Expert: Jamie Yocono - 5/19/2010

Question
Hi. We have light/golden oak solid wood pews that are 40+ years old. I would like to clean them to remove grime and scuff marks. What can I use so that I don't compromise the finish?

Answer
Michele,

There are a few ways you could go, depending on the amount of damage to the pews. If it's mostly just grime and dirt build-up, I would try one of the products Formby's makes - like their Conditioning Furniture Refinisher, or their Deep Cleansing Build-Up Remover.

Here's a link to read about them: http://www.formbys.com/products/  

You can click on either one of those products and read a little more about them.

Another suggestion - if the wood is REALLY bad, I would probably use some Tri-Sodium Phosphate, better known as TSP. You can buy it in any paint department. It comes in a powder form, and you mix it with water. It's very good for removing grease and grime. It will leave your wood looking a little dry, but clean. After using TSP, you'll need to go back and put some sort of a finish back onto the wood, like varnish or oil. Probably varnish would be best, but for doing that, you'll need a dust free environment.

That's why the Formby's product is probably an easier solution, although I don't know if they sell that in large quantities, which is what you'd probably need. I don't know, maybe they can point you to a retailer that sells in in gallons, or even five gallon barrels.

But those are my two best solutions for cleaning and rejuventating older wooden things. They both work well, but the TSP is more for greasy wood, whereas the Formby produst is for dirty wood with a very old finish. You'll have to decide which fits your needs.

Good luck, write back if you need more help.

Jamie in Vegas


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Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com