Soaking the Surface in Mayonnaise Stap: 1 Scoop 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 grams) of mayonnaise into a clean towel and rub it into the cloth. Get a clean, cotton towel or dish rag and scoop some mayonnaise into the center. Hold the edges of the towel so that the mayo sits at the bottom of the towel and rub it into the fabric with your free hand from the other side. Mayonnaise contains eggs, oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Most of these ingredients are included in furniture polishes and lacquers because they’re good at penetrating wood. The fat in the mayonnaise will absorb the moisture and leave your wood looking clean! If you don’t have access to mayonnaise, you can use petroleum jelly instead. Petroleum jelly may leave a weird texture behind after you clean it up though. Mayonnaise should be fine on any kind of wood. It may leave it smelling a little strange afterwards though. Step 2.Rub the mayonnaise directly into the stain for 30-45 seconds. Unfold your towel and place the center over the stain. Rub the mayonnaise directly into the stained area using firm, circular strokes. Rub the wood and make sure that you cover each area of the stain. Step 3.Let the mayonnaise soak into the stain for at least 1 hour. Lift your towel up without wiping the mayonnaise away and throw it in the washer or sink to clean it. One hour is the minimum amount of time that you should leave the mayonnaise on the wood. If you want maximum penetration into the wood or the stain is particularly old, leave the mayonnaise on the surface to let it soak overnight. The smell might be kind of funky if you leave the mayonnaise on overnight, but you won’t be damaging the wood. Step 4. Wipe the mayonnaise up and inspect the stain to see if it’s gone. Get a clean cloth or rag and wipe up the mayonnaise. Check the stain to see if it is still there. You can use a damp cloth to wipe up any dried mayonnaise. Just make sure that you wipe the water and moisture off after you do this. Step 5.Apply another layer of mayonnaise if the stain isn’t gone. If the stain is only partially gone, apply another layer of mayonnaise and repeat the process. If it isn’t coming out of the wood, try using a different method to get the stain up. You may need to do this a few times to get the stain completely out.