Water Damage

[Bozz]

Arggghhh! A leaking washing machine put water on the garage floor that ran across and soaked into the unfinished frame-and-panel sides of a cherry dresser under way. Looks like it soaked in about 1-2” before I caught it but now the bottom is slightly discolored.

Any known remedy for this? I’d hate to have to remake them!

Thanks

[Halfathumb]

attach a photo so we can exactly what you're up against

[jteneyck]

Now you know what I and I'm sure many others know. Never rest unfinished work directly on the floor. With regards to the staining you now have let it dry really well then try light sanding or scraping in an inconspicuous area to see if you can remove it. If that's unsuccessful you'll need a chemical cure, but I don't know what that might be.

John

[Willyou]

I concur with the above. Once it is completely dry, a light sanding might remove the stain. If it was oak, oxalic acid would be the answer. However, I don't think cherry has any tannin to cause a reaction. It couldn't hurt to try it. After you have dried it and sanded it , try putting some mineral spirits on it liberally. That will sort of simulate what it will look like with a clear finish. If it still looks bad, post a picture and we'll try to think of something else.

[Stwood_]

Once it is completely dry, a light sanding might remove the stain.

+1

[Bozz]

Great ideas, all. Once it dried it did not look as bad as I feared. I’m going to try and lightly scrape or sand it but after staining it probably won’t be noticeable (I hope!). I’ll try the mineral spirits idea this weekend.
John, certainly a hard-learned lesson about storing items! I may have gotten off easy this time.
Appreciate the thoughts!
Mike