I've used lacquer thinner before, I know it's really noxious. I've only used it in the driveway! I may have to wait for warmer weather to try this.

If this doesn't work, or I decide the fumes would be too much, how would I prepare the wood for a recoat or glaze in a richer color? I thought of rubbing them down with mineral spirits to dissolve grime.

Mineral spirits will dissolve grime, but so will TSP. But TSP won't dissolve old varnish and thinner will.

I believe that using lacquer thinner to remove old varnish will cause some of the stain to migrate into the wood. When it dries out, I would just re-stain without doing anything else.

The key is to try this on a small unseen area first.

Try the thinner, but I'll bet the finish is poly and won't be affected other than surface grime. Sanding may be the only option besides replacement.

I've never tried to remove poly. So lacquer thinner won't work on that? I tend to think it's not poly, though: if there's anything on top of the stain it is really thin. The parts where the hands run down the banisters are a little lighter. No visible edge where a coating has worn off. Also, there has been no yellowing. Poly from 20 years ago yellowed pretty markedly from everything I've seen. I remember asking in the store around then if there was any kind that that didn't yellow, and being told no. Certainly everything I poly'd at that time has "that golden glow".

I'll try the lacquer thinner as soon as it warms up enough to open up soime indoors. My husband is very sensitive to fumes: I'll have to send him out shopping with a very long list.

I used a palm sander to sand my stair parts down. What I have is pretty simple though -- no elaborite trim work. I hate to even mention the poly shade stains, but would they work here? I know a lot of people had trouble with them, but some have had good luck. It wouldn't lighten the wood stain, but could change the tone from muddy to rich.

The only portable power sanders I've used were big monsters: the kind that would eat your piece if they got away from you. But this sure would be easier if it were not entirely me-powered. Are the palm sanders the kind that go back and forth in one plane, rotate, or the ones that kind of vibrate in a couple of different directions? I've wondered which were the best kind to get.

It's funny but Polyshades has come up several times today. I think I'd go with a wipe-on gel rather than that. I have not been pleased with the results on anything I've done with Polyshades.