While cleaning some aging cupboards in an old condo, I found a killer triumvirate of products that will help restore most polyurethane-finished wood. Whether it’s furniture, trim or even a hardwood floor that’s dingy, distressed and stained, this combo works with speed, efficiency and hardly any mess.

If you’ve got wood trim or cabinets in your kitchen, start there. The wood tones will be deeper in some spots. They may also be really sticky from congealed cooking oils, condensed smoke and fingertip grease.

You may have to use mechanical means to remove the top layers of build-up. A scraper with a curved claw is the easiest to control.

Once you’ve taken the scum down to the top layer of finish (or bare wood if you went too far), clean any residue with a great Canadian product called Gloves Off (a hockey reference meaning “tough, and ready for a fight,” but with a double entendre since it’s made of non-toxic ingredients that won’t harm your skin.) After cleaning the surface with a little Gloves Off paint and stain remover, the surface may be blotchy. It may have some areas where the wood is completely bare from wear or from overzealous scraping.

So, it’s time to cheat a bit and make the colour more uniform.

MinWax Woodsheen is your next weapon. Water-based Woodsheen comes in six colours that can be blended to match most existing finishes. You just rub it into the wood grain with a rag to distribute the colour as evenly as possible. Blend it into the stripped wood to add pigment and even things out. It dries very quickly and gives you an even finish that’s rich and matte.

However, “matte” isn’t right for high-traffic floors, trim or furniture. You need more of a satiny finish to resist future wear. I used MinWax hardwood floor reviver. It is designed to be used on floors, but it works brilliantly on furniture and cabinets that have a raunchy old polyurethane finish in need of a refresher. Rub it in with a soft cloth and watch it dry to a lovely low sheen.

This refinishing process will improve the overall appearance of your home.

If you’re trying to sell the place, cleaning up these kinds of finish eyesores is critical. Prospective buyers will be inclined to touch surfaces; if your cupboards have a clear, smooth finish, that will help.

TIP: MinWax Woodsheen and MinWax hardwood floor reviver are water-based, so never use them on wax-coated or shellac finishes; they will turn the finish milky white, and you’ll be mad. If you’re not sure with what your wood surface is finished, put a drop of water on a not-too-visible area; if it turns white, it’s probably shellac or wax; use oil-based products instead (i.e. Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane).

One final tip: when it comes to staging a home for sale, use all the theatricality you can muster – fresh paint, flowers, cookies baking in the oven, steam-cleaned grout and carpets. Remove anything with eyes – photos, stuffed toys, your collection of doll heads or the giant fish you caught and mounted on the rec room wall – to make it appear less like your personal space to the buyer. Apparently, eyes are as bad as grime.

Article source: http://www.lfpress.com/homes/2011/02/17/17314716.html