Here's a video of a professional refinisher and what they do to clean dusty/moldy furniture. Could use this approach or anything milder, really. Main issue should be just to wipe down the piece as you go and after you're done so that there's no standing water or risk of water damage whatsoever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kjohrbN32Y (Most cases won't need bleach but he's not shy when it comes to older pieces that have not been stored well.) Answer from senor_roboto on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/furniturerestoration › best method for cleaning wood furniture prior to finishing?
r/furniturerestoration on Reddit: Best method for cleaning wood furniture prior to finishing?
October 31, 2024 -
Per the title, I have several pieces of teak and walnut furniture that I feel should be cleaned prior to re-applying an oil finish. Any suggestions?
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Here's a video of a professional refinisher and what they do to clean dusty/moldy furniture. Could use this approach or anything milder, really. Main issue should be just to wipe down the piece as you go and after you're done so that there's no standing water or risk of water damage whatsoever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kjohrbN32Y (Most cases won't need bleach but he's not shy when it comes to older pieces that have not been stored well.)
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The first question is whether the pieces have an oil finish to start with. Almost nothing does. If it's a lacquer or other hard finish, oil makes no sense at all. Determine the existing finish and go from there.
Do Dodson Designs
dododsondesigns.com › home › blog › how to clean and prep wood furniture before painting
How To Clean And Prep Wood Furniture Before Painting - Do Dodson Designs
September 3, 2022 - This will smooth out any rough areas of loose varnish and brittle wood areas. Old wood furniture is usually dry and brittle and a light sanding will go a long way in helping your paint go on smoothly.
Videos
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How I CLEAN FURNITURE ready for painting - YouTube
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Prepping Furniture for Painting: DOs and DON'Ts - YouTube
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How to Clean Furniture Before Painting: The Ultimate Guide! ...
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How To Prep Furniture Before You Paint | BACK TO BASICS #1 - YouTube
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One Step Paint For Furniture | Cleaning Old Hardware With Vinegar ...
Gatheredinthekitchen
gatheredinthekitchen.com › home › crafts/projects › how to clean wood before painting
How To Clean Wood Before Painting | Gathered In The Kitchen
September 30, 2025 - Use a 180-220 grit sandpaper to ensure that the edges are smooth and you will not see any blemishes. ... Before painting bare wood, clean the wood with White Lightning cleaner or another degreaser product.
My Creative Days
mycreativedays.com › home › diy projects › furniture › how to clean a piece of furniture before painting
How To Clean A Piece Of Furniture Before Painting - My Creative Days
June 28, 2023 - I have pulled many pieces from barns and old sheds that need a lot more cleaning. But, 98% of the time, the products above are all it takes to clean your furniture piece before you paint it.
Thepurplepaintedlady
thepurplepaintedlady.com › 2012 › 09 › cleaning-furniture-before-painting-it
Cleaning Furniture & Cabinets Before Painting | The Purple Painted Lady
If you have an oil based paint on your wood, then I’d clean them with TSP if you intend to repaint that wood. But, there is no point whatever in cleaning bare wood with TSP, or latex painted wood with TSP. If you do use TSP, then I would also clean the residual TSP off the piece of furniture with a clear water wash or denatured alcohol.
Thrift Diving
thriftdiving.com › home › how to properly prep furniture before painting
How to Properly Prep Furniture Before Painting
February 5, 2022 - I think it’s good practice to clean furniture regardless of whether you’ll be painting or sanding it. You figure if you sand it down while it’s dirty, all that grit can clog up your sand paper, too, shortening its life. Plus, it’s just a good habit to clean everything you bring home, AND inspect it! 🙂 ... Very Good Post! I am an “old hand” at woodworking...
Bunnings Workshop
workshop.bunnings.com.au › t5 › Whole-of-House › How-to-clean-and-degrease-older-furniture-in-preparation-for › td-p › 169667
How to clean and degrease older furniture in preparation for staining or painting?
September 3, 2023 - I'll make up a soapy mix, wipe down the surface and then rinse with fresh water. You can also use Sugar Soap wipes to clean a surface before painting or varnishing. There are also products like Feast Watson Wood Clean, which I've found to be ...
Hometalk
hometalk.com › diy › clean › furniture › q-how-do-i-clean-wood-furniture-before-painting-44286524
How do I clean wood furniture before painting?? | Hometalk
March 23, 2020 - Personally I just use dishsoap in warm water, a rougher kitchen cleaner sponge, and old toothbrush to get into crevices, and clean warm water/clean rags to rinse. Clean your furniture and then let it dry well so you can see if you need to do more.
Lost & Found Decor
lostandfounddecor.com › why-you-should-clean-your-furniture-before-you-paint-it
Why You Should Clean your Furniture Before you Paint It - Lost & Found Decor
August 19, 2024 - These greasy spots are tricky–you can wipe them with a damp rag or even a soapy rag, then it will “feel” clean, but it’s not! That’s why carefully going over your piece and using a degreasing product is so important.
