How To Clean Dirty Wood Before Painting

Its important to switch to a fresh swab frequently to avoid swiping the paintings surface with a dirty.

How to clean dirty wood before painting. White vinegar for heavily soiled unfinished wood that has sticky residue or similar film buildup. Brush with the wood grain -- as if you were painting it -- to avoid creating visible dust streaks. Use a long-handled scrubber brush and a mild detergent to gently scrub away accumulated dirt grime mold and other residue.

Let the wood air-dry before you apply primer. Then wipe down with plain water. 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.

Wash the entire wood surface once youre finished scraping andor sanding. When youre satisfied with the woods appearance rinse the exterior from top to bottom with a garden hose. Wash it again with plain water.

TSP trisodium phosphate - sold in the paint aisle of Lowes. If your water is filthy after cleaning the furniture you may need to wash it several times. Give the surface a full day to dry before moving on.

To avoid raising the wood grain wring out the cloth thoroughly before using it and wipe lightly. To clean grease off kitchen cabinets before you paint them we like to spray down all surfaces with Krud Kutter then scrub them really well. Wipe the unfinished wood and vacuum up any fragments that become loose.

If you have an oil based paint on your wood then Id clean them with TSP if you intend to repaint that wood. Spray the steam at the stains on the dirty wood and move it back and forth across the stained portions. If there is mould dirt grease or anything else present we must remove and clean it before we can begin applying any type of coating.