Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Jul 04, 2006 06:28pm | #1

   Minwax makes a wood Cleaner. There is a rinse solution to buy also after to clean the residue.

   but there is a good chance that things will end up mottled loking. That rug backing will be worse in areas of more foot trafic that back in the corner behind the table or whatever

    

    

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1. 
   DonH | Jul 04, 2006 06:50pm | #2

   Thanks for the reply. I just checked the Minwax site and, unfortunately, they don't recommend their cleaners on shellac because of the possibility of wax. I'm assuming I shouldn't use something with much or any water. How about Murphy's oil soap? Is there actually oil of some kind in it? Maybe some solvent. Would mineral spirits eat the shellac?

1. 
   Piffin | Jul 04, 2006 07:42pm | #3

   Naptha is a cleaning agent.Try various thingsin small out of the way locations first.
   last year we did a lot of this over stained, oiled, and misused floors.
   Plaine old Turpentine on a rag with plenty elbow grease was the secret for most. But I don't know hjow that would work over shellac. To remove shellac, sometimes denatured alchohol works, but you don't want to remove it... 

    

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2. 
   BillBrennen | Jul 04, 2006 08:50pm | #6

   Don,Mineral spirits won't harm your shellac. Naptha, like Piffin mentioned, is just a "lighter" cognate of mineral spirits (shorter molecules, evaporates faster, less oily residue) so it also won't hurt the shellac. Detergents can damage shellac, ammonia will strip it off the wood, and alcohols will dissolve it. Acetone and lacquer thinner will also dissolve shellac. Plain water left on too long can diffuse into the shellac, leaving it cloudy.A quick wipe with a water-dampened rag followed by cleaning with naptha is a good idea. The water gets the gross soils, and the naptha will remove wax residues and greasy dirt. Bill

1. 
   DonH | Jul 05, 2006 02:43am | #8

   Thanks for the replys. Looks like I'll probably try the naptha or mineral spirits.

1. 
   Danno | Jul 05, 2006 02:52am | #9

   Incidentally, from what I remember, Murphy's is called "oil" soap because the soap in it comes from saponified oil instead of saponified fat, as in most soap. It is no more oil than the fat in soap is fat.

2. 
   TC | Jul 04, 2006 07:50pm | #4

   I just did the same thing on about 2000sf.of oak that had carpet on it for 20plus years used a product called crud cutter and a semi stiff bristle brush worked great

3. 
   BillHartmann | Jul 04, 2006 08:41pm | #5

   There was a resent thread on cleaning old woodwork.

   Waterless hand cleaner seemed to be a winner.

   Naptha is another.

   But you are really cleaning the residue from the foam so you will need to experiement to see what works.

4. 
   seb | Jul 04, 2006 10:19pm | #7

   Many times the pattern left by pad will actually be etched in the finish..Don't be surprised if you can't get rid of it without removing the old finish...(don't ask how I found that out LOL)
   Bud