sbgrace Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 We're moving into a home that has sat for quite a while and wasn't probably very clean even before that point. I can't get the trim and doors clean! I tried water first, baby wipes (I just had a box I found in the move), and magic eraser. It seems like every time I wipe there is just as much dirt as the last time. I can't get anything clean! These are about 15 years old and the finish isn't fancy or anything. It's not coming off when I clean or anything...just grime/dirt. I'm wasting too much time but I don't want to leave grime on everything. Help?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 What about sugar soap? It is what people here use before painting. It is pretty caustic, so make sure to wear gloves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I would try Murphy's Oil Soap or a strong dish soap solution. There is likely an oil build up along with the dirt. If you are desperate, there is always TSP (you can get it at Lowe's and Home Depot) I've used it on 40 year old kitchen cabinets before painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Murphy's and a scrub brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kht2006 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 another vote for murphy's oil soap. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Try old english. Oil removes oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I would use TSP with a scrub brush and wipe it up with clean water and sponges. You'll go through a lot of buckets-full! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Another vote for Murphy's. But gently, and dried immediately with towels or paper towels. However, I want to add a caution - do you know for sure what type of finish the woodwork has? For example, our dining room set is about a hundred years old, and has an oil-based finish - for some reason I cannot remember right now what it's called - but scrubbing it would just take the finish off, including the stain. It's not like a laquer coating (eta, it's not easy to tell from just looking at it - I found out from the antique people I bought it from). Are you sure you're not scrubbing off the stain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I would NOT use Murphy's oil soap if there is any chance anyone will need or want to paint or seal/stain the wood anytime soon. The oil in the soap can get into the wood and make it hard for paint or sealant to adhere. I would go with TSP for sure, or, if you are in a hurry, I'd use dish soap in a bucket with hot water and a rag. Rags work much better than sponges. Once you scrub the trim, repainting it is often the easiest way to get it truly clean and nice, although you do want to get the grime off first. A bucket of hot water with TSP and rags will go a long way towards cleaning the walls. A big sponge will work for relatively clean walls, but you want the rags for really dirty stuff as they scrub much better. Keep changing the water and keep scrubbing. Be certain to wear gloves with the TSP. It is not terribly toxic, and is fumeless, but it is very caustic and will just strip the oils out of your skin in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I wonder if the wood was sealed? If it is stained but not sealed, the stains are actually in the wood and it will need to be sanded down. I hope it's not that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I found out that sugar soap means something else in America. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_soap Apparently it is something like TSP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I would NOT use Murphy's oil soap if there is any chance anyone will need or want to paint or seal/stain the wood anytime soon. The oil in the soap can get into the wood and make it hard for paint or sealant to adhere. Murphy's isn't oily. It's soap (as opposed to detergent) made with oil (as opposed to solid fat, but the lye used in soap making takes up the fats. To the OP: I am assuming the trim is painted? If that's the case, and you've scrubbed it, what you may have is stains from mildew or just grime sitting and gathering for a long period of time. In that case, you will need to paint it, and using TSP will help remove oily residue from cooking, car exhaust, etc, before you pull out the brushes, and a swipe of "liquid sander" will knock down the sheen and give the new paint a grippier surface to stick to. (I think it would be unlikely that 15 year old trim is painted with oil based paint, so I am also assuming it's latex) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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