Re-Finishing Oak Table - Degreaser Stain

[Wheeler_london]

Hey all

It turns out spilling bike degreaser onto wood is disastrous and I was hoping for some advice on how to restore it.

Would anyone be able to guide me through the process to getting it back to its former glory?

I really want to get rid of the stain and keep the worn look!

Thanks for any input all!

 

[marcros]

Any idea what the finish is and what is in the degreaser?

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

You need to start with the least aggressive cleaners and work your way up...try 0000 gauge wire wool and some wax and polish remover (Liberon for example). You could even start with a luke warm bucket of soapy water and a sponge. Don't get the surface too wet...just see if the detergent will lift the stain with gentle rubbing using a soft cloth.

If that lifts it fine. If not go more aggressive....meths and the same treatment...light rubbing (with the grain) using 0000 wire wool. Worse yet...petrol will get anything off but I doubt you'll need to go further than meths.

That should get rid of the stain...it will also likely remove the original finish. Which from the photo is difficult to discern but my guess is its a wax finish.

If the stain has eaten through the original finish you have no choice but to re finish it. That's easy....once you're back to bare wood, if it feels rough, de-nib it with 240 grit sandpaper or more wire wool then apply the appropriate wax or oil finish to your taste. If it is wax...try either a clear beeswax (can get from Tesco) or if its darker...try a specialist medium brown furniture wax from a specialist merchant. Apply sparingly and rub into the grain. leave for a few minutes then buff vigorously with a clean cloth. re finishing a table isn't half as difficult as most people believe

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Fullers Earth is the best product for this type of stain. It is really cheap too at around £5 for a kilo. axminster used to sell it but I just had a look on their website and could not find it, however your local art supplies shop should stock it or there is a link below.
The best method to use it is to wet the stain with either water, white spirit or meths, whatever will loosen the original stain. Then just pour over your Fullers Earth, be free and easy with it, you want it to sit a good quarter of an inch thick. Then all you do is wait. You can never tell how long it will take to lift the stain, sometimes over night but one particularly greasy 'mouseman' tray I worked on took three weeks. You can brush the powder aside daily to check on the stain and if it needs longer, just brush it back on again.
using this method you will not have to use any abrasives or strong chemicals.
When you are done save the powder to re-use. It is a really useful product to keep in the house, it will take stains out of fabric and leather too.

http://www.jacksonsart.com/Brands-A-Z_A ... index.html

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Interesting.....I've never even heard of that stuff....Let us know how you get on if you use it...sounds like a miracle cure

 

[Racers]

Takes the red out of diesel, apparently.

Pete

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

does that include carpets (taking stains out of that is)?

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

I'm not sure about carpets, it may depend on the type of stain, bicarbonate of soda is good for carpet stains. Fullers Earth will work on almost any medium, but is primarily used to absorb grease and oil but will take up colour as well depending on whether the colour is oily or not. I use it mostly at work on antique furniture that has had oil or grease spilled onto the tops. I once had a Georgian table that had been used for years in a garage as a work bench, you can imagine the state of the top, I washed off most of the oil and grease with a degreasant then poured over the fullers earth and left it for a couple of weeks and it absorbed every last drop of oil out of the top so I was then able to re-finish it. It has also taken cooking oil out of leather shoes and my wife's dress.