Today’s Throw Back Thursday project is about the dirtiest things I ever bought! I tend to do strange/big projects when Bikeman is out of town. When he’s gone that means I don’t have to stop and cook. I just eat whatever and whenever I want… sleep is the same way. For example, I’m writing this blog post at 4:58 a.m. because I woke up and was hungry. Maybe because I forgot to eat dinner???
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My Dirty Flea Market Finds!
Anyway, he was gone last week for a conference so I prepped for the Roses and Rust Vintage Market and finished up some other projects I’d been putting off. One was cleaning the dirtiest things I’ve ever bought! Remember back when I went to the flea market in Lompoc and found these spice cabinets? Here’s the photo I posted on Instagram. 
These old spice cabinets weren’t just dirty. They felt like they’d been in a kitchen where a lot of food had been fried then dust from years had stuck on top of the thin layer of grease. Yuck! I’m really hoping they came from an abandoned house. I can’t imagine anyone living with that much dust. I got a great deal on them since the dealer I bought them from didn’t want to clean them either. 
The cabinets were interesting but it was really the bottles I was after. I’d been wanting spice bottles ever since we did a little thrift store shopping up in Canada while we were snowed in. I saw soooooo many spice cabinets completely full of bottles. Around here I usually find the cabinets without the bottles. But my luggage was full and I couldn’t get anything else on the plane so I left them there.
Cleaning the Spice Bottles
I figured even if the spice cabinets were filthy the glass could be washed and sanitized. So I emptied the cabinets out on the patio. They were filled with all sorts of interesting known and unknown spices. There was frankincense and myrrh… but unfortunately, no gold. But there WAS a pair of false teeth in the drawer. (Really, I need to start checking drawers before I buy things!) Those went straight to the trash along with the contents of all the bottles. First I wiped the dirt off the bottles, then soaked them in a sink full of hot water with Dawn dishwashing liquid (which is the best thing I’ve found to clean greasy dust) and a tiny bit of bleach. THEN I stuck them in the dishwasher. They’re clean now!
Cleaning the Spice Cabinets
I know our shop owner paints chalk-type paint right over dust but these cabinets were a different story! I swept the layer of greasy dust off with a broom then wiped them down with a rag. (The rag went directly into the trash afterward.) Then I went over them with a new rag and some household cleaner to work on the grease. Nasty job but I think it was worth it.
Next time I’m going to try a homemade spray cleaner with 2 cups water, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of Dawn dish washing detergent.
Painting the Spice Cabinets
I gave them each a couple of coats of CeCe Caldwell’s Vintage White, dry brushing the metal door inserts. After the paint was dry I went back over with a damp rag and distressed it a little. I left a lot of the metal showing to give some contrast.
What’s funny is after I bought the first two cabinets I found another one EXACTLY like the one with the wood dowels in the door so I ended up with three cabinets.
More Flea Market Flips
If you’d like to see more of my painting projects check out these projects:
- Top 5 DIY Painting Projects from 2014
- The Biggest Jewelry Cabinet I’ve Painted
- The FIVE Biggest Mistakes You Make When You Paint Furniture (Country Living)
- Most Common Types of Wood for Home DIY Projects
- Spray Painting Metal Chairs at The Country Chic Cottage
- My Chalkboard Coffee Table Makeover
Thanks for reading…now leave a comment and let me know about the dirtiest thing YOU ever bought! ‘Til the next project,
Ann @ Duct Tape and Denim
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Originally published February 16, 2015. We share at these blog parties.
Lauren says
Wow! That was dirty. What a transformation!
Sharon Wickstrom says
I wouldn’t have had the patience, but you sure made it them look good, no more dirt, and very nice looking now. Great job.
Audra @ Renewed Projects says
False teeth????? Ewwwww! That is super gross. You’re a stud to take on these spice cabinets, I would have wussed out on the layers of grime.
Stephanie @ this abundant life says
This is fantastic! Love the look of the final project. You had real vision on this one, nice work!
