DJ spilled the dye on our Amish white oak kichen table this morning. After getting Lynn to take a valarian herbal and lay down (she doesn't drink :>), I started removing the stain.

Step 1 : Saturate a towel with olive oil and lay over stain. I then heated a pan of water to boiling and set this on the olive oil soaked towel like on a heat pad to warm the oil and soak it better into the stain and patina of the wood. Let it set about 20 minutes.

Step 2 : Use toothpaste and an old brush ( or the child will donate theirs depending on how murderous Mamas' stare is) and scrub. This lifted the purple Paas dye in just about a minute. Table looks good as new, wife is refreashed after a nap and son lives to mess up again :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 15, 2001

Answers

Thanks Jay, for the laugh. Aren't kids fun? But I'm surprised that this would be the first stain on the table. Or is this just one of many of "used to be" stains?!?

-- Michael W. Smith in North-West Pennsylvania (KIRKLBB@PENN.COM), April 15, 2001.

I use all my furniture medic skills around here, just thought I might save a kids life by posting this today.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 15, 2001.

Good info, Jay. Prevention is another way to go. Mom had "oilcloth" (flannel backed vinyl nowdays) on our table until we were all out of our teens. Easily washed/wiped off, and if totally destroyed, cheap to replace.

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), April 15, 2001.