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How To Clean And Restore Old Wood Furniture

Alternate punny post title: Some Midcentury Microdermabrasion. Ok, so yesterday John explained how we hunted down an old thrift store table and repaired its rickety legs. And since we’re nothing if not honest when it comes to keeping things real-time in this little DIY diary of ours (if something takes two days, it earns two posts – and if a kitchen takes four months, it earns about a hundred) here’s the second chapter for our little dresser-turned-media-cabinet. The title of which could be: How I Showed A Dingy Old Wood Dresser Some Sweet Sweet Love. Or Dr $herdog And Her Scrub-tastic Tricks. You know, depending on your mood.

TVConsole After 5 Side1

So let’s dive right into how I brought this 50+ year old piece back from scratched and bedraggled territory. Here are my tools. It’s a pretty simple equation.

Cleaning Tools

Yup, you read that right. Ladies and gentlemen, my first weapon of choice was a Magic Eraser. I’ve found that for old beat up pieces like this, it’s great for scrubbing off years of grime. It essentially does the same thing as very fine steel wool or sandpaper does (but seems to be more gentle on the hands). The cool thing is that sometimes what you think are paint streaks and scratches actually can be buffed off with the eraser so the wood is back to looking downright sexy again. For example, see this detail shot that I took of the bottom right side of the cabinet before I did any scrubbing?

TVConsole Clean 1 Before

Here it is after about five minutes of buffing that area with a damp Magic Eraser:

TVConsole Clean 2 After1

I did the same buffing thing all over the top, the sides, and even the legs (tip: you might want to test it on an out of the way spot to make sure it doesn’t mess with your piece’s finish, but if it’s dry old wood like this guy it should work just like high grit sandpaper and just buff things down a bit).

Then it was time to clean out the inside of the drawers. Those were musty and dusty, so it was less about buffing them down to their original glory like it was for the exterior, so my approach changed. I just used an old rag moistened with white vinegar to wipe down the insides of each drawer. That removed all the dust, and since vinegar is also great for absorbing/removing musty smells in old wood, it was amazing how that tangy vinegar went on smelling strongly but then dried to have no smell at all (so those formerly musty drawers smelled like nothing at all as well). Huzzah.

Here’s how she looked after about a few hours of working the outside with the Magic Eraser and the inside of each drawer with a vinegar-moistened rag.

TVConsole Clean 3 Full After

It’s a far cry from the muddled old finish that we saw at the thrift store, right? Now you get the post title, right? It’s like I hooked her up with some nice microdermabrasion, right? Dr. $herdog doesn’t mess around.

TVConsole 2 Image From Phone

The next step was letting her sit out in the sunroom with her drawers all open so everything could evaporate and fully dry out (all the vinegar-wiped drawers need to full air out so the bitter smell dissipates). Then about eight hours later we finally (finally!!) brought her into the living room. Nothing like waiting over two years to find the right media cabinet.

TVConsole After 1 Full Room

We eventually plan to use a drawer or two for the TV components instead of sitting them on the floor (we can either hinge the front of that drawer for easy remote-access to them or use one of those cool RF remotes that work through wood) but this works for now.

And speaking of planning, we also originally planned to paint the top, sides, and bottom of the piece white (while leaving the rest of it in the same wood tone that you see now – sort of like this but wood where the white is and white where the wood is) but now that we’ve scrubbed it down and brought it into the living room we actually like it just the way it is.

TVConsole After 3 From Hall

We already have a white desk, a white table, and a white ottoman in the room, so the wooden media cabinet balances nicely with the wooden console that we built for behind our sofa along with the wood-framed chalkboard that we made. We even like the original hardware (although you never know if we’ll see something awesome and be completely seduced). Now that I’m sitting here staring at it, I actually think the existing hardware could look great in an oil-rubbed bronze finish since the curtain rods on both sides of this piece (as well as the dark TV on top of it) are that tone. So that’s always a possibility down the line. Either way you know I’ll keep you posted.

I’d also love to use some sort of wood restoring seal/topcoat to coat the cabinet (since it’s pretty dry and not really very glossy at all) – just to bring back even more luster. I hit up Home Depot and grabbed something that I’m dying to try, so I’ll be back with pics and details for ya about that – maybe along with a tutorial for hinging a drawer for those media components or giving an RF remote a try? Might not get around to it for a few weeks with all of our book tour travel coming up, but I can’t wait to get ‘er done.

