How to clean a dresser!..

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silverback
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How to clean a dresser!..

Post by silverback »

Hi All,
Jans dad made us a dresser for a wedding present over 35yrs ago, since then it has mellowed in colour as he said it would over time. The problem we have with it is, it has a film of grease on it that we need to clean off, you can feel that the surface is slightly tacky!.
However, the dresser is french polished, a mix that John made using pigment colours, button polish, bees wax and what ever else he used!.

What could I use to clean off the grease, without damaging or affecting the polish,
any suggestions please?.

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perchy
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by perchy »

I don't know, but it is lovely )t'


not much help, sorry, but brownie points for pics +f+
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baileysgnasha
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by baileysgnasha »

Im with perchy, lovely dresser )t'
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p.penn
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by p.penn »

I was going to say white spirit, but I don't know if that would be a good idea if it is french polished. Sorry.

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Meredith
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by Meredith »

I would use sugar soap to clean off the grease but I have no idea how this would affect the original finish. My way of tackling it would be to strip everyting off and apply Danish oil

It is a lovely piece of furniture and a shame to ruin so professional help would be good.
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silverback
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by silverback »

Thanks for the replies guy's, my first thought was to use sugar soap to clean it, but not sure if it would react to the polish, and I think white spirit would lift it!.
Hope a french polisher is out there somewhere, I learnt carpentry from John, but never got round to learn how to french polish!.
He used to have a box of different colour pigments, blocks of bees wax, containers of button polish, and a pot for cooking his mixture in on a gas ring!, he could match any colour on furniture...fasinating!..
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Stig
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by Stig »

Something's ringing a bell with vinegar & water.

I'll check & report back - my dad does a lot of furniture restoration I'll ask him.
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madmum
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by madmum »

Kim and Aggie swear by lemon juice and water to cut through the greasy layer.I have used it on antiques with great results )t'
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by Totally Scrambled »

You want to remove the grime but leave the patina. The old cleaning mix is a solution made up of one part each of linseed oil,vinegar and turpentine and a quarter part methylated spirit. Mix well by shaking and apply gently with a soft lint free cloth.
Allow it to dry right off and then buff with a soft dry cloth which should bring back the shine.
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Mo
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by Mo »

The link helen found warns against using too much white spirit then says white spirit / linseed oil mix in the ratio 10 : 1. I wonder if they have that the wrong way round. It doesn't sound far off neat white spirit to me.
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silverback
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by silverback »

Came across an article on Yahoo similar to MM's post, use 2 parts olive oil and 1 part lemon juice. Lemon cuts through the grease while the oil feeds the wood, will have to try a small inconspicuous area on the dresser first and keep fingers crossed.
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Stig
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by Stig »

My dad suggested something similar to Totally Scrambled's advice - however if it's french polished furniture leave out the meths or you'll remove the polish.
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silverback
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by silverback »

My dad suggested something similar to Totally Scrambled's advice - however if it's french polished furniture leave out the meths or you'll remove the polish.


Many thanks... )t'
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Re: How to clean a dresser!..

Post by Boobag »

Hi, could use one of two things really, if build up of surface grease from hands etc over years try plain good old fairy liquid on a rough flannel. Or another trick I'd WD40 which will gently remove anything including stubborn marks off Lino or laminate wooden floors. Hope that helps, try a little patch first that is not obvious. Kate )t'
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