Cleaning of antique dresser
 

My current project is the repair of a small, child's dresser that has spent the last 60 - 70 years stored in an attic or basement. Most of the glued joints are coming apart and the entire dresser is covered with ground in dust and dirt. I gave it a light brushing and blew it off with compressed air but it needs much more. Any suggestions on how best to clean it and what I could apply to enhance what remains of the original finish? I do not want to completely refinish this dresser, rather keep the old look.
Thanks!

Tom

Cleaning of antique dresser
 

On Sat, 16 Nov 2019 15:33:41 -0800 (PST), Tom Crist
wrote:

My current project is the repair of a small, child's dresser that has spent the last 60 - 70 years stored in an attic or basement. Most of the glued joints are coming apart and the entire dresser is covered with ground in dust and dirt. I gave it a light brushing and blew it off with compressed air but it needs much more. Any suggestions on how best to clean it and what I could apply to enhance what remains of the original finish? I do not want to completely refinish this dresser, rather keep the old look.

If most of the original finish is there and it's just dirty and beat
up, there's a product called "Howard's Restor-A-Finish". Get the
color that is closest to what's there now.

https://www.howardproducts.com/product/restor-a-finish/

Read the instructions carefully.

Cleaning of antique dresser
 

On Sat, 16 Nov 2019 15:33:41 -0800 (PST), Tom Crist
wrote:

My current project is the repair of a small, child's dresser
that has spent the last 60 - 70 years stored in an attic or basement.
Most of the glued joints are coming apart and the entire dresser
is covered with ground in dust and dirt. I gave it a light brushing
and blew it off with compressed air but it needs much more.
Any suggestions on how best to clean it and what I could apply
to enhance what remains of the original finish?
I do not want to completely refinish this dresser, rather keep the old look.
Thanks!
Tom


For my ancient roll-top desk - I gave it a rub with 0000 steel wool.
Then a wipe-down and wipe-off with some ~ Danish ? oil
and clean soft cloth.
The grubby blackened look turned into a nice natural dark oak.
I also wanted to avoid the re-finished look.
John T.

Cleaning of antique dresser
 

On Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 6:33:44 PM UTC-5, Tom Crist wrote:
My current project is the repair of a small, child's dresser that has spent the last 60 - 70 years stored in an attic or basement. Most of the glued joints are coming apart and the entire dresser is covered with ground in dust and dirt. I gave it a light brushing and blew it off with compressed air but it needs much more. Any suggestions on how best to clean it and what I could apply to enhance what remains of the original finish? I do not want to completely refinish this dresser, rather keep the old look.
Thanks!

Tom



The Restore-A-Finish sounds like it is a solvent and stain that dissolves the finish, colors it, and smooths it out. I think I have to give the dresser a good cleaning first so the dirt doesn't become part of the finish. Maybe I'll try cleaning with soap & water then apply Danish oil and see how it looks. I can always move on to the more aggressive Restore-A-Finish if need be. Thank you everyone!

Tom

Cleaning of antique dresser
 

On Sun, 17 Nov 2019 11:21:06 -0800 (PST), Tom Crist
wrote:

On Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 6:33:44 PM UTC-5, Tom Crist wrote:
My current project is the repair of a small, child's dresser that has spent the last 60 - 70 years stored in an attic or basement. Most of the glued joints are coming apart and the entire dresser is covered with ground in dust and dirt. I gave it a light brushing and blew it off with compressed air but it needs much more. Any suggestions on how best to clean it and what I could apply to enhance what remains of the original finish? I do not want to completely refinish this dresser, rather keep the old look.
Thanks!

Tom



The Restore-A-Finish sounds like it is a solvent and stain that dissolves the finish, colors it, and smooths it out.
I think I have to give the dresser a good cleaning first so the dirt doesn't become part of the finish.
Maybe I'll try cleaning with soap & water then apply Danish oil and see how it looks.
I can always move on to the more aggressive Restore-A-Finish if need be. Thank you everyone!

Tom

Murpys Oil Soap works well, that and a bit of elbow grease. Which my
elbows seems to running dry of lately.

Cleaning of antique dresser
 

On Sun, 17 Nov 2019 11:21:06 -0800 (PST), Tom Crist
wrote:

On Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 6:33:44 PM UTC-5, Tom Crist wrote:
My current project is the repair of a small, child's dresser that has spent the last 60 - 70 years stored in an attic or basement. Most of the glued joints are coming apart and the entire dresser is covered with ground in dust and dirt. I gave it a light brushing and blew it off with compressed air but it needs much more. Any suggestions on how best to clean it and what I could apply to enhance what remains of the original finish? I do not want to completely refinish this dresser, rather keep the old look.
Thanks!

Tom



The Restore-A-Finish sounds like it is a solvent and stain that dissolves the finish, colors it, and smooths it out. I think I have to give the dresser a good cleaning first so the dirt doesn't become part of the finish. Maybe I'll try cleaning with soap & water then apply Danish oil and see how it looks. I can always move on to the more aggressive Restore-A-Finish if need be. Thank you everyone!

Tom
Murphy's oil soap and a good hog-bristle brush for starters

Cleaning of antique dresser
 

On 11/17/2019 1:21 PM, Tom Crist wrote:
On Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 6:33:44 PM UTC-5, Tom Crist wrote:
My current project is the repair of a small, child's dresser that has spent the last 60 - 70 years stored in an attic or basement. Most of the glued joints are coming apart and the entire dresser is covered with ground in dust and dirt. I gave it a light brushing and blew it off with compressed air but it needs much more. Any suggestions on how best to clean it and what I could apply to enhance what remains of the original finish? I do not want to completely refinish this dresser, rather keep the old look.
Thanks!

Tom



The Restore-A-Finish sounds like it is a solvent and stain that dissolves the finish, colors it, and smooths it out. I think I have to give the dresser a good cleaning first so the dirt doesn't become part of the finish. Maybe I'll try cleaning with soap & water then apply Danish oil and see how it looks. I can always move on to the more aggressive Restore-A-Finish if need be. Thank you everyone!

Murphy's Oil Soap as a first step towards cleaning it up.