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Kate[_6_] Kate[_6_] is offline
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Default Cleaning 'real' knotty pine paneling

Ok boys... schooch over and let a woman do the cleaning.

First NO SCOTCH BRITE OR STEEL WOOL. They will scratch, and you'll be sorry.

As mentioned above, Murphys Oil Soap.
Great for cleaning wood, will not damage the finish or your hands.

Use a bucket of hot water with a good glug or three of the cleaner in the
water and scrub with a microfiber towel. The microfiber towels are great for
cleaning. Something about them has a little more grip than terry cloth when
it comes to crud. Sams has/had a big pack of them for around $10 awhile
back. Harbor freight has them too. If you shop around you can find them
pretty cheap.

For areas that have buildup of grime on them, apply some to the rag full
strength and let it sit for a little while.

If that doesn't get the crud off, get some Greased Lightning. (Home Depot,
Wally World)
That stuff will clean anything. I've never had it damage a finish yet but I
haven't used it on a varnished surface. Test on an inconspicious area first.

Sometimes cooking grease will soften a finish or paint making it gooey.
If that's the case, it's going to be a huge project having to strip the
finish off and refinish it.

The wood and finish may have darkend with age. No way to reverse that
without a complete refinish.
Nicotine will stain too. No way to remove the stain without refinishing but
what is on the surface can be cleaned up to make a big difference..


Kate