Clean It First
$9
Furniture can hold onto grease, wax, polish, cooking residue, and years of mystery grime that sanding alone won't reliably remove.
But I don't reach for the strongest chemical I can find every time. The right cleaner depends on what I'm trying to remove and what surface I'm working on.
This cheat sheet shows you exactly what I use before refinishing, and when.
Inside this guide:
Simple Green, for light dirt and everyday grime
Krud Kutter, my usual starting point for dirty furniture
A soft brush or drill brush, for carvings, trim, and packed-in grime
Isopropyl alcohol, for stubborn residue ordinary degreasing won't lift
Acetone, for adhesive, overspray, and the really stubborn gunk, and when not to use it
My basic rule: start with the least aggressive product that will actually do the job
Why a surface can look clean and still ruin your sanding, stain, primer, paint, and topcoat
8 pages. Designed to save to your phone or print and keep with your cleaning supplies.