Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and then drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The result was two distinct areas that are discolored and they are darker than the surrounding area.
Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete top that might get it looking good again?
G.S.
Gordon Shumway, wrote the following at or about 6/13/2007 4:09 PM:
Cover it up with a nice dresser scarf. Preferably a cat fur dresser scarf
This could be moisture trapped under the finish. If this is lacquer (probably is in production furniture), you can try rubbing it out with alcohol. Test on inconspicious place first to be sure it isn't shellac (highly unlikely). As the alcohol evaporates it "sometimes" pulls moisture out along with it. This sometimes removes water rings.
For some reason mineral oil sometimes does the same thing. Sorry I can't offer any psuedo science reason why this might work but it is an old wives tale that does work sometimes.
If the piece is just stained and unfinished or oil finished, this might be moisture that will eventually dry out on it's own.
A drastic solution is to use a dark gel stain wiped over the whole surface and carefully wiped down to leave just enough to tone the whole surface to an even (more even maybe) look. This is not very reversable after it dries but if you keep some mineral spirits near by you can completley remove it (except for in scratches, dents, etc.) while it is drying. Gel stain is just poly with pigment and ploy dries slow. I do this to tone pieces, antique them or even rejuvinate old pieces and it is very controllable. You could do this just to the surface of the top and leave the rest of the piece as is.
Gordon Shumway wrote: | Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan | Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes | after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and | then drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The | result was two distinct areas that are discolored and they are | darker than the surrounding area. | | Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete | top that might get it looking good again?
Add several drops of turpentine to a cat hide and work it in uniformly. Polish entire dresser top vigorously with cat hide until finish is even. Take care to avoid scratching the surface while polishing. Don't forget to return hide to cat when finished.
-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA
Wed, Jun 13, 2007, 4:09pm (EDT-1) snipped-for-privacy@Planet.Melmac (Gordon=A0Shumway) doth sayeth: Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete top that might get it looking good again?
First thought is, have the cat yak on it again, then spread it over the entire top before you wipe it off. Might not look great, but at least then the whole top would look the same.
Next thought is paint it.
Or, you could just find something big to sit on top of the dresser. =
JOAT If a man does his best, what else is there?
- General George S. Patton
Your cat wouldn't be named "Lucky", would it?
Personally, I'd wipe the top down with baking soda in water before doing anything else. The stain likely contains hydrochloric acid and it may have penetrated the surface finish and into the wood.
Then wipe the entire surface down with a solvent to peel back any waxes that may be holding the stain.
Then the alcohol to remove the solvent residue and any moisture.
Then wait a few days to see if it all comes together.
Then kill the cat. Or kill the cat first. If you flatten it out, it makes a nice wall hanging almost as nice as a Dali painting.
Pete
Strange, cats normally don't do this on wooden furniture, if they are going to hack up a fur ball they usually run to the nearest carpet to do it on! Don't ask how I am familiar with this habitual routine.
Believe it or not, yes. He's 16 yrs old. I don't know if he'll make it to 17.
G.S.
There have been several good suggestions but unfortunately most of them involve the cat. Has anyone tried any of the Formby's products? Is seems like their Face Lift Kit might be what would work.
G.S.
The cat caused the problem. It only seems fair that he should have a share in fixing it.
;-)
Perhaps the cat yakked his last and has since been buried/cremated/eaten?
Might be worthwhile calling the Hemingway house in Key West. Being a museum with 60 cats in residence it is difficult to imagine them _not_ having some way to deal with the problem.
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