My Home Design
How to clean an Antique wood dresser?
I just recently moved into a 1929 built house, the owner had lived here 30 years and was an avid vintage antique collector. She left a large dreser/burea in the basement. Its dark wood, beautiful! We want to move it upstairs for decor, but its heavy, so we have to make sure to clean it well in the basement (to make sure cleans up enough to be in the limelight). It has a few scratches, is missing a handle, and very very dusty. I know its probably not worth anything, we just want to clean it up and put it in our dining room. I dont know how to describe the markings on the front but its like water marks but they are darker than the wood. I cleaned it with pledge and they went away, but it dried and it was back! What do you suggest to clean the marks, in case they could come off. What is a good way to get off a lot of dust? I realize pledge probably isnt a great idea.... We arent wanting to spend very much money, so the cheaper the better!
Public Comments
- murphys oil soap and a soft rag. put the soap in water and clean the wood. then wipe with a dry rag. if you have raise marks use a very fine grit sand paper. to smooth it out. then when you are through cleaning it, use a furniture wax.. a LITE coating.. then it will be easier to dust later.
- Formby's has a wood cleaning kit. I have used it, and it really worked well. You can get it at Home Depot or Lowe's. Scott's Liquid Gold also cleans furniture very well. Then for scratches and stuff, they have these wood stain crayons that are the color of different woods and can be used to touch up spots on furniture. Good Luck, I hope this helps.
- best thing to do.........is leave it until you find out how much it is worth.....if you strip it or damage it in any way...there goes the value!!!.......however.......wash it with soap and water, that should be fine........maybe rub some coffee grounds on it......to even out the colour if needed.........then leave it!!.....for god sake dont sand or paint it!!!!!
- I have answered a similar question in the past month, and it is :- Use the liquid that the Victoria & Albert museum in London use on antique furniture. 2 Parts Turpentine or white spirit 2 Parts linseed oil 1 part vinegar 1 part Meths ( alcohol ) Shake up the liquid in an old bottle and apply liberally with a cotton duster and a brush if there is moulding, it is astonishing the amount of gunge that comes off. It feed the wood , causes no damage. and prepares the wood for further treatment if necessary., usually beeswax-based type.
- Use your vac with the little dusting brush for the dust. Then get some Formby*s furniture cleaner to clean it To strip it get some stuff called Citri Strip or Citrus Strip (something like that) at Wal Mart. in the paint dept. It is orange in a quart bottle about $9.00 the stuff is great. I*m always cleaning or stripping furniture one way or another. Just love doing it; Do not use water; Do not use any kind of oil on it.
- Look for Homer Formby's refinisher, I used it on all my stuff when I stripped furniture, it takes off grease and years of cigarette smoke. You remind me I have to do my old dresser that I converted into a base cabinet-since we use it to work on in the kitchen I'll have to clean it with a scratcher and wood cleaner first and then Homer's. It's mahogany and Lowe's sells these 'drawer systems' for $800 bucks, I paid $15. for this dresser about 30 yrs ago. Good luck After you get it clean, then use Liquid Gold.
