I think we all scavenge Craigslist for incredible finds and sometimes we find the most gorgeous piece- minus all the crud covering it. Or- it is just a piece that needs to be cleaned prior to painting. And I always recommend cleaning down cabinetry in the kitchen, bath, or laundry room prior to painting. No matter the painting occasion, this is what I do at The Purple Painted Lady:First clean with Mineral Spirits…THEN…do a clean water rinse!Using old towels or t-shirts cut up- I apply a little odorless mineral spirits on it and then wipe down the piece.The rag should be slightly damp, but not dripping! I like to use “real” Mineral Spirits..meaning not the “green” Mineral Spirits that have that milky white appearance. I personally feel it does not work as well as the original Mineral Spirits.Take your rag and place it on the opening of the Mineral Spirits. Flip the container a couple of times in different areas of the rag. (Think like how you would put nail polish remover onto a cotton swab or ball)

With a tiny bit of Mineral Spirits on your rag, rub the piece in the direction of the grain of the wood. The mineral spirits on the rag will remove grease or dirt. Again, I always do this prior to painting a cabinet job. In the bath- I wipe off residual toothpaste and in kitchens- the cabinets near the dog’s food dish or garbage can are the dirtiest. Such as life though- and we all live in our homes versus using them as a show room.After wiping down your piece with Mineral Spirits, give it a bit of time to allow the Mineral Spirits to totally evaporate prior to painting. (If you are doing a few pieces- by the time you finish cleaning the last piece- the first will be ready.)THEN- finish with a clean water rinse!  The washing with Mineral Spirits will remove any residual oil or grease from the wood if there is any. Mineral spirits will evaporate from the wood completely without leaving any residue. This is the purpose in waiting some time – up to a day after cleaning with mineral spirits… for the mineral spirits to evaporate.

Some people recommend using TSP to clean your furniture- and that is fine too. I personally- have had many customers have issues with this method since they do not thoroughly rinse the furniture or cabinets with water or denatured alcohol after using TSP. I get emails asking, “what did I do wrong? The paint is peeling.” 9 times out of 10- it is because of this!So I prefer to just use odorless Mineral Spirits. With that said- DO NOT USE THE “Environmentally Green” brand of Mineral Spirits!restaurant duct cleaning serviceMineral Spirits are a staple in my painting closet and I always have it on hand. dryer vent cleaning tool kitsAlso- if you make a glaze out of your wax using Mineral Spirits- I recommend staying away from the “Green” Mineral Spirits – which has a milky white look to it.best vacuum cleaner for hardwood and carpet

TSP was commonly used prior to the 1970’s to clean walls prior to painting them. The reason for cleaning with TSP was because it etched the gloss of oil based paint, making it rougher so that the next coat of paint would stick better. If you have an oil based paint on your wood, then I’d clean them with TSP if you intend to repaint that wood. But, there is no point whatever in cleaning bare wood with TSP, or latex painted wood with TSP.If you do use TSP, then I would also clean the residual TSP off the piece of furniture with a clear water wash or denatured alcohol.top rated commercial upright vacuum cleanersCreate a ratio of 60/40 = alcohol to water. dryer vent cleaning equipment for saleThen as stated above, moisten a rag (not soak it.) best cleaner for unfinished wood floors

Wipe down the piece of furniture or cabinets, and then let dry.Personally- I stay true to using Mineral Spirits again. It is ideal to clean a surface free of any waxy or oily/greasing substances. But Chalk Paint® in general has great bonding capabilities.But if you cannot purchase Mineral Spirits where you live, or have personal reasons not to use it~ here are some additional options:Cleaning with one of the following (they are all biodegradable and grease cutters) … Motsenbocher’s TSP Substitute, Dirtex, or Krud Kutter. Hope this little post was interesting and helpful!If you are not redirected automatically click hereKRAMER'S BEST ANTIQUE IMPROVER What does it do? (Photographs shown on this page are of "Before/After" samples we have worked on for use in our displays of  Kramer's Best products. None of the photos have been retouched or modified in anyMost of these pieces are currently displayed in mall booths or at shows around the country. 

like more detailed information about a specific piece, do not hesitate to contact us.) What does it do?  First of all, itKramer's Best Antique Improver is the ideal way to clean off the surface build-up found on so many of the old pieces � fingerprints, kitchen cooking grease, furnace residue, wood and coal smoke, lamp soot, as well as wax build-up and furniture polish residue.   this gently � reconditioning, but not damaging, the original finish asAs well as your antique furniture, Antique Improver effectively cleans and restores woodwork, paneling, doors (inside and out), floors, window sills, kitchen cupboards and much, much more. As it cleans, it RECONDITIONS both the FINISH andAs shown on this old silverware chest lid and the sewing machine top, a light wipe of Improver cleans, and at the same time, reconditions the existing finish.  The old natural finishes �  paint, varnish, lacquer, shellac � dry out over time. 

