If you’ve got a set of wooden
kitchen bar stools that get used a lot, or have been kept in storage for some time, they could probably benefit from a good clean to get them looking fresh and new again. Here are some tips for cleaning wood furniture that should help you with those tricky bits in your bar stool makeover.
If your counter bar stools are used in a steamy kitchen environment where lots of cooking is done, the dampness in the air may have caused mold or mildew to grow on the wooden frames. Similarly, being stored in a damp basement or garage could have the same result. The obvious solution is to wipe it off, but if you don’t use something to kill off the spores, the mold and mildew will soon grow back. To make sure all the spores are killed, use a mix of half and half water and bleach. Wipe this all over your stools with a cloth, then dry them well.
When decorating, it’s common to find little spots of paint from the roller on your furniture. If this happens with your bar stools and you don’t notice straightaway, the paint will have had time to dry and won’t just wipe off. How to remove the splatters depends on what type of paint it is. Oil-based paint needs to be scraped off carefully, as any chemical that would remove it, such as paint stripper, could damage the finish. On the other hand, water-based paint can be safely removed using a solvent such as xylene or toluene. Rub the spots off with a cloth dampened with a small amount of solvent.
For those of you with young children, I’m sure you can relate to this - stickers stuck on your bar stools. However, don’t fret, it’s possible to remove the stickers completely with a little effort. First of all, try to soak them off with water and a sponge - much like removing wallpaper - so that they peel off. If the adhesive is really strong and the water doesn’t work effectively, a petroleum-based solvent should do the trick.
Ring marks left on wooden seat by cups or glasses can usually be rubbed off with a steel wool pad and a drop of linseed oil or paraffin, providing the stain hasn’t gone too far into the grain of the wood.
If any of your bar stools has inadvertently been used as a shelf or table for a candle, any dried on, melted wax will need to be picked off by hand. To make this task easier and quicker, use an ice cube to freeze the candle wax. This has the effect of crystallizing it so it’s easier to remove.
Of course, if you want a completely different look or your stools are beyond repair, it makes sense to shop around and find the best deal on a set of new bar stools. Take a look at these discounted bar stools if you’re thinking of giving your kitchen or home bar a totally new image.
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Cleaning
