best way to clean furniture before finishing

11 years ago

so what is the best way to clean furniture before painting or staining? I have read TSP then others say NO TSP, doe it depend on the age and finish.

some has many years of grime and product to cut thru

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Comments (5)

User
11 years ago
TSP. But, RINSE.
luckygal
11 years ago
The best way to clean furniture for painting depends on the current finish and condition as well as the desired finish. If you only want a distressed paint finish you may not need to be as thorough as if you want a very fine smooth painted finish.

If the piece is really dirty I have used Murphy's Oil Soap or TSP, rinsed with the hose (on the patio!), and dried quickly with old terry towels. Then let the piece dry for another day, sand if necessary, and stain or paint.

When DH painted our kitchen cabinets he used mineral spirits which removes grease.

For an alligatored finish you can use denatured alcohol or laquer thinner to remove shellac or lacquer.

Sometimes with old pieces there are years of wax imbedded with dust and dirt which needs to be removed or the paint won't adhere and mineral spirits or denatured alcohol will remove that. It's necessary to use good gloves and work in a well ventilated area as the stuff is quite toxic.

There's a product called "Citrus Natural Solvent" I'd like to try as it's supposed to be more environmentally friendly than other products.
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gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
11 years ago
Go to Menards or HD and get a spray bottle of Greased Lightning. This stuff cleans grease & just about everything. It will dull the finish on your furniture though.
yayagal
11 years ago
I always use mineral oil, it has always worked well.
graywings123
11 years ago
Mineral spirits on a rag.

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best way to clean furniture before finishing

Comments (5)

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luckygal

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gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago

yayagal

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