The resultant polish must therefore be removed by sanding, before the raw wood is retouched as for a white scratch. Rings, prints, and spots caused by hot dishes or the pressure of heavy objects, if not too deep, can often be rubbed out with pummice and oil on a felt pad cut from an old hat. The rubbing should be gentle with frequent checking to prevent cutting too deep. Adding rottenstone to the slush will bring up the luster. Other methods of removing white rings include the application of turpentine to restore the color without softening the finish, or allowing alcohol to remain on the spot for a few seconds, then running it off with a piece of cardboard. In either case the spot should be rubbed dry with linseed oil. Sometimes steaming with a hot flat iron over a damp cloth will melt a damaged shellac surface sufficiently to restore the color. The iron should be applied sparingly and kept in motion so that the cloth will not stick to the softened surface. In the case of deep marks through the protective finish, it is safer to avoid the possibility of penetrating the satin by patching with very lightly applied French polish. Any existing ridges are first carefully removed with 70 finishing paper and rubbing oil. Cigarette and cigar burns usually penetrate the finish into the wood. The charred area must be carefully scraped or cut out clean, in order to determine whether it can be touched up or whether it must be filled. For large areas plastic wocjd will offer a better surface for artificial graining with a camel's hair brush. If this is done a protective finish must be added and blended by rubbing. Stains of various origins are inevitable over a period of years. Although most modern lacquer and highgrade varnish finishes resist water, shellac will succumb if the water is allowed to stand for an appreciable period. If water marks cannot be wiped off with turpentine, benzine, or naphtha, they can sometimes be elminated by opening up the finish with light strokes of a lintless cloth moistened in alcohol. If this treatment fails, it will be necessary to employ French polishing. Alcohol stains on older types of varnish and shellac finishes also turn white, even when the alcohol has been wiped off as soon as spilled. They should be treated as water stains. The lactic acid in milk often leaves spots that will disappear when rubbed lightly with 3F pumice and water. Ink spots can usually be removed from a high quality finish in good condition by washing with soap and warm water. More tenacious stains must be rubbed out with pumice and water. If the ink has penetrated through the wood by means RESTORATION, REPAIR, AND REFINISHING 407 of a scratch or breaks in the finish, the latter will have to be removed so that the inkstained wood can be sandpapered clean and refinished. In conclusion it should be pointed out that although modern finishes are of extremely high quality and durability, they need to be thoroughly cleaned two or three times a year.