TVConsole After 4 Closer

Oh and as for securing the TV so it’s kid safe, we use this anchor system to keep it in place (here’s a picture of it with our last media cabinet from this post, but it’s the same system, we just unattached it and reattached it higher on the wall to work with the new cabinet). We’ve also had luck using similar systems for tethering desks and dressers and leaning mirrors to keep them from tipping (more on that here).

TV 5 Tethered To Wall

Now we’re just basking in the glory of a not-too-low TV that actually doesn’t make the whole room feel sofa-heavy (that side of the room always felt more substantial thanks to the teeny old TV table). Ooh yeah, I’m going to stuff those abundant drawers with all of Clara’s games and toys that runneth over. Momma’s excited about that. Oh and as for the old TV cabinet, we just craigslisted it for $30 yesterday!  So in the end this new $59 TV cabinet was more like $29 after you put that $30 craigslist payment back in our pockets.

Is anyone else trying to bring an old piece of furniture back to its former glory? Have you ever used a vinegar wipe-down to de-must drawers? Have you tried the Magic Eraser approach on old grungy wood? I’m not sure it would be a good idea on something super shiny (sealed/lacquered) since it might make tiny scratches in the finish, but for old dry wood that looks beat up and battered already, it certainly removed a lot of things that I thought were deeply rooted into the stain (they must have been sitting right on top). Word up to less-beat-up-than-you-thought furniture.

Comments

  2. Avone says

    Maybe it has been mentioned, but make sure to vent the components well. I burned up our dvd player when I moved it to the drawer. :(

    Reply

  3. Jessica G says

    Hey, guys! Thanks SO much for posting this. That may be a little strange, but we picked up one (somewhat) similar to this from the side of the road in our neighborhood OVER A YEAR AGO. Ours also has some leg issues, but we were so overwhelmed by it that we figured we’d get some other stuff under our belts before working on it. Now, I’m feeling much better about investigating the wobble and cleaning it up (since it’s been living in our shed). Who has two thumbs and needs good craft storage in her office? This girl.

    Thanks, guys! :)

    Reply

  4. Therese says

    Beautiful credenza! We actually have a mid-century credenza as our tv stand as well and we LOVE it!!! We removed the back of the piece so that the electronics wouldn’t over-heat. We also used a IR repeater/extender system- The remotes work through a IR receiver that catches the remote signal and sends it to the IR emitters in the drawers. So we can keep everything in the drawers and still use the remote for everything! Hope that helps! Good luck- your living room looks beautiful!!! :)

    Reply

  8. Tracy D. says

    I LOVE this piece. So pretty and you did such a great job stabilizing the legs and cleaning it up. It looks amazing. I have a super random question. I was wondering where you got your furry throw that I’ve seen a few times in your facebook posts. I was looking at the one at Pottery Barn and the one at Target, but I’m not sure I’m in love with either of those. Was just wondering where yours is from. Thanks in advance!! :)

    Reply

  9. Tirsa says

    Beautiful! It almost looks like you stained it all over again.

    Some day I’ll find something as gorgeous as that….

    Reply

  10. Beth says

    I think it really looks great! Seeing that big empty wall behind the tv though makes me wonder- any plans on doing some cool paint treatment behind it? Looks like a cool place for a bold pop of color or graphic pattern.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I’d definitely love to figure out how to deck out the wall above it a bit more, whether it’s with art, a 3D object, some wall paint, or something else!

      xo
      s

  11. Julie says

    Thank you for not painting this beautiful piece of furniture but instead returning it to it’s original glory! I see blogs/pins everywhere where people are painting over amazing vintage pieces that just need a little TLC. It’s a shame.

    Reply

  12. Kate says

    I got so excited to read your magic eraser on wood tip and couldn’t wait to get home to try it on our wooden stairs that look similar to your before photo. Well, it didn’t work :( Anyone else have problems getting it to work? What’s your real secret, Sherry? Spill it!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw, so sorry! I think it has to do if something’s old dried out wood (like this) and doesn’t work as well if it’s super sealed/poly’d (maybe your stairs are shinier and coated with a sealer, so the eraser can’t really buff anything out?).

      xo
      s

  13. Jen says

    Holy smokes, that looks awesome! I love Magic Erasers but until now have only used them on walls– never would have thought of furniture. I have a dresser similar to MIA that my mom refinished the old fashioned way– sanding, restaining, and resealing (sadly, I have no info to share on products used, it was a long time ago). I love my dresser but MIA looks similar for about 1/10th the effort!

