Heat stains, water marks and nicks leave unsightly marks on solid oak worktops. Luckily wood allows you to remove these stains and restore your worktop to looking like new. You need easily obtainable supplies to remove these blemishes from an oak worktop.
Small Blemishes
For small scratches or dents, you will need 240 grit sandpaper. Rub the sandpaper over the scratch until it disappears. Re-oil the wood, and it should look good as new.
Bigger Blemishes
For deeper dents, place a drop of water in the dent. Use a clean damp cloth to place over the dent. Use an iron set on the highest setting. Avoid the steam setting. Sit the iron over the cloth for five seconds; remove and check the area. The dent will slowly shrivel. Add another drop of water in the dent, and repeat the process until the dent is removed. Allow the area to dry. The area will appear discolored, but this can be remedied with 240 grit sandpaper.
A solid oak worktop that gets a stain on it can often be repaired by a light sanding of the area using 240 grit paper. If a cast iron skillet was set on top of the worktop, a black stain may be left behind. This is caused by the natural tannin in the wood reacting to moisture and the cast iron causing a black stain. Oxalic acid can remove the stain. Mix 12 to 16 ounces of oxalic acid crystals in one gallon of hot water. Keep the water hot while applying it, but do not boil the water. Oxalic acid is a wood bleach. Applying it to the area with a scrub brush will lighten the area. Repeatedly apply until the area lightens to the original shade. Completely dry, and then sand lightly. Reapply the sealer, and enjoy your restored oak kitchen worktop.