Renovation-Headquarters Banner

Cleaning

Cleaning Raw Wood‏

Question: This may seem like a weird question, but can you clean and disinfect wood? Doesn't it just sink in and not come out with common cleaners like Lysol? I have wood cabinets in the condo, and all the surfaces are "raw" wood, and look kind of dirty.

Answer: Raw wood is very difficult to clean, because it stains very easily. I spoke to a cabinetmaker friend and he suggests you try bleach such as Clorox. Make sure you wear gloves, covering on all your skin and goggles. You then have to wash down the cabinets with some light soap and water. It does stink so make sure you can open the windows for ventilation. This is not a guaranteed solution to the problem, but he says it works 75% of the time. It depends on what the dirt is. If it is grease, it will need to be sanded.

------------------------