Cleaning and Stain Removal - Soot Stain Removal

Help!
My wife tried to build a fire in our fireplace this morning and she forgot to open the damper and smoke and soot obviously did not vent. As soon as she realized what had happened she opened the damper and vented the house. Well, she tried to clean the wooden part of the mantle with furniture polish and I suspect that she made the stain worse. What can we use to clean up the soot stain. I want to avoid stripping the wood and refinishing it. Thanks.

Goof Off should remove the soot from finished mantle without damage to finish. It is also recommended for removing dried latex paint from finished surfaces. Trying to clean soot with water-based cleaners tends to compound problems because soot is oil-based. Oil and water do not mix. There are soot cleaning solutions for masonry surfaces and glass fireplace doors. General cleanup of undisturbed soot on household surfaces can often be accomplished by using a 'dry sponge.' This is a special sponge that is used dry and acts like a giant eraser to remove soot, dust, and soil from unwashable household surfaces, walls, and ceilings. These special sponges can be found at home centers and hardwares in cleaning aisles.