Could really use some tips if anyone can help!

I am currently in a pre-New-Year cleaning frenzy and I have a couple of questions if anyone has some tips.

I used a bleach cleaning product in my bathroom, and on the tiles and basins it's been fine, but on the benches and windowsill (both white) it has left a bright yellow stain

I would love to know how to get this off if anyone has any ideas.

Also, I want to renovate and re-paint our lounge cabinet (below). It was left to us by our landlords and is quite ugly, but very handy, and I think it could be beautiful. Does anyone know how I would go about this? I obviously need to sand it back and would like to paint or varnish it, afterwards.

I myself am about to go on a cleaning frenzy after a couple of weeks of being a bum...good for you for getting a jump on it!

Are the yellow stains you're talking about on painted woodwork? If so, and the paint is stained, there is probably little else you can do. I have the same issue. I think the wood "bleeds" through (sap maybe? I dunno.). The only thing that works is repainting. It sounds like you rent, so I don't know how you'd feel about that. Maybe talk to your landlord & see if he/she will buy some paint, brushes, and tape, and let you go at it. I use high-gloss paint...it's easier to clean & works better in a bathroom. I repaint mine a couple of times a year.

As for the dresser, it's not that bad, and I agree that you can make it beautiful. If you want to strip it, I would take it to a well-ventilated space (you may have to do it in the spring). I use chemical strippers. You apply it, wait for the prescribed time, & use a scraper to get the mess off. Wipe it off with paper towels (wear heavy-duty gloves!). Then apply another coat & sprinkle a generous amount of sawdust right on top of the stripper (you can buy it by the bag). Again, wearing gloves, take a rag & rub the sawdust over the piece...use alot of "elbow grease". This step will really get the last of the varnish off, and will help sand the wood for you. The sawdust will soak up the stripping chemical...you can let it dry & either re-use it, or throw it away. After that, you can choose your stain & varnish. It's a bit of work, but can be fun in a weird kind of way. BTW, don't forget to take the hardware off before you strip it.

Have fun!

Edited to add: The dresser isn't veneer is it? If it is, I don't believe it can be stripped.

well bleach cleaning products generally aren't for indowsills etc - it'll say so on the bottle. Only thing for it is to re-paint.

The dresser, if veneer, you can't strip it, but you can key the surface and paint it. If it's wooden, then you can strip it and do whatever you feel like! But the first suggestiong is proably one of the easiest. All it takes is a really good sanding down, and with the surface keyed like that, it makes it really easy to paint. BUT it has to be really REALLY well keyed.

Yeah - I didn't check the bottle because I've been using Domestos for about 12 years and this has never happened before!! It isn't yellow all over - more like it's picked up stains already there invisible to the human eye, and brought those up in yellow. I am happy to re-paint the window sill as it's very small and could probably do with a paint anyway, but the benchtop is white laminate, and I really don't know what to do about that - same thing, it's not uniformly yellow, just in splotches.

Sarah, while you're on your cleaning frenzy, would you like to come spend a few days with my girls and me?

Originally Posted by dawnofsierra

Sarah, while you're on your cleaning frenzy, would you like to come spend a few days with my girls and me?

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Love to!! How about next week??

Actually - as it turns out, the yellow WAS stains that the Domestos had `lifted'. The bottle said it was safe on the surfaces that I'd used it on, so in despair I rang my Mum. (Aren't Mums just wonderful??). She suggested a cleaning paste called `Gumption'. Don't know if you have it in the States, but it's wonderful, it lifted it right off! (With a bit of added elbow grease of course)

Jeepers I have spent HOURS on this bathroom - I mean, it wasn't grotty or anything but I'm doing one of THOSE cleans - you know, where you do all the cupboards, drawers, cracks in the floor, anything!

Max gave me a wonderful bath pillow for Christmas and I got lots of candles too, so I'm setting up a little private bath sanctuary for myself.

On both issues....you might want to check with a real life paint store that has been in business for awhile. They`ll tell you what you need to do about the yellow window sill etc.
Also , about the cabinet...ask them about that also. I know that there is a product called "BIN" that you use to wash the cabinet with and then you can simply paint it.If you decide to re-stain and varnish then you are going to have to strip and sand it first.
Also...just an idea....but it looks like you use the center of it to store games...so if you want to not see them, maybe you could get the scalloped mullion off the top, replace it with a straight one, add another vertical one down the center, and one across the bottom, and put 2 doors on so that you can shut it off. We are talking about very little wood to do this...and you may be able to find the doors at a salvage place for $5-$10 each (Another shelf could be added inside too....for more storage, if that`s an issue.)
Whatever you decide to do...be sure you let us see the finished product!
Linda

Originally Posted by stampit3d

Also...just an idea....but it looks like you use the center of it to store games...so if you want to not see them, maybe you could get the scalloped mullion off the top, replace it with a straight one, add another vertical one down the center, and one across the bottom, and put 2 doors on so that you can shut it off. We are talking about very little wood to do this...and you may be able to find the doors at a salvage place for $5-$10 each (Another shelf could be added inside too....for more storage, if that`s an issue.)
Whatever you decide to do...be sure you let us see the finished product!
Linda

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That's a brilliant idea! Because it does look a little untidy - and also, as you can see, the doggies don't mind a chew on the corner of the boxes every now and again

Like the door idea- I don't think it'll be too hard to do either. I second the recommendation of a proper paint store - they've got the advice and products, and experience.

As for refinishing the dresser, if it's veneer you're looking at painting, whereas you can strip and stain if it's solid wood. Personally, I don't like chemical strippers and prefer heat gun & sanding to get paint off.

Originally Posted by stampit3d

I know that there is a product called "BIN" that you use to wash the cabinet with and then you can simply paint it.If you decide to re-stain and varnish then you are going to have to strip and sand it first.
Linda

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I think you're talking about ZINSSER, a brand name of paint & wallpaper products. They make a primer called BIN - it's a shellac based primer. Super adherent, excellent product. Downside is the smell and messy clean up involved with a shellac. If you're painting the cabinet, what I would use is BIN to prime, then a melamine or gloss paint (always expect to do 2 coats of paint).
You need to clean the surface, as part of proper prep. There's a product called TSP (tri sodium phosphate) which is an cleaner for painting. However, in this case I wouldn't use it.
For a painting: scuff the surface, wipe a few times with tack cloth, wipe again a couple of times with a damp (not sopping wet) cloth, let dry, prime, paint one coat, second coat.
For staining: sand sand sand then same cleaning process. I use a little vacuum to really get in there and remove the sanding dust.
My personal preference is to stain rather than paint wood, if it's stain grade. I think you're left with a much hardier and more appealing finish.

Looking at the dresser it looks like veneer not solid wood. I would also paint it.
I recently painted an older magazine rack a creamy white but made it look old.
First I cleaned with the tsp product. Then I 'deglossed" the finish. You should be able to find a product called liquid sand or a paint deglosser. Follow the instructions carefully. I then primed my piece and let dry. Areas such as the edges of the top of the desk or the sides in your case you could buy sample sizes of paints in colors you like. I had a goldy-yellow and a russian blue I applied these colors to the edges of my magazine rack I let dry. Then I rubbed wax (like from a white candle to these areas. I them applied 3 coats of finish paint-so many because my piece was stained a fairly dark color.
I then took a med grade sandpaper-or use a similar product and sanded the areas I had coated with wax-this allowed the other colors to appear. I also sanded other areas to age the piece. I can take a pix if you are interested.
For your desk you could paint the drawers in different colors too. The hardware could also be replaced to make the piece look different.
Good luck.