Clean It First

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.