A Ray of Sunlight
arayofsunlight.com › home › how to clean furniture before painting
How to Clean Furniture Before Painting
September 1, 2025 - You want to repaint that old dresser but first, you have to clean it. And not just wipe it down with a damp cloth, we’re talking about getting all the gunk off so the paint will adhere properly. Here are a few ways to make sure your furniture is clean enough to paint. If there are stickers or dried, thick gunk on your furniture, a scraper can help get it off. Be careful not to damage the wood though.
Bold Wallflowers
boldwallflowers.com › home › furniture refinishing guides › prep like a pro: how to clean furniture before painting
How to Clean Furniture Before Painting – Step-by-Step Guide
August 31, 2025 - Well painting furniture! Unfortunately, it isn’t. Paint requires a clean surface to adhere to. As paint dries it essentially forms a film over what it has been applied to. It needs to bond to that surface and if that fails, it will flake and peel off. The first way to ensure proper bonding between your piece and the applied paint, is to ensure no dirt, grim, wax, or other old finishes are between the paint and the surface of your wood...
Lost & Found Decor
lostandfounddecor.com › how-to-clean-painted-furniture
How to Clean Painted Furniture the Safe and Simple Way - Lost & Found Decor
Harsh chemicals or wood polishes should not be used on your painted furniture pieces. These products contain chemicals that will break down the finish of your paint, resulting in discoloration, chipping, or dullness in the finish. Specific products to avoid include vinegar, bleach, Windex, cleaners with ammonia, Old ...
Published February 28, 2024
Refresh Living
refreshliving.us › home › how to prepare furniture for painting
How to Prepare Furniture for Painting • Refresh Living
April 23, 2023 - Here are my top choices for cleaning ... dirty or grimy, Murphy’s wood soap will clean it well. Use a green pad or sponge to clean away anything on the surface....
Reddit
reddit.com › r/furniturepainting › can i use murphy's wood cleaner before sanding and painting?
r/FurniturePainting on Reddit: Can I use Murphy's Wood Cleaner before sanding and painting?
December 10, 2023 -
I have excitedly started my first upcycling project! I want to paint and wallpaper an old wooden end table.
I'm cleaning the piece. First, I used a water/vinegar solution, but it didn't feel super effective. So, I went to the hardware store and asked for advice. They sold me Murphy's... I can find posts online saying that's perfectly fine for my purposes, and I can find posts that say to "never EVER do that!"
I'm confused and would love to hear from someone with firsthand experience! ♥️ Photo of the piece attached.
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You’re painting the whole table? Don’t use oil soap. Use something like Krud kutter or TSP or even dawn dish soap to remove any oils and contaminants. Sand then use a high adhesive primer such as BIN shellac or Stix and finish with a quality enamel paint : Benjamin Moore advance or Sherwin Emerald urethane.
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What a beautiful piece! I just did my first refinishing project and it was fun. I'd love to see what you're planning to do with the wallpaper. Send me a picture when you're done!
Styled by Austin
styledbyaustin.com › blog › what-you-need-to-do-before-you-start-your-painting-project
What you NEED to do before you start your next painting project — Styled by Austin | Furniture Transformations & Design in Denver | Shipping Nationwide
April 21, 2024 - Follow the directions on the label to clean your piece. A great, simple option for furniture that isn’t quite as gross is using a simple water + dawn dishwashing detergent mixture and a sponge or scouring pad.
Address Englewood, CO
Just the Woods
justthewoods.com › home › blog › how to prep painted furniture the right way
How to Prep Painted Furniture the Right Way by Just the Woods
December 23, 2023 - I use the same exact cleaning method when prepping furniture for paint. I start with simple household white vinegar. Add a drop or two of blue Dawn soap. Equal parts clean water. A scrubby sponge.
Quora
quora.com › How-do-you-clean-wood-after-sanding-before-painting
How to clean wood after sanding before painting - Quora
Answer (1 of 7): Go to your hardware store and ask for a ‘tack cloth’. It is a sticky cheesecloth that will wipe away sawdust. Don’t wipe too hard. Or, use a vacuum.
Do Dodson Designs
dododsondesigns.com › home › blog › how to prep before painting wood furniture
How To Prep Before Painting Wood Furniture - Do Dodson Designs
August 24, 2022 - After cleaning with Krud Kutter, I always wipe down the furniture with a cotton cloth dampened with water to remove any residual degreaser from the surface before painting my wood furniture.
Paintedfurnitureco
paintedfurnitureco.co.uk › how-to-clean-painted-wooden-furniture
How to Clean Painted Wooden Furniture | Painted Furniture Co
There are many useful tips online ... and often. Here are our top tips when it comes to keeping your furniture clean: Always dust your furniture before you wipe it down with a damp cloth....
Utah State University
digitalcommons.usu.edu › cgi › viewcontent.cgi pdf
1 CLEANING, REPAIRING AND RECONDITIONING WOOD FURNITURE Carol Williams
For any method, clean the furniture with paint thinner or turpentine. Begin · reamalgamation by dipping steel wool or a brush into the appropriate solvent and applying it to · the wood surface. Get the surface wet as quickly as possible before solvent evaporates.