Is your furniture starting to look “antique”? The story behind those white rings on your coffee table – “I, uh, left some Chunki Chikin Soup® on it” – won’t draw conversation like the history that paints the family china, so it’d be best to keep it looking new. It would be an expensive hassle to regularly get professionals to retouch your furniture – so if you have some extra time on your hands, save yourself some trouble by trying out some of these tricks for DIY furniture makeovers.
Getting Started
Look over the furniture for blemishes like white rings, cracks, or degraded finish – applying mineral spirits will highlight them.
Cleaning Up
Dip a sponge in a mixture of soap and water and gently scrub the finish. Wring the sponge, rinse, and dry using a towel.
Removing White Rings
Remove minor white rings by applying petroleum jelly and letting it sit overnight. Worse white rings require special products and severe rings require the attention of a professional.
Removing Paint Stains
Remove any paint stains with a modified razor blade. Just wrap a bit of masking tape on both ends of the blade, and when you hold it, bend it slightly to get it close to the paint without actually touching the wood. Scrape the paint carefully.
Removing Blemishes
Apply gel stain to the surface to cover up small blemishes. Soak up the gel stain with a cloth and wipe it across the finish, and then remove the excess with another cloth. It takes time to dry, so if you change your mind, you can remove it with mineral spirits before it sets in.
Filling Cracks
Fill in any small cracks with wax from a wax stick. Break off small pieces, warm them in your hands, and work them into the length of the crack using a thin tool. Clean up any extra wax with a cloth.
Updating your Finish
After you’re finished, apply wipe-on finish with a rag in small swirls. Wipe off the excess in the direction of the grain, and let it dry overnight.
It’s surprising how much better your furniture can look after these simple procedures. They won’t work for glaring issues, however; if there are extreme blemishes in the finish, deep white rings, or it needs stripping, get a professional – head to TalkLocal and we’ll fix you up with one furniture upholestry professional before you know it.
