol (same stuff, different name) to start with would be simpler.

 

[TRITON]

Im pretty sure it was meths
But whatever it was exactly, and tbh meths is about all we ever used there, the process did work. And as far as im aware, despite your if's and buts, meths is a degreaser.

 

[julianf]

Im pretty sure it was meths
But whatever it was exactly, and tbh meths is about all we ever used there, the process did work. And as far as im aware, despite your if's and buts, meths is a degreaser.

Methylated spirits is a generic name that can apply to different mixes, but, in all cases, the bulk of the compound will not dissolve animal or vegetable fats.

Mineral oils, yes, but not triglycerides. Smaller esters will also be soluble, but, again, not triglycerides, which is what the bulk of any "grease" in food is.

Again, I'm not saying your method does not work, I'm just commenting that it's success will be due to the additives in the "methylated spirits" rather than the bulk of the solvent itself, and that there are more sensible ways to dissolve a triglyceride than using a product of which the bulk is not a solvent for the target whatsoever, and will only work due to additives that may, or may not, be present.

Again, I'm not saying youre wrong, so no need to fight your corner. I'm just pointing out the chemistry of it.