I start with mineral spirits, because it softens up hand grime and skin oils. Then stop and evaluate. It is an "amalgamator" ... it redissolves certain finishes so you can wipe them off, leaving only a layer of re-constituted old finish without stripping out stain or veneers. It does let you spread the old finish into scratches and cracks, leaving it looking better than before. Works on those pieces that mineral spirits doesn't clean - the old ones with multiple layers of alligatoring, hardened old-style polishes, and the deep red-brown varnish that was used to make cheap wood look like rosewood or cherry. However, a 50-50 mix of alcohol and laquer thinner will do the same thing for a lot less money. Apply liberally to a small area, let it soften a few moments, then gently rub off the crud with the steel wool. Repeat until clean. Outside, with gloves because the fumes are vile. Here's a before and after on a dresser I'm (still) cleaning up. The finish was blackened and alligatored and utterly unresponsive to mineral spirits.

Sorry for reviving a 5 year old thread and for hijacking it too... thought it would be better etiquette than starting a new thread on the same topic since I need advice for a similar issue. I've been very neglectful and careless with the oak vanity in my bathroom. The finish on the doors and panels that get water dripped on them is now almost completely off in some spots and the bare wood is exposed. I don't have time to DIY restore them nor do I have the funds to get them professionally restored (gotta pay for then pay off my upcoming kitchen reno first). Is there anything I can apply to protect the wood until I can restore it? This likely won't happen for several years. I've used a homemade beeswax & olive oil wood "polish" to restore wooden items like utensils and bowls. Would it be OK to use that on the vanity? I've done some reading up on how to care for wood floors and I know waxes are a no no, if I ever want to refinish the floors so I'm guessing the same applies to wood vanities.

What about the liquid that comes in a kit like the one from Scratch B Gone? I really have no experience using it, but was looking into a kit like this the other day. It sounds like the liquid in the kit helps blend in the bit you sand to get the scratches out so it may be achieving a similar thing to what you're looking for. Just throwing that out there, in case it helps. But don't have any direct experience to speak of. Best of luck!

I bought this coffee table and end table second hand. Love the piece they are heavy and appear to be real wood. They have a lot of signs of use. I would like to use RAF and FNW on them. Will this work to help with the worn areas and white spots? Will it be difficult to get a good finish with all the carved details? My husband has striped and refinished pieces for me but says he is not willing to tackle these pieces because of all the detail.