Expert: maura macaluso - 7/20/2007

Question
I have just inherited a 30 year old bedroom suite.  It is/was finished in sort of buttermilk and Wedgwood blue shiny finish.   It has yellowed terribly on most of the pieces.  It is now more of an ugly aqua greenish/blue color - with the only original color remaining on inside surfaces, drawer facings, inside armoire doors, etc.   Any ideas?  It is relatively ornate in carving - and I just don't know if I could ever duplicate the color?  Any ideas for cleaning and possibly removing the yellow tint?

Answer
You can try a very light application of denatured alcohol. Use in a well ventilated room and wear heavy duty rubber gloves, not the throw away hospital types. Use a clean cotton pad or towel, slightly wet it with the alcohol, allow it to partially evaporate until it is just damp and gently try rubbing an inconspicuous spot.  It may remove or diminish the yellowing. Take a look at the cloth after, doing this a few times, if it is becoming dirty, then you are having some success removing the film. However there is a chance that you can never bring it back to match the original color and will wind up having to completely strip and refinish the piece. The color change is due to exposure to light, smoke, household pollution and just generally being exposed to air over time. On new furnitue it is dirt, on antiques it is part of the patina. If there is just a buildup of oxidation and/or grime on top of the original finish, it may be possible to get away with just the alcohol cleaning, though the color match may not be absolute, just close enough to get by with. If the paint itself has oxidized(which you won't know until you try the alcohol cleaning) it will be next to impossible to restore its color without stripping and repainting the piece. Good luck with your project and feel free to ask further questions.  Thanks