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Duct Tape and Denim

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Thrifting Tips

How to Clean Used Furniture with Products You Already Have

Today we’re going to talk about how to clean used furniture.  I don’t want you to pass up a piece of furniture at a thrift store, garage sale, or flea market just because it’s dirty!

how to clean used furniture, collage 1

This post contains affiliate links.  You won’t pay any more when you use these but I will earn a small commission on any purchases you make after clicking on them and I greatly appreciate it.  Thanks for helping support my little blog!!!

{{{Get your own printable copies of “25 Things You Should ALWAYS Buy at Thrift Stores” AND “Top Ten Thrift Store Tips” when you sign up for our thrift store makeover list. }}}

First:  Put Together a Furniture Cleaning Kit

  • rags
  • plastic scrapers – for stickers and other sticky residues
  • small cleaning brush – for loose dirt
  • wire brush – for caked-on dirt
  • spray bottles – to mix up your own cleaning solutions
  • white vinegar
  • denatured alcohol
  • Dawn
  • Goo Gone
  • TSP
  • TSP substitute, like Krud Kutter
  • Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

TIP:  Make sure you take a “before” photo of your furniture!  You’ll want to be able to impress your friends and family with what a change you made.

How to Clean Used Furniture with Products You Probably Already Own

First, remove any pieces that can be taken off:  hardware (handles or knobs), drawers, and/or shelves.

Then wipe, sweep, or vacuum all the loose dust and dirt off the piece.  Be very careful when using a metal scraper or spatula or a wire brush.  It’s very easy to scratch the wood with those.  Plastic scrapers and brushes are much safer.

Now you have some decisions to make.

  • Are there any stickers or sticky residue on the furniture?  You’ll need to take care of those first.
  • How are you going to finish this piece?  Stain, chalk-type paint, latex, oil, etc.  Different types of paint need different prep.
  • Will you be reusing the old hardware?  If so, does it need to be refinished?

Keep reading to see how to handle each of those problems.

Soap and Water Method for Greasy, Gunky, Sticky Dirt

Mix up a bucket of soapy water and scrub away.  Yes, you can use water to clean wood furniture.  Just don’t let the water sit on the surface.   I’ve even heard of people hauling furniture to the car wash to get it clean!

Here’s a picture of the DIRTIEST piece I ever bought… a set of spice cabinets that I found at a flea market in Southern California.

Dirty spice cabinets bought at a swap meet

These were covered with kitchen grease and dust.  I didn’t dare even take these in our house.  I just emptied out the shelves and drawers on our patio and used my patio broom to knock the dust off.  Then I filled a bucket with water, squirted some Dawn in it, and scrubbed them down with a cleaning brush.  I let them dry out a couple of days in the sun before painting them.  You can see how they turned out (and what I found in the drawers) HERE.

Vinegar Furniture Cleaning Method

Mix white vinegar 1:1 with water to clean the dirty furniture.  It also helps remove smells if your furniture is musty.

Melanie also uses the vinegar/water mix to remove sticker residue.

how to clean used furniture with vinegar

Cleaning Old Furniture with Specialized Products

Denatured Alcohol Furniture Cleaning Method

Mix denatured alcohol 1:1 with water and scrub the piece.  This method works when prepping furniture for water-based paints.

Jenny uses denatured alcohol and a Scotch Brite pad.

how to clean furniture with denatured alcohol

Mineral Spirits Furniture Cleaning Method

Wipe down your piece with mineral spirits.  This method works well when you’re prepping furniture for oil-based paints or stains like Vineta did on this dining table.

how to clean furniture mineral spirits

TSP Furniture Cleaning Method

TSP, or trisodium phosphate, comes in a powder that you need to mix with water before using it.  Brush it on the old furniture, rinse it off, wipe off any standing water, and let it dry completely.  The TSP takes some of the finish off so sanding is also easier.