cause shrinking, cracking, flaking of the finish.  Antique Improver contains many of the same oils used in the old finishes. It replaces the oils in the finish, goes through the finish into the wood, reversing the dryness of the wood, while at the same time re-bonding and stabilizing both the finish and the wood. restored to areas lightened from sun bleaching or from wear and lightWhite water marks, many times, are reversed.  piece will look better than you have ever seen it look before. Even if there is some finish missing � on pieces where time and the elements have done their damage � Kramer's Best Antique Improver reconditions and brings up the wonderful natural color and beauty of the wood.  Natural oils are replaced.  some original finish remains may be blended in with the more damaged areas, restoring appearance without affecting integrity of the piece.  Improver is an excellent way to reverse damage on areas exposed to

constant steam and moisture or extreme temperature and humidity changes, such as window sills, around window panes, kitchen or bathroom cabinets, entrance doors, and much, much more. Replacing the natural oils brings up more natural color and beauty than you would have thought possible. Using Antique Improver occasionally for maintenance prevents dryness, maintains rich color and patina and PRESERVES and PROTECTS the wood in your home from future permanent damage. Some very rough pieces may be found completely without their original finish (such as the old sewing table and piano front shown above) or never have actually had a finish (the rustic wooden box).  Improver were used on one side to show the dramatic enhancement. On the old rocker and phone box it was necessary to use steel wool as the applicator in order to remove the layer of oxidized and decayed wood on the surface as the Improver was applied.  extreme cases it is amazing what a few applications of Kramer's Best

Antique Improver can do.  Without exception, the natural and compatible ingredients of the product feed the wood, reviving and restoring,You will see color return to the wood � the natural colors of walnut, oak, cherry � the true colors seldom seen. Even on pine, which  normally has little color, Antique Improver will restore that desired soft golden color only possible with naturalSeveral applications may be required to reverse the drynessThese old pieces have been a long time drying out and will take some time to "heal", but it will be worth it when you see the results as the lustrous natural patina develops. NEW OR STRIPPED WOOD: Use Kramer's Best Antique Improver as the ONLY FINISH on stripped or new wood. If you do have to strip a piece because the original finish has been painted over, or for new, unfinished wood, this is an ideal final finish. It is similar to a hand-rubbed oil finish (without all the rubbing).

On a stripped piece, the natural oils of Antique Improver are especially beneficial as they help reverse the dryness and damage caused by the stripping, restoring life to the wood. When used as a final finish, Antique Improver lays the grain, never raising it � applied with fine steel wool, sanding many times becomes unnecessary.  as it is applied, brings up the color and enhances the natural grain and beauty of the wood.  Stain, which actually masks much of that beauty, is not necessary, nor advised.  The surface is left with a natural beauty that improves even more over time.  As the initial application, use two or three coats depending on the type and condition of the wood. Over time, additional coats, and time to cure, will deepen the luster even more and continue to enhance the richness and beauty of the piece. No, the wood IS NOT "sealed" totally � a really bad thing to do to wood.  But, once a piece is fully conditioned with Antique

Improver it is naturally protected from moisture. You will see that water just "beads up".  Occasional spills are not a problem. If an area starts to show dryness from constant exposure to moisture, an additional occasional wipe of Antique Improver is all that isPieces treated, and maintained, with Kramer's Best Antique Improver are very easy to live with.  And you will see them getting And it does even more... Antique Improver, is an excellent tool for cleaning off rust and preventing the rust from reoccurring.  A light wipe applied with a soft cloth cleans, brightens and protects from rust.  is already a rust build-up, steel wool can be used as the  applicator (a brass-bristle brush helps where detail requires).  it may take multiple cleanings to remove the crusty rust surface, but the effort is worth it.  The Antique Improver converts deep rust to a dark oxide, preventing further deterioration. The deep rich color

of well-preserved old metal is restored.  If the metal had an original painted finish, many times the restoration can be amazing (such as the old school desk end shown here).  Work carefully and gently to be sure not to remove what original finish may remain.  will stabilize and enhance what is there, blending it in with the rawSometimes the result is astounding.  end amazed even us. TOOLS & GUNS:  Tool collectors, as well as gun enthusiasts, use and recommend Antique Improver as the ideal way to clean and restore both the metal and the wood of old toolsThe piece is cleaned and beauty restored, but it is not altered, nor value lost by coating with something not natural to the piece. In some instances, where there is a heavy build-up or saturation of grease or oil, pre-cleaning with Kramer's Best Blemish Clarifier is beneficial. John T. Kramer, maker of Kramer's Best Antique Improver P.O. Box 8715, Sugar Creek, MO  64054