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I have some kitchen cabinet doors that need refinishing/touchup in the
area of the door handles where years of greasy hands/fingernails have
nicked through the finish so that raw wood is greasy.
I think the cabinets are birch plywood and the finish is either shellec
or varnish in a medium yellowish amber.
I need advice on how to get the grease out of the area by the doorhandles
so I can refinish the doors, and hopefully match the amber and smoothness
of the nondamaged part of the doors.
Replies
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try a test swab of acetone in an inconspicuous location... if it doesn't screw up the finish , it will probably cut the grease...
*Try a hot solution of TSP(tri-sodium phosphate) and scrub with Scotchbrite. Wear rubber gloves. They sell it at paint stores and seems like I've seen it at the Depot.Cheaper and safer than acetone, although acetone will certainly work. If the TSP doesn't work, I'd try naptha next and scrub with a Scotchbrite pad.If you do use acetone, work outside,wear heavy rubber gloves, and don't breathe the fumes. The stuff will take white off rice, but it is one heavy-duty hydrocarbon and using it improperly can have severe consequences. If I'm telling you something you already know, I apologize. Sorta' figured if you were familiar with it, you wouldn't be asking how to get the grease off your cabinets.Good luck and be careful.Bill
*bg.. do ya recen dat's wat happened to me ?..i used to spel gud afore i werked in da fiberglass boat factory.....i notice dat smell still..cud it be da wife doin her nails in bed ?man, wen i tink of all da carcinogens i've inhaled over the years before i got religion like you....hah, hah,hahanyways thanks fer warnin the newbies...
*Mineral Spirits work great, and I have had good luck with plastic microwave parts, 'modern' wood finishes (but it will soften shellac).As with the Acetone (which will ruin most plastics), do a test in an inconspicuous place first.Note that some solvents' damage will not be apparent until after it has completely dried / evaporated so don't decide it is really "ok" until you give it a few minutes after you wipe it (or wash it) off.
*Hey Mike-If ya hit spell check, after getting this all typed up....does the machine start smoking?Just curious....
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Norm, by "mineral spirits," do you specifically mean paint thinner or something else? And I'm not clear what your comment about plastic microwave parts is referring to. Again, my problem is the grease has worked its way into the "raw" wood since the finish is chipped and I need to get any grease/oil out so the raw wood will be clean enough to take a new coat of shellac/varnish. It would seem like mineral spirits may get the grease out, but would leave its own residue that would make it hard for new shellac/varnish to adhere to.
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that's what nice about acetone... it's a high volatile and leaves almost no residue ..
spell check....hah, hah, hah...
ever try to read some of these that don't make sense ?
they are the result of faith in the BT spellchecker...
the funny thing is... andy says they paid extra for that feature.....hah
*Now that's a trick I would like to see. Using plastic microwave parts to remove grease from wood. What'll they think up next?Pete
*Toluene.Work outside. Respirator. Remove the handle, soak a rag in the toluene, and lay it on the greasy spot for about 5 minutes. Wipe clean and let dry. What grease it doesn't wick out will likely be 'blended' into the rest of the piece.But then again... wadda I no ?? (To paraphrase some idjit who posts here all the time. LOL)
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These guys are trying to kill you. Start with the LEAST toxic material then go stronger. Try 409, ammonia, paint thinner. Grease is a combination of mostly carbon molecules that can be softened with a petrolem product. If you aren't going to strip the finish off, don't use the strong solvents they will cut through the finish. If it is a shellac finish, anything with alcohol will disolve it.
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exactly.... start with water.... then try salt water...
then warm salt water...
then vinegar and water...
oh, never mind
*How 'bout some spit on a rag?
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Denatured alcohol is a better de-greaser than all of the atomic junk previously mentioned. It is less harmful to old finishes, and a whiff won't kill you.
Do not use any water-based stuff for this job, it can swell the grain to the point where it will never look the same.
The right way to do this job would be to scrape/sand these cabinet doors off completely, then refinish them. But not everybody likes to do the job the right way (BIG SURPRISE!).
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Go ahead, spend days chasing that grease around with all those other reccomendations first. By the time you get to the 'atomic cleaners' you may have chased the grease so far into the wood you'll never get it truly clean.
I wasn't trying to kill you. If I had been, I wouldn't have said to do the work outside and with a good respirator.
: )
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Disney should run this job for the following reasons:
1.Trying to clean the affected area without leaving a mess=The Tar Baby.
2.Matching the old finish=Old Yeller.
3.Trying to save a little elbow grease=Mickey Mouse.
4.Dressing up in a space suit to make Luka happy=Goofy.
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HAHAHAHA
Kerthwap !!!
: )
*oopsI was thinking about general cleaning up of a greasy buildup kitchen (like moving in to an apartment). The 409's and etc really dont work on the built up, years-old crud. I was used to just ignoring it (since nothing else seemed to work) until I found mineral spirits (thats what it says on the label). I got the 'odorless' kind so that I could be overcome by the fumes in comfort and cleaned (so happy).Anyway, if your are preparing to re-finish then I have not idea and should have kept my big fingers shut.Carry on.
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I have some kitchen cabinet doors that need refinishing/touchup in the
area of the door handles where years of greasy hands/fingernails have
nicked through the finish so that raw wood is greasy.
I think the cabinets are birch plywood and the finish is either shellec
or varnish in a medium yellowish amber.
I need advice on how to get the grease out of the area by the doorhandles
so I can refinish the doors, and hopefully match the amber and smoothness
of the nondamaged part of the doors.