You can also buy a TSP substitute, like Krud Kutter, that is already mixed up.  It’s much easier to use and rinse from the furniture.

Other Furniture Cleaning Tips

  • Take all the drawers out and turn the piece upside down to make sure you get all the dirt and spider webs off the bottom and inside.
  • Let the piece dry overnight if you’re going to paint it.
  • If you’re not going to strip or paint it, seal the old paint with a top coat to stop the chipping.
  • Check out how I cleaned a garage sale vinyl chair, too.

If you enjoyed reading how to clean used furniture, you might also like these:

  • 9 Tips for Buying Second Hand Furniture
  • Where to Find Used Furniture to Flip
  • Why Shop at Thrift Stores
  • 10 Top Thrift Store Tips
  • How to Remove Musty Smells from Furniture
  • How to Get Rid of Musty Smells in Your Home

Thanks for reading my article.  Let me know if you have any other questions about how to clean used furniture… or if you have more tips I should know about. We share at these blog parties.  Featured on Smell Good Sunday.

‘Til the next project,

 Ann @ Duct Tape and Denim

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16 Comments

« The Top 10 Flea Market Tips You Need to Know Before Junkin’
Vintage Mirror Redo, Before and After »

Comments

  1. Alexandra says

    June 10, 2018 at 9:11 am

    This is such a useful post! My favorite show to watch is the Flea Market Flip, and I feel so inspired when I watch it, but then I go to the flea market, and I feel intimidated. Pinned this for later. Thanks!

    I recently started a new link up on my EyeLoveKnots blog, and would love if you came to link up! Here is the current one: https://eyeloveknots.com/2018/06/super-crafty-sunday-link-up-6-eyeloveknots-sponsored-giveaway.html

    Reply
  2. Kim~madeinaday says

    June 12, 2018 at 11:44 am

    Great post! Sometimes things you buy can be so grungy. Sharing! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
    Kim

    Reply
  3. Beverly says

    June 20, 2018 at 6:17 pm

    Great post . Always looking for ideas on cleaning old furniture I find. I hope you stop by Thursday Favorite Things since you are being featured.
    Hugs,
    Bev

    Reply
  4. Mother of 3 says

    June 30, 2018 at 4:06 pm

    Such a handy post to have on hand! Thanks so much for sharing with us at the Summer Time Fun Linky party. Pinned.

    Reply
  5. Lori says

    October 14, 2018 at 8:30 am

    Thank you for the valuable information found here. Looking forward to many happy days of thrifting!

    Reply
  6. Krud Kutter says

    June 5, 2019 at 5:16 am

    Thanks for the tips! Krud Kutter really helps

    Reply
  7. Linda at Mixed Kreations says

    September 1, 2019 at 7:54 am

    Great tips for cleaning those nasty second handpieces! There has been plenty of times that I have passed up a piece because of how dirty it was and didn’t feel like tackling the job or wasn’t sure how to even get started.

    Reply
  8. Vanessa says

    June 20, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    I am inheriting my grandma’s dining room table. Round with claw foot. Anyway, I don’t want to strip it or restain it. Definitely not painting it. But it has been in storage for 20 years and needs a good cleaning but I’m afraid it will have that sticky feel to it after washing it. What can I do? Thanks!

    Reply
    • ducttapeanddenim says

      June 24, 2020 at 8:49 am

      Try cleaning just a small part at first… maybe the inside of a leg where it wouldn’t show. Test some different products to see what works. There are several refinishing products available that you can use without stripping or restaining it. Good luck with it!

      Reply
  9. Rauf says

    November 23, 2020 at 1:21 am

    I have plain aluminum furniture. We have cleaned and polished.
    The gray residue still wipes off on a damp cloth.
    Does the furniture need to be sealed to prevent this?

    Reply
    • ducttapeanddenim says

      December 25, 2020 at 8:13 pm

      Yes, that would work.

      Reply

Trackbacks

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