When I was a child, I was especially impressed by the old Superglue commercials which featured a construction worker suspended by his helmet, which was secured to a brick by Superglue. I was warned against any Superglue of my own by my mother, who informed me that Superglue would just stick my fingers together forever. Well, I didn’t want to go through life with fused fingers, so I left that stuff alone until I was a grown up.
Superglue doesn’t play havoc on skin, though; it can be really tough to remove from table tops, too. What’s a hotel manager to do if they find a rock-hard spot of dried Superglue on their new table or hotel seating? Probably swear a bit, then get down to business.
Grab some 600 grit sand paper, either wet or dry, and a sanding block. Hold the block level while you sand down the glue spot flush with the furniture’s surface. You will probably do minimal damage to the surrounding finish, or you can try blocking it off to avoid scratching it up. Finish by sanding the spot with 1200 grit sand paper. To get the shine back, get a cotton rag and try some rubbing compounds and high quality furniture polish. Run until you can’t rub anymore.
For dull or satin finishes, use a steel wool pad and lemon oil. Rub the glue spot, moving in the direction of the wood grain. You might have to repeat this over the entire wooden surface to even out the finish. When you’re done, use a good furniture polish all over the surface.
If you’ve got a lot of glue spots to deal with, or if you’re just not sure you can remove them without harming the furniture, consult a professional for advice.
