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How To Clean Unfinished Wood Kitchen Cabinets

How to Clean Sticky Wood Kitchen Cabinets Before Painting

Unfinished wood is porous and absorbs oil and grease just as a sponge. That is why most wood in the home has some protective layer. If you’ve got wood paneling made from cedar, a finishing coat can stop the natural smells from circulating. Furthermore, the look of rough-sawn panels and specific furniture could be affected when you paint it with a finish.

The key to cleaning finished wood is to stay clear of any substance soaked into the wood, including household cleaners. You have a powerful tool to use but cannot operate on wood that is finished -Sandpaper.

  1. Clean unfinished wood using the paintbrush that isn’t used to paint. Use a brush that follows the grain of the wood as if you had painted it to keep from creating prominent dust streaks.
  2. Clean the wood using a damp cloth to get rid of scratches and dirt that you can’t brush away. To ensure that you don’t raise the grain of the wood, squeeze the cloth entirely before you use it, and then take a gentle wipe.
  3. Remove scratches that you cannot clean away with 120- or 150-grit or even finer sandpaper. Sand with your fingers and try to move along the grain of the wood and not against the skin of wood. You might be able to remove staining from oil and grease too, but they generally sink too deeply into the grain to be removed.
  4. Clean up paint stains, dye stains, and wood stain splotches as well as crayon marks using acetone or lacquer thinner.
  5. Clean the area affected using a damp cloth soaked in the solvent to eliminate most of the stain. Next, rub off the remnant with 150-grit sandpaper. No solvent can stain wood or increase the grain; however, the odor of the residual may persist for a few days or even.

How To Clean Unfinished Wood Kitchen Cabinets?

Cleaning wood that is not finished can be an overwhelming task because there isn’t a coating or varnish that can safeguard the wood from harm. But, due to this, wood that is not finished needs cleaning more often than finished wood. With a soft hand and an awareness of safety precautions, it is possible to clean your wood that is not finished with vacuums and brushes or any different dusting methods.

1. Cleaning Dust and Debris

·        Make Use Of A Soft Brush

A soft brush is ideal for removing tiny bits of debris stuck in the grooves and ridges in the wood that has not been finished. Make use of the meeting to clean away any debris caught in the crevices gently. Then remove it with a vacuum.

Make an easy flicking motion using the bristles on the wood’s surface to get the best results.

A soft brush will help prevent wood damage since it uses a gentle stroke.

You can also use the microfiber mop or broom.

·        Clean The Wood Using The Help Of A Cloth Made From Microfiber

Utilizing a microfiber cloth to gently wipe down the surface of an item of unfinished wood is a straightforward and quick method to clean the wood. This technique is ideal for dirt on the surface that isn’t ingrained deep. You can run the microfiber fabric on the wood’s surface to clean up any dust or grime left.

Be sure the microfiber fabric is clean before using it. It can be washed in the sink using water and soap or rinsed with the machine and thrown into the dryer before using it.

·        Clean Up As You Would Normally

To prevent your wood that is not finished from needing more intense cleaning methods, It is recommended to conduct regular maintenance. If you let your wood be untreated, you’ll eventually have to perform more damaging treatments to make the wood clean.

This means you must clean or dust your wood that is not finished regularly and wipe it clean using a microfiber cloth a few times a month.

2. Removing Grime and Stains

·        Clean Using A Vacuum Cleaner And A Stiff Brush

A stiffer brush applied to the surface of the unfinished wood could be beneficial for wood with dirt and other debris that is more deeply embedded in the wood’s grain. Clean the wood that is not finished and remove any loose bits.

Be cautious avoid rubbing the rigid bristles of the wood to the point that it could harm the wood.

This method is the most efficient for unfinished wood in good shape.

·        Make Use Of Adhesive Rubber

The natural rubber product is typically employed to clean wood that is not finished. It is exceptionally flexible and sticky, which means that it can be pushed into the smaller crevices on the outside of the wood. Then dirt will be drawn by it and stick on the surface of the rubber.

Apply the rubber on the surface and then gently massage it until it’s incorporated through the grain wood. When it gets darker (this signifies that it’s attracting lots of dirt), You can cut away the upper layer and reveal new layers that can be used to complete the work.

This technique is particularly effective for those areas that are hard to reach using other cleaning methods.

·        Employ Erasing Compounds

Erasing substances are employed to clean dirt from unfinished surfaces of wood. Rub a tiny quantity of the agent onto the exterior of wood that is not finished and use cotton balls to massage the cleaning substance across the grain wood. Then gently swirl the cotton balls in circular motions to get the optimal results. When you’re finished, clean any remnants of the compound off the wood’s surface.

Make sure not to rub the wood with too much force since this can cause harm.

When the erasing agent changes color to grey, the compound is ineffective, and you need to apply it again.

·        Use Mineral Spirits

Mineral spirits can be described as a type of solvent that artists often use when cleaning their brushes for painting. Use a damp towel to soak in the solution, then gently clean the surface of your wood that has not been finished. Wear gloves when handling the mineral spirits. Also, make sure you don’t inhale the fumes directly.

Since this is a form of treatment using liquids, it is essential to be cautious and apply the mineral spirits to avoid damaging the wood.

3. Preventing Damage

·        Do Not Use Wet Cleaning Techniques

Water can be very damaging to wood that has not been finished. The exposure to water could cause wood that is not completed to expand or shrink in shape and size. In the end, the likelihood is that it will give you a finished product that’s not the way you imagined or planned to see happen.

A wet-cleaning method could cause the wood to be more challenging to finish, especially if this is your plan for the unfinished wood.

·        Try Out Your Cleaning Strategy

To avoid damaging the wood you haven’t finished, It is recommended to try out your cleaning technique before you begin. Select a small, unnoticeable portion of the wood that isn’t visible if you accidentally damage the wood.

Make sure to select the piece situated on the backside of the wood or not visible to your testers.

In addition, choosing a small number of pieces to test before time will help to make sure that your selected cleaning technique will produce a uniform surface for your final product.

·        Be Gentle

If you’re cleaning wood that is not finished, It is essential to work gradually and make sure you use a gentle touch. The varnish or finish is applied to a variety of types of wood. It shields it from weather and prevents it from getting damaged easily. Unfinished wood is exceptionally susceptible to scratching and other forms of damage.

Make sure to use caution when you brush the wood’s surface and use the vacuum to clean the wood. It can lead to visible and permanent imperfections if you are too rough.