https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/how-to-remove-water-stains-from-wood/

It may depend on the table finish, but, on my dining room table, I have had very good luck by putting olive oil on the mark, and letting it sit 30 minutes and then go back and rub it all really good, and take a fresh cloth and buff the table. When done, I cant even tell where the spot was.

I guess didnt put enough protection

What did you use? A clear topcoat? What type? That will give you the best info on how to try to fix it.

Looks like spray can overspray to me too. Usually if from an iron there would be the iron shape there some place, and it would be brown marks. If iron was on steam, it wouldnt spray in a pattern like that either.

It's possible it was an iron with a spritzer. I've read about using toothpaste to rub out white rings on furniture..not gel, but white cream paste. You could try it on a small spot and see how it works. You'll probably have to add a finish/top coat, regardless of what you use.

https://macgyverisms.wonderhowto.com/how-to/remove-water-rings-wood-furniture-with-toothpaste-0167338/

another site said to try this: To remove white rings left by wet glasses on wood furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up.

I have heard that a blow-drier will get out water marks sometimes; it is moisture trapped in the finish.

That appears to be a white heat stain, which may require a different process. There is moisture trapped under the surface and it is clouding the finish.

I have used the towel and hot iron technique in this article to remove a similar stain I got from leaving a hot pizza box on the table. http://tipnut.com/diy-how-to-remove-white-heat-stains-on-wood-table/  YMMV.

Bruce

cat_kym you wouldn't end up with an iron-shaped stain from ironing! I mean, I guess you would if you set the iron down in one place and let it there, but that' snot how people usually iron.
You'd end up with heat and steam damage all around the outside of the object you were ironing (because there are fewer layers of cloth there). And even then, it wouldn't be exactly the shape of whatever you were ironing, because things shift around.In fact, it would probably look a lot like this.

I'm betting they used one of those flat rectangular pads that are sold for people who don't have irons, and that are intended to be laid on a flat surface. They provide some protection, but enough for surfaces you don't want to have damaged.

I think that if you wanted to paint it, you could sand it lightly and paint with primer and paint. You'd want to check that damaged area to be sure it's still adhering to the surface below it, but I'd bet this is a pigmentation/clouding issue only, and not a case of the finish bubbling off.