Cleaning 1960s teak Scandi sideboard

[milkman]

Hi all, some restoration/cleaning advice needed, I hope someone can help.
We just bought a teak sideboard but need to clean some streaking/drips off. It looks like someone’s either spilt food liquid or may be some sort of finish on it in places.
The drips have a soft feel to them, they can be scraped with a finger nail.
In wiping with a sponge to try and dissolve and remove them unfortunately we have cleaned off some of the finish.

I realise this is a wide open question but does anyone know what finish might come off just with water?

Also for furniture of this age what would be an appropriate finish if we decide to have it refinished?
We might have to as the bare area has come up very light.

Thoughts appreciated.

Mark

 

[MattRoberts]

Photos would help if you can?

 

[ED65]

I realise this is a wide open question but does anyone know what finish might come off just with water?

Nothing in good shape, which unfortunately points to a refinish being a wise course of action.

Was this just water in a sponge, no cleaning agents at all??

Also for furniture of this age what would be an appropriate finish if we decide to have it refinished?

You can finish it yourself very inexpensively and without much hassle if you're interested, using homemade wiping varnish.

Anyone who can paint a wall and do a decent job can do a simple varnishing job on furniture, and actually it's much easier to get a good result. It's generally the removal of the old finish and the prep of the wood that takes the most effort and care!

 

[milkman]

The stains are difficult to photo but I hope these can help.

My wife had a go with a scourer so not that suprising that finish came off after all. No detergent though or solvent. The finish seemed to scumble before she realised that she should stop so perhas a softer finish, some sort of wax?

IMG_3884 by M C, on Flickr

IMG_3886 by M C, on Flickr

IMG_2024 by M C, on Flickr

 

[milkman]

The streaks/drips are on the edge of the cupboard top. The section damaged by the sponge cleaning is on the left in the third photo. There is still some evidence of the drips even where the finish has come off.

 

[bugbear]

The stains are difficult to photo but I hope these can help.

My wife had a go with a scourer

:shock: :shock: :shock:

BugBear

 

[custard]

The top's veneered. The veneer will have started life at 0.6mm thick but after finish sanding will now be around 0.4mm or 0.5mm. It's also a piece that's appreciating in value, or it will if you and the wife don't muck it up.

Stay away from the belt sander and good luck!