Jessica Ballard says
Love how these turned out with the white. I would love to see the glass jars cleaned. Thanks for linking up at #smallvictoriessunday
ducttapeanddenim says
Thanks, Jessica! I have a blog post planned to show how I used all the glass jars. Follow me with Bloglovin’ to keep up with my posts!
Paula Kelly says
The dirtiest thing I ever bought and cleaned was a farm ladder. By the construction of it, I would guess it went to a hayloft, but by its condition, I’d guess it lived at the bottom of the pigsty.
I scrubbed and scraped sludge off of it repeatedly. It looks pretty clean now, but I’m certain that if I wet it, I’d still find more to scrape out of the crevices.
Louise says
Not sure I would have gone for it but they look amazing! I truly believe anything can be cleaned if you are willing to do the work!
Teri says
I would probably have put the false teeth in an old jar to add to my Halloween decor but that is easy to say until you are holding them in a paper towel in your hand! The yuck factor may be too strong.
ducttapeanddenim says
That would have been hilarious!!! But yeah… it was gross.
Kathy A says
I had to smile when someone made the comment about keeping the teeth. My dad kept his top dentures in a water glass in the kitchen cabinet. The glass had a distinctive shape; it was ONLY used for his teeth. To this day, I would be hard put to drink anything out of a glass with that shape! As a bit Halloween fan, today, I could see keeping them in a jar/beaker/glass for the laughs!
The cabinet transformation was absolutely gorgeous;never could have believed it was the same one! I recently took a small shelf with doors, added wooden candlestick feet, turquoise paint and scrapbooking paper to back shelves and line drawers to make an 18″ doll cabinet for an “almost” grand who loves turquoise!!
ducttapeanddenim says
lol… I know what you mean. I remember the glass pitcher that my grandparents kept in the fridge for cold water. I think of that every time I see a pitcher that shape. Your project sounds beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
Debrashoppeno5 says
Oh my did I giggle at the thought of finding false teeth! Yikes! But in the end the cabinets now look fantastic.
Sandi magle says
I totally laughed when you said you washed them in the sink, before you put them in the dishwasher—-I do remember washing dishes, crocks and some things outside—(lysol) and drying in the sun, then bringing them in to wash in the sink, and then the dishwasher—LOL. such are finds…
Kim~madeinaday says
Oh my false teeth! Lol Creepy! Looks so much better. I too have found some pretty dirty things but like you I see the good in them. Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
Kim
creativejewishmom/sara says
love these little cabinets, and I would have bought them no matter how dirty too! thanks for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!
Barbara Chapman ~ French Ethereal says
Love how your cabinet turned out… after getting all the gunk off of it! 🙂 I once saw my grandmother’s teeth in a jar by her bedside {I was about 5 years old} and freaked!!! She quickly hopped out of bed and stuck them in {after turning away from me} and told me it was okay. Mom and Dad had a discussion with me about not everyone has their real teeth and the reasons. 😉 Thanks for the fun memories! Pinning to my DIY projects board for you. <3 Just coming over from Share Your Style #175 where I am one of the new hosts ~ thank you for sharing this.
Rhonda Gales says
I love the makeover, but they sure where dirty. It’s amazing what a good scrubbing and a coat of paint can do. I can’t imagine opening a drawer and finding false teeth. Thanks for the giggles, and thanks for sharing on Sunday’s Best.
Bright says
That is an amazing find! Well worth the work you put into it. Love that it had teeth in the drawer! That is hilarious!
Sheri says
Thanks for sharing at the To Grandma’s House We Go DIY, Crafts, Recipes and More Wednesday Link Party! I pinned this! Hope to see you again next week.
Jann Olson says
I love finding that beauty under all that dirt! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Linda at Mixed Kreations says
Yuck, those are really nasty but cleaned up beautifully. False teeth really! I wonder if the owner of the teeth wondered where their teeth went. LOL.
Robyn Wright says
I want to see the bottles! 🙂
ducttapeanddenim says
I’ll work on that… they’re all still packed from our move right now!
Anita Holland says
Great transformation, you would think they could have dusted it off. lol
Pam says
Awww heck. That’s not dirty.
Try a hoarders house over run with raccoons.
Lots and lots of treasures saved.