Expert: Eileen Cronk - 11/17/2007

Question
QUESTION: Where do I start?? I want to re-do this chair for my Mom I know I need to clean it 1st, do I use Murphy's oil soap and water or mineral spirts, or what?? Help?? I don't want to ruin the chair.

ANSWER: Hi Torri
Nice to hear from you.
From the photo, the chair does not look heavily soiled.
You know that type of "crud" that gets on old wood furniture that you can actually scrape off with your fingernail?, well I find that type of dirt only responds to mineral spirits.
I only see a bit of dust on this chair, but dip the end of a rag in the mineral spirits and rub the arm (thats where most of the dirt will be).
If you rag comes up dirty, then proceed with the rest of the chair.
Then a nice waxing.
Hope this helps
Regards
Eileen


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Eileen,
I tried the mineral spirits like you suggested and it did remove some of the dirt but alot of it is so caked on or is something else on the wood. Here is a closer look at the chair. Any other suggestions?

Answer
Hi Torri
Can you scrape this off with your fingernail?
It does not take a lot of pressure to do this.
Personally from the picture I do not think this is dirt, and the spindle looks like a stain blemish.
But get some very fine steel wool and dip it in the spirits. Use it as a scrub pad. Try this under the arm in the picture.
If this fails to remove it, rest assured its in the finish and will not come off short of stripping which from the previous picture is not needed on this chair.
And keep in mind Torri. This old chair does not want to look like a new one.
Regards
Eileen