    My vote is no paint! Not even dipped legs. MIA looks great 100% au naturel.

    Reply

  14. Alisha says

    Mia looks lovely with the rest of your digs and balances the room nicely. My vote is to keep her au naturel as well–fits in with all the wood elements you’ve been incorporating lately.

    But I have to admit, this never before seen (by me) view of your head-on view of the TV has thrown me for a loop! I totally had the layout of your living room all twisted around–I thought your couch faced the doorway to your kitchen with the slider to the sun room to the left and that the picture frame hallway was to the right side kinda???

    So off.

    Reply

  16. Ashley says

    love it. knew you would find the right fit. just curious if you have any plans for the wall behind it now that things are more permanent? I don’t know whether to hang art and compete with the tv or just let it be focal point. our wall remains bare.

    Reply

  17. Eva says

    I love it that you are not planning to paint it! I’ve restored a similiar furniture and used teak oil to make it shine again… and I apply teak oil to it once a year. Teak oil makes wonders and the best part is that it is so easy to apply. But best of luck with whatever finish you are using :)

    Reply

  18. Hannah says

    Here’s something different:

    http://projectpalermo.com/2012/01/23/a-harmless-dresser-to-tv-stand-conversion/

    I can’t wait until you guys come up with a great solution!! I just bought a 6 drawer dresser to use as a TV stand, as well. I can’t think of a good solution for the tv components. It’s a Thomasville dresser with dovetailed drawers. Part of me wants to convert them into hinged doors. Another part of me is saying “what are you thinking, destroying a vintage piece?!?!” Ugh. Decisions.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Really pretty, thanks for the link! An RT system might be the perfect thing. It works through wood so you don’t have to destroy any part of the piece!

      xo
      s

  19. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    I love the piece, and thanks for the Magic Eraser tip. Do you all plan to do anything/put anything up on the wall behind the TV? I only ask because I’m hoping to do a similar set-up in our family room (buhbye, TV armoire) and wondered how people decorate AROUND the TV…or if I should just leave things alone.

    Reply

  20. Amanda says

    I love how Mia turned out! It looks fabulous in the room. I’m a huge fan of dressers-turned-entertainment-centers – that’s what we did in our living room and it’s worked out fantastic. We have one of the sensors that you set on top (it’s super small and inconspicuous, our’s just attaches to a speaker) and it works like a charm!

    Reply

  23. Cara says

    I just gave sone love to a small antique bureau we found on craigslist A’s well. I intended to paint it, but Old English and new handles made it so gorgeous. The wood was dry and Old English took care of that entirely.

    Reply

  25. Katie says

    Looks wonderful! I was hoping though that you had already transformed it fully (like if you’re going to alter the drawers and stuff. My husband doesn’t have a ton of vision, or a lot of hope for me when I attempt to work on things (to be fair, I do mess up a bit), so I was hoping I could show him this post and show him just how cool we could alter stuff too. I’m looking forward to your next post about this ongoing project.

    Reply

  27. Sarah W says

    I absolutely love it! Mid century furniture is just so sleek and sexy!
    Definitely worth the wait. I’m glad you decided to keep the finish. She is a beautiful addition to the room.

    Reply

  28. Rachel says

    Hey! Great post! Just wanted to say a big thank you for mentioning anchoring the furniture. As a graphic designer and mom to 2.5 year old twin girls, I love, love, love your blog because you have stylish and realistic (safe) ideas. Much appreciated, thank you keeping the parental role upfront and center. Much admiration and love from D.C.

    Ps- your book rocks! Couldn’t wait for Christmas so bought it as an early gift for myself.

    Reply

  29. KimberlyJ says

    I love the new addition. We put our tv on the wall last year and then didn’t have a place for the receiver, etc. I remembered an old dresser we had in the basement so hauled it up, painted it teal, hardware sprayed with hammered metal spray paint but left the top wood. Instant storage for the grandbabies toys and a place for the receiver. After I did that I saw a dresser that would have worked better at ReStore, it had three drawers across the top (the middle one hinged would have hidden the receiver when it wasn’t being used). I LOVE your style!!!

    Reply

  30. Stephie @ ThriftandStyle.com says

    You guys have the best luck! I have been looking for basically the same thing for the last couple months, except I would only want 4 drawers since my space is a bit smaller. I plan on using the drawers for all my fabric and crafting stuff and my husband’s video game ‘collection’ which currently sits in plain sight next to our couch (three cheers for more storage!!) The hunt continues…

    Reply

  31. Anika says

    Wow, Mia cleaned up remarkably well for just using some elbow grease and a magic eraser (thanks for the tip). The wood finish is beautiful and I can’t wait to see her again after you add some additional work.

