Cleaning 'real' knotty pine paneling

Any chance anyone had luck using any of this stuff to remove dark streaks c aused by rain coming through a window? We just bought a house and at some point water leaked through onto the pine paneling through a couple of the w indows. Not sure if it is mildew, but its definitely some kind of dark stre ak. I'm going to try the dollar store cleaner method, but a contractor als o suggested we use something like tilex. Trying to figure out what I shoul d do!

Do the dark streaks extend downward from nails?

I have used TSP for many years to remove old grease and grime from old varn ished wood. However, as others have pointed out, you won't want to use TSP unless you are committed to revarnishing what you have cleaned. I have al so used TSP on painted surfaces, but beware, you don't need much elbow grea se or water. Just a damp rag soaked in TSP solution (based on measurements on package) and wrung out well. Too much scrubbing may remove some of the old paint.

TSP is used as a de-glosser before repainting or refinishing old varnish/ur ethane, etc. I am getting ready to put a new finish on my tired knotty pin e. Fortunately, mine is gorgeous except the finish has dulled over time. I am going to clean with TSP and then add a new coat of Urethane.

Hope this helps.

Back in me yute, we had a house that had knotty pine T&G paneling throughout. It was up forever and the fact that my mother smoked cigarettes didn't help the finish...

Wash down with a cloth and Murphy's Oil Soap, a soft brush if necessary and dry it.

Worked well.

replying to crystalroy82, kitty wrote: Everybody stop! Go to the orange big box store and buy Zeb 505. This stuff is amazing, removes grease off everything easily. Forget Simple Green and citrus cleaners. I was amazed. I have a gallon in my garage right now.

OMG you have a gallon in your garage right now?????!!!!!!!

Get it out of there right now, this should NEVER be stored in your garage right now.

I us

replying to kitty, Pamela Hooper wrote: I just bought a house with knotty pine walls thru the whole house can it bring it back to the light color it was there is one spot that is clean clear and light

replying to crystalroy82, Pamela Hooper wrote: I am going to try what you did the dollar store brand right I hope it works. And it will bring back the look of a place a round Morris hung it is light the rest of the walls are dark.

replying to thermo102, Anna wrote: I have real knotted pine 1962 - MURPHYS OIL SOAP - if some grease build up, add a little dawn to it with HOT WATER. Don't drown the wall just a wet wipe. It's finish is is LINSEED OIL which can be purchased at just about every hardware store. Brush it in, let it dry. It takes time for the wood to suck up the linseed oil. It will be tacky for a couple days to a week but will harden to it's shine high gloss. Hope this helps you.

replying to thermo102, John Wiedmann wrote: I'm entering this conversation about seven after it was posted. Hopefully someone is out there who can advise. We have a "real" knotty pine paneled den, built by me I n 1985. It was finished with urethane. It has not been subjected to cigarette smoke, and the kitchen, although adjacent via a doorway, has an exhaust fan that gets rid of cooking fumes pretty well. The paneling has yellowed over the last 32 years. Some individual panels are remarkably darker than panels immediately adjacent on either side. It is not clear why this is the case - but it is. I've read about five or six different cleaning products to use, so it appears a few trial tests in inconspicuous areas will determine which is most effective. My goal is to lighten the wood and then refinish it again with either a urethane or polyurethane. Question: how does one effectively deal with the grooves? Could (should?) they be cleaned (with whatever product is chosen) with a softish nylon bristle brush? Also, has anyone used such a scrub brush to apply the elbow grease for this type of project (flat surfaces as well as grooves)?

The only way to lighten and brighten the wood is to remove the finish and the top layer of the wood that has oxidized over the years. It may go through to the point lightening will be minimal.

You can try wood bleach but to do an entire room bould not be too easy. I'd paint it before doing that method.

replying to Kate, C. Gravley wrote: Thanks liked your answer best, inherited parents home built in 1960. I think everybody smoked back then! The knotty pine is in the kitchen and dining room. Everyone that came sat at the bar between kitchen and dining room drinking coffee and smoking while mom was constantly cooking . We decided to keep the home place so we are working in the kitchen. Decided to take a break and see if someone could give me some ideas. I'm using Mur. Oil soap. I will go to Walmart see what they have, thanks

Wow... here's a thread that just doesn't die! LOL

replying to Kate, Ladryden wrote: Thank you. Yours was the best advise because I was looking NOT to strip the oils finish that I just put on following a TSP strip and rinse. I never wanted to have to do all that work again. But husband nearly burned down the house AGAIN and the stink from it is on top of my new oil finish!!! So I didn?t want to redo the oil job, only clean off the new stank. I?ll give your advice a try.

replying to David Nebenzahl, Ladryden wrote: Nope, all soap not the same, Dawn will strip wax off a car but most car wash soap will not. So I wouldn?t use Dawn on my knotty pine walls unless I was trying to strip them down. Oil soap will clean without stripping the last finish.

replying to David Nebenzahl, Larry wrote: Fels Naphtha soap? Wow, I haven't even heard of that since i was a young kid. (Late 40's) Dad hung an old shower with a circular curtain rail over a floor drain in our basement. As it was next to moms washing machine (wringer type) we kids used Fels Naphtha as our shower soap. We all lived so I guess it didn't hurt us, but we were the cleanest kids on the block!!