Danish Oil

[Moo]

After ten years hard use a section of our kitchen's wooden worktop (guess where?) is looking v. sad. So yesterday we got out the sander and the danish oil and restored it to its former glory.
The trouble is that the rest of it now looks grotty, so we're going to have to tackle the lot.
But (pause for a tribute to the durability of said oil) it was really hard work sanding back to the wood and the other half, looking for a short cut, has asked me to find out if there is a solvent that will remove the oil.

(Over the years I've convinced him that the forum is the source of all useful knowledge, so I'm hoping that there will be an immediate and definitive answer.)

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Hi Moo,

I use a small drop of fairy liquid and a teaspoon of bleach in a cupful of water. This works on the polished kitchen table, antique furniture and on the beech work tops I had in BM. Work quite quickly. Use a soft cloth, then wipe away excess water and allow to dry before re-applying the danish oil. As always, try a small patch first!

Joss

 

[Penners]

It depends how liberal your original application of Danish oil was. If you were quite generous, then the oil will have sunk well into the wood. So sanding back to clean (ie: unoiled) wood is going to be a hell of a task.

Can you define "grotty"? Are you talking about discolouration in the wood itself, or just some surface grime*? If the former, then your elbow grease problem will, I'm afraid, be difficult to ameliorate. But if it's the latter, then - as Joss suggests - you may find that a good clean will improve the situation sufficiently for a light sand (wait for the cleaned wood to dry throroughly before you sand) and a new application of oil to restore the look of the surface.

* Surely not!

 

[Nemesis]

Not sure if this is a help:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1525312/an/0/page/0

 

[biffvernon]

...our kitchen's wooden worktop (guess where?)

Er, maybe it's in the kitchen?

 

[Penners]

And that demonstration of perspicacity, folks, is why Biff has earned his enviable reputation as an expert on all things wood-related.

 

[Moo]

Good old PPUK - a couple of hours and the fountain of knowledge overfloweth.

I shall try all the methods, starting with Joss's (because I've got the ingredients already) and working my way through. I shall then report back.

Until then, my most grateful thanks to all (even Biff).

 

[Moo]

ps (to Penners)

When I say grotty I mean really grotty. Don't believe in half-measures.

 

[Penners]

I tend to find that people who describe themselves as "slovenly" invariably have houses that boast the Cillit Bang* sparkle.


*My nomination for the most stupidly named product of the century.

 

[Nemesis]

Well - Sticks Like Sh*t isn't too great either...

 

[jocelyn plummer]

If all else fails, try neat gin-------------------!

 

[Moo]

Note to Penners: I'm definitely the exception that proves the rule.

Note to Nemesis: When, this summer, I heard a tradesman refer to Sticks Like S*** I assumed he was using a catch-all nickname for a type of adhesive. When he explained, I thought it was rather a good name. (It worked, too).

Note to Joss: You may be able to afford neat gin, but ....

 

[Nemesis]

Trouble is Moo, oop north we have an expression 'like sh*t off a shovel' which denotes speed. So it's maybe a little confusing a name for a glue.

 

[Moo]

STOP PRESS NEWS


Joss's method didn't touch it, I'm afraid. It cleaned the surface, but the danish oil was left untouched. I doubt whether her surfaces ever need the sort of drastic treatment that mine do!

BUT

A little trial pool of nail-varnish remover did the trick. Left for a minute or so, then scraped with a redundant credit card, and the oil came off a treat.
So it's off to the market to find the cheapest n-v-remover and then it shouldn't be too hard to sand off the hot-pan marks.

Many, many thanks to everyone.

 

[Nemesis]

Wonder if acetone can be bought more cheaply from chemists (nail varnish remover tends to have oil in sometimes).

 

[Moo]

Good point. Thanks for that.
I shall go on safari to Boots right now.

 

[Nemesis]

Some fine wire wool also....

 

[Moo]

Got that - tons of the stuff!

 

[Nemesis]

Yes , it's odd the things period home owners keep in as standard...

 

[Moo]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

I got the acetone from our local ironmongers (en route to Boots) and suspect that nail-varnish remover may well be cheaper. I'll find out in due course and report back.

However, the important thing is that a whole section of my worktop is now bare wood thanks to acetone and fairly coarse wire wool. You have to be quick, though - that stuff is very volatile!