Cleaning grimy furniture

You might think about this tip

David Yoho

I have a great trick I use for cleaning old grimy furniture but the cane might throw a monkey wrench into it. You still might try it and see how it does.

I got this tip from a professional furniture restorer many years ago who was known for restoring furniture from some of this country's founding fathers. I can say it works.

You'll need a container of Permatex DL Blue waterless hand soap. You can find it at places like some paint stores and last I looked - Auto Zone. I use a white pad like the Scotch Brite pads but WHITE because it has no "grit" so not abrasive. Glop it on, work it with the white pad, and wipe the excess off with a damp cloth until the cloth stops looking dirty.

Let dry and apply a coat of paste wax and buff. The wax will actually get any remaining grime.

The DL Blue contains no abrasives but it does have a solvent in it that loosens the crud. I've used this on countless pieces of old furniture customers brought to me to strip and refinish that didn't need more than a good cleaning and polishing. It was always fun to send a customer away with a smile and a smaller bill than it would have been.

Re: Cleaning grimy furniture

Yonak

JL, if it's a fine piece of furniture then I'd take it to a professional. Otherwise, I'd let an alcohol-soaked clean rag set against it for awhile, and then gently rub.

There's likely a good way to restore the cane some, such as with lanolin or saddle soap.

Re: Cleaning grimy furniture

Don Stephan

If the "grimy" area feels sticky, especially the wood, the finish may be nitrocellulose lacquer in which the grime has become imbedded in the softened NC lacquer. That is a different situation than simply removing a buildup on top of a finish. If a bit of lacquer thinner on a paper towel softens the finish in an inconspicuous place, the finish may be NC lacquer.

Thought that kind of softened finish was shellac

Dick Coers

But whatever it is, when you "clean" it off, you are at bare wood. I've been told it is a reaction between skin oil and the finish.

One picture...

JL

is worth a thousand word or so they say.

My wife emailed me a picture (or two).

I had already told her to us isopropyl alcohol in an inconspicuous place (under the seat). I will give her David's tip also.

Re: One picture...

Clifton C

I bought this for something else but used it for exactly the same thing. My Moms kitchen chairs had a buildup of what I thought was just a dirt and dust buildup. Soft enough to scrap a bit off with a fingernail. This dissolved it and didn't destroy the finish. I would bet mineral spirits, varsol or more expensive lemon oil would work.

https://www.realmilkpaint.com/shop/oils/citrus-solvent/

Re: One picture...

Dick Coers

Denatured alcohol has less water than isopropyl alcohol.

Re: WoodCentral Article

William Duffield

Cleaning Antique Furniture

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=finishing&file=articles_378.shtml

I remember that

Jack Guzman from Maine

I have a copy of that recipe on the wall. Used it on a few pieces,it works.

Deconstructing this formula- I'm skeptical

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I'll bet something has been lost in the translation, for it doesn't make sense.....or this recipe is urban legend. The recipe reads like all these chemical are cleaners for one thing or another so combining them all in one formula will be even better. It likely won't.

•8 oz Turpentine

•4 0z Denatured alcohol

•2 oz White Vinegar

•1 oz Murphy's oil soap

•1 oz Brasso

•1 tea spoon household ammonia

The turpentine is an excellent solvent that won't harm, varnish, lacquer or shellac but will remove grease and oil. I understand this component. Turpentine and 4/0 wool or a white foam pad or a rag would in itself be a good cleaner

Alcohol will soften shellac but not affect lacquer or varnish. The combination of alcohol and turpentine will dissolve junk that either alone won't.

I can't think of any purpose for the vinegar for cleaning furniture. It will not mix with turpentine.

Turpentine and the water components will not mix. Maybe the soap helps to mix them.

Brasso has some abrasive particles. The rest is ammonia. If I needed abrasion I would be cleaning with a foam pad or 4/0 wool if I needed to remove a surface layer.

Ammonia This component will instantly be destroyed by the excess vinegar and do nothing. This fact makes me skeptical that this is really the formula used by experts for cleaning anything. I think this concoction was dreamed up by someone that thought combining every cleaner known was a good idea.

Re: I remember that

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

and I'll bet that leaving out most of the components after alcohol works just as well.

Re: Deconstructing this formula- I'm skeptical

Warren in Lancaster, PA

I started writing a post yesterday: don't put this "formula" on anything valuable. It is a very sloppy approach.

Glad you chimed in

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I was reluctant to argue too strongly with the "British Museum" if indeed this concoction came from this source. So, I'll remain skeptical. It seems to violate all the modern tenants of furniture conservation.

Re: Glad you chimed in

William Duffield

Good points. The "old ways" or "traditional dogma" are not always the best ways, especially when the internet obfuscates their meaning. In the future, I'll stop pointing out that formula. Bill's step-wise, reasoned approach is a much better strategy, specially since we cannot be sure what the original finish or the grime is made of.