old wooden chairs

[Dynasty]

Ya know the old yucky smell that wood can get when it sits for years? Kinda like a mouldy smell, anyways, these old wooden chairs I picked up have it, I can't bring them in my house because of the smell. I used pledge and soapy water but it's still there. Is there a certain cleanser I can buy that gets rid of it?

[dontbe]

Great question! I know exactly what your talking about, that smell that something gets when it sat in a abandoned beach house or barn.. yucky smell, but boy does it bring memories.

anyway, Iwonder how you could get rid of it... bleach water?
I dont know. I hope someone answers.

[Guest]

much of this smell is in the upholstery - get rid of it - clean the wood with lemon oil and a fine triple 000 steel wool - and when I said get rid of the upholstery, I mean the strapping also.  You will want to clean with the oil once, let it dry, buff, and clean again.  And buff again.  Sunshine helps, but don't leave it out more than a couple of hours.  KB

[Dynasty]

Kewl thanks for the replies.  There's no upolstry(cant spell lol) it's all really thick, heavy wood the chairs, but  steel wool..would that scratch the stain off? it's that old dark stain on the chairs I like the look but I guess if I gotta sacrifice the looks for the smell, I will heehee :rolleyes:  

[Guest]

Triple ought as in 000, look like a shredded wheat biscuit, and you can find them in almost all hardware stores.  You can also get 0000, even finer.  Lemon oil furniture polish is available in supermarkets.  I use the brand Old English.  There's always a gunky coating on even "not-so-old" furniture - this method takes it off.  If you want to try even less invasive techniques, use the lemon oil and an old towel or washrag.  But it's more rubbing.  Putting the item out in the sunshine after treatment helps too.  Because I've done this for lots of years, I also use mineral spirits.  For the first rub.  Then I use the lemon oil.  But mineral spirits can remove more of the finish than you may want.  And it can soften a finish.  

Whatever you use, washrag or 000, rub vigorously with the grain of the wood.  And after the sunshine treatment, let the wood cool down and use a good clear paste wax.  It will restore the sheen.     KB

[Guest]

Addendum to above post - I see you used a spray type wax?  Pledge?  It needs to be removed along with the gunky stuff - I went back to paste wax as I had lots of dirty stuff on some of my nice "almost antique" furniture.  Talk about dull !!

Last year we refurbished, and in a couple of instances, re-finished our kitchen cabinets.  They got treated afterwards with paste wax, buffed, waxed again and buffed.  A lot of work but it's one year later and they wipe CLEAN with a damp sponge.  I use a brand called MinWax, but I think they're all equally good.  The secret is in the buffing.  KB