    Reply

  32. Kathy says

    LOVE this post! Just picked up a great MCM dresser at my fav thrift shop which I am planning to turn into a media unit! I’m definitely going to be using the vinegar trick. However, I’m dreaming of sanding, and re-staining the top, sides and some of the wood components, and then painting the drawers wasabi green! I’m super excited about the project, but slightly afraid of the sanding/re-staining part. Any suggestions, I know there are a few in your book which I’ll have to go back and reference. Thanks as always for the inspirations!

    Reply

  33. Rachel says

    I have two dressers currently sat in my garage that look similarly to the before shots here. I’m off to buy a bumper pack of Magic Erasers! Finally, they will be joining their rightful place in our bedroom!!

    Reply

  35. Yalanda says

    I have been waiting for this post ever since I saw that you brought that credenza home!It looks amazing! We recently did the same thing in our living room, only ours was already painted!

    Reply

  36. Julia@a-living-space says

    It’s so beautiful! I love the character a nice vintage wood piece brings to a room. It looks perfect in combination with some of your more modern furniture. Also, thanks for the magic eraser tip! I’ve never heard of using it for that, and we sometimes resell MCM furniture (a lot of credenzas and dressers and such like you just got), so that will definitely be really helpful in cleaning things up before resale! I actually just found a magic eraser at the Salvation Army that I’ve been dying to try on something (anything!) since I heard about how magically good they are at cleaning. Very excited to try this!

    Reply

  37. rebecca says

    This may sound silly, but I’m really happy to see your cable box on the floor under your console. I recently moved mine because I couldn’t find an elegant solution and actually kind of like it out of the way, but I was wondering if it was just weird. Glad to see I’m not the only one who has it down there!

    Reply

  39. Ellen says

    Aplogies if someone already said this. I have an addiction that I highly recommend for “dry” older furniture. It has brought back my waterfall bedroom set and a midcentry dining room set very nicely! Believe it or not it is old English. I don’t really believe in pimping products but for my “older” furniture it has really apprecaite this oil treatment. Something you might consider trying as well.

    Reply

  40. misscris says

    I’ve been following you guys for a while and love it. I’m the daughter of a tried and true thrift store junky. My mom’s house is full of amazing furniture and art, 99% of which she salvaged from thrift stores and estate sales. Anyways, I just wanted suggest something for the media console. One of the last close-up photos gave me an idea – what if you ditched the legs and mounted it to the wall so that it’s floating? You could leave the TV on top, or mount the TV to the wall as well. With the thin legs it has now, I could just visualize it floating on the wall there, which would be a cool unexpected feature.

    Reply

  41. Michelle DuPuis says

    Maybe it’s the lighting, but even the color looks a million times better. Nice job! I’m crossing my fingers that you try out an RF remote. I’d love something that works without having to open cabinet doors. ;-)

    Reply

  43. Jon says

    After being on the verge of giving away an old white wicker dresser (previously owned by a friend’s grandmother), my wife and I turned the dresser into a media cabinet by spraypainting it metallic gray, removing the top drawers, and installing plywood boards as shelves for our DVD player, etc.

    Reply

  44. Tipling says

    I must say I am extremely jealous of this fabulous find! I have been looking for a dresser just like this (or hoping I could find something similar) for about 2 years to use as a tv stand but have come up with nothing so far. Everything I see only has 6 drawers or is laminate or haa some major damage. I am happy you found it though, it looks really good in your house :)

    Reply

  45. Carla says

    The warmth of the wood adds a lot of depth and interest to your family room. Too much white can feel really cold. It looks beautiful just as it is.

    Reply

  48. Michelle says

    Love it! I’m looking for something along those lines for my son’s room…he needs drawers for all his stuff along with surface area for his bird cage :) I always use Howard’s to get the shine back in my wood finishes. Works great!

    Reply

  49. Lisa says

    Had to share – when we moved into our current home, the tilework was…well, bleh, in the bathrooms. I took a Magic Eraser to all the grout and detailed it, then wiped down all the tile with it too. It worked wonders and we put off retiling until later this spring because of the results. I freshen it up every six months and it takes ALL the scunge off.

    Great find and it looks terrific! I’m glad all the fame and fortune haven’t sent you scurrying off to the expensive stores and shops!

    Lisa

    Reply

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