Cleaning advice needed for old dirty woodwork

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I know CC folks will have some good suggestions for me.</p>

<p>My daughter and I just got home from a long day of cleaning of the off-campus house my daughter will live in for the upcoming school year. The house is about 100 years old with large dark baseboards, door and window frames, crown molding, etc. The landlord does a less than stellar job of cleaning before new tenants, so the woodwork receives no attention. </p>

<p>Since my daughter plans to live in this house for 2 years, I would like to try to clean the woodwork of its years of dirt and grease (kitchen). So, I would greatly appreciate suggestions of cleaning products and methods.</p>

2

<p>Is the woodwork painted or just varnished? Murphy’s is always a good start…</p>

3

<p>I would second the Murphy’s Oil Soap (plus, it smells good). More than one application and a lot of elbow grease might be necessary. I think what you use to apply a cleaning product is almost as important as the product itself. Old rough terry cloth towels will get you further than a sponge or soft rag.</p>

4

<p>I have used Fantastick to remove grease (it works after DW40 is used to remove adhesives left from message boards and when greasy foods spill or the pressure cooker “explodes” the top off the pressure relief valve) from newer cabinets without ruining the finish. You might try this and then use some Murphy’s to give the smell and polish of good wood. If the grease layer is really thick a nonscratch cleaning pad, such as a Dobie pad, may help.</p>

5

<p>Mineral spirits…</p>

6

<p>If nothing else works, I suggest Lesstoil for getting old greasiness off of anything. Open the windows, though - it has a strong smell.</p>

7

<p>I resent the scurrilous implications in this thread and will report it to those that have the power --and everything else that goes with it-- to make nasty posts like these …disappear. Poof! Gone.</p>

8

<p>ROTFL! Goo-gone.</p>

9

<p>No, Woodwork, we don’t want you gone, just cleaned up!</p>

<p>I would also start with Murphey’s Oil Soap, and follow up spots with gunk-specific cleansers. A Magic Eraser might help, too.</p>

10

<p>Spic and Span (small amount) in very hot water works extremely well.</p>

11

<p>I recently tried to use a Magic Eraser on a stain on a varnished kitchen table and it took the finish right off. Too acidic; based on my experience, I would not recommend using one on wood!</p>

12

<p>Murphy’s Oil Soap is good for wood surfaces, as others have said.</p>

<p>You can also try one of the “environmentally friendly” cleaning sprays that are orange oil based. They work well on grease and do not strip the finish. And they also smell nice.</p>

13

<p>TSP (trisodium phosphate) does a great job of removing kitchen grease/grime buildup.</p>

14

<p>but TSP may degloss the finish, so be careful.</p>

15

<p>You’re going to think this is strange…but Lysol Basin Tub and Tile cleaner (in the aerosol style can…not the pump spray bottle) works very well. You spray it on and it’s actually kind of “foamy”. Then wipe off with a clean cloth.</p>