Water is wet..... and wood does not like wet things.

I have gotten a few questions about water marks on both painted and unpainted wood, and so I thought I would try to tackle this question the best way I know how.I took pictures of water rings that I have around my house {above}. The unfinished table has a few rings, and the TV console in the den has a few too. I may or may not be responsible for the ones on the wood table....but my son totally owns the ones on the TV console.I have a personal conviction about such things as water rings........ {see how I got all poetical and rhythmical?}......I am not bothered by them really, and take the approach of "I'll get around to waxing that table"....or "I'll fix those rings on the console when I finish putting on the new back.......one day." These are signs of life and living...and they happen.BUT, I know that this can be bothersome and really should be taken care of in order to keep your beautiful furniture looking fresh and clean! So, here goes.1. Use a coaster for goodness sake! I sell all kinds of coasters in the shop for this very reason, and I have them all over our house {ones that we apparently forget to use...but nonetheless....we've got some great ones!} Seriously though, try to remember to put down a coaster on both painted and non painted surfaces.2. There are two types of water rings on non painted surfaces. Light and dark. The light stains have only penetrated the surface finish, but the dark stains have reached to the innermost parts of the wood and are a little trickier to get out! If you have light or white water rings on top of a NON painted wood surface , the best thing to try first is mineral spirits. Put a little bit on a clean soft rag and rub it into the spot. Let it sit overnight, and repeat if it seems to have helped. If the stain is still visible after using mineral spirits, then use  a paste mixture of baking soda and non gel toothpaste. Let it sit on the stain for a few hours and wipe away with an oil soap. {Murphy's oil soap} Once the ring is gone, and the wood is dry....apply danish oil or wax to seal the surface again.3. If you have a dark stain on non painted wood you will want to start by lightly sanding the area with a fine grit sandpaper. {150 grit} If you can remove the stain without major, heavy sanding and disturbance to the surface, do so, and then apply a furniture stain or varnish to even out the finish. {If you are talking about a fine antique here, you will want to be very careful as this can really destroy the value of a piece when executed poorly.} If your stain is so dark that it does not remove when sanded lightly.... then you will need to get a little more involved and bleach the spot. Use a brush and apply the bleach directly to the stain. When the stain has lightened,{it usually takes a few hours} use a clean rag and water to stop the chemical action of the bleach. When you have washed the area with water, apply vinegar to neutralize the wood, and let the wood dry completely. Depending on the type of wood finish you have, apply stain or wax to seal the wood and match the finish of the existing wood surface.4. If you have a water ring on a painted surface....it is not difficult to fix....but it IS a process to fix. It is very different from non painted surfaces. I have found that you have to sand through the paint to try to remove the water mark and it will require that you seal and then re paint the surface you are working on. Make sure that your surface is nice and smooth before re painting. You will want to sand and seal the water mark with polyurethane or a stain blocking primer. When moisture is trapped in the surface of the paint or in the wood it has to be sealed before being repainted or it will seep back through the next coat of paint.I hope this helps in answering your questions! If you have any other questions for me , please leave them in the comments section!Thanks guys!xo,Barb