Cleaning up old varnish.

by Dale W. Palmer
(Cincinnati Ohio USA)

If you have old interior varnish that has turned white and peeling a real quick easy method for restoring is to mix equal parts of raw linseed oil and turpentine,'raw linseed oil and 10% denatured alcohol.

Dip a 1-0 steel wool pad in and wring out. Hold a rag right underneath so it won't run and cause a light streak. Rub with light pressure and wipe with a 100% cotton cloth. Don't rub hard so as to remove the finish. If an area gets too light rub the rag, saturated with oil, back on let it dry a short while then buff. Raw linseed oil doesn't dry so you have to keep going back and re-buff. Look for shiny spots and you will know if you need to re-buff.

These materials are relatively cheap and looks great for years. Make sure you keep taking your rags and steel wool outside and put them in a water filled 5 gallon bucket to prevent spontaneous combustion. Hang your drop clothes in your garage or over your fence for a week before you fold them up.

I have been a wood work restoration contractor in Cincinnati Ohio for 33 years.
Good luck.
Dale Palmer's Perfection Restoration

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