How can I clean grime off of Oak wooden chairs? It is on the top back where we pick them up to move them. It is sticky. I don't want to damage the finish.
I read on one site to use Murphy's Oil Soap. I have had my Hitchcock furniture 20 years. With 2 kids, grime build up was to the point I was going to have it refinished. I would have lost the original Hitchcock detail. The Murphy's and water and elbow grease worked great! Use 1part Murphy to 14 parts warm water. Apply liberally and let stand a few minutes. Then work up a sweat. Don't try to do the whole table at one time. Try a small swatch to test first.
Go to your local hardware store or Lowes, whatever.
Buy the waterless hand cleaner, go jo (not the one with pumice.)
Take any paintbrush, brush it on the crud and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes (don't let it dry) wipe with paper towels until they come up clean, then wipe with a dry rag or cheesecloth.
If you don't get it all the first time, do it again. Go jo cleans any kind of wood, old leather desktops, whatever. No harm at all. Just don't let it dry because it forms a film that can be hard to get off. We use this on most of the dirty furniture that comes into our antique shop.
I have the same problem. I use a solution of double diluted Murphy's Oil Soap. I just put it in a spray bottle, set the chairs out on the deck and let the kids do the rest. Seems to work well. It also helps to wipe the chairs down again with a dry towel/cloth to get any residue off. If the finish is old or in really bad shape you may be better off sanding and re-finishing, doesn't take as long as you would think.
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