water stains on wooden worktop....

[treacletart]

is there any way of getting rid of them? We haven't oiled regularly and now we have bad black staining around the sink. Short of replacing the worktop altogether is there anything we can do?

Sand?

hmm tried sanding this afternoon but the staining seems pretty deep...

Hmm bleach might be an option but be careful

seek specialist advice

Oxalic acid will shift the stains and you can get it from a specialist paint shop.
oxalic acid

yeah tried a bit of bleach too, but didnt seem to have any effect at all.

ooooooh gentle otter thanks that looks like the stuff!!!! Hurray! Have you tried it ?

GentleOtter is right. You need oxalic acid which you can normally get from hardware stores and DIY shops. It's very cheap. I have bought it as granules/crystals and then add water to make the solution.

I will never have wooden worktops again!

I used it on the wood of my car (Morris Minor) and on an old table that was in the shed. Both came up lovely.

You paint it on then wash it off - sometimes you have to do it a couple of times but it makes a good job.

fantastic thanks!

this stuff here is amazing for wood counters. It has no obnoxious chemicals and is really tough and impervious to water.

(I'm not on commission, honestly!)

Wish I'd known about the oxalic acid when we had a wooden worktop.

DH got an electric sander and sanded all the worktop down once, and then oiled it, and it did look lovely for about 3 months.

We're just putting in the first kitchen that we have ever chosen, and despite the fact that we have a tiny budget, most of it is going for a granite worktop because as much as I love the look, we will never have wood again.

If it's wet then you have to WAIT until it's dry before you treat it. Then you can apply wood bleach etc.

You should have oiled you norty person.

Let this be a lesson to anyone thinking about getting wood worktops. I did think about it but the oiling and the black bits put me off from my friends house and I chose wood effect.

Cheers girls - I'll let you know how we get on...