Me and my housemate are complete novices when it comes to home improvement/DIY/etc. so when we moved into a recently renovated house with solid wood worktops, we were oblivious to what care they might need and the thought never crossed our minds. We treated them just like any other worktop, and they have since become damaged. I am concerned about our deposit, so I want to know if there is anything I can do to 'fix' it.
There are a few things:
- The worktops have become sticky because we just cleaned them with ordinary household surface cleaners (not bleach, but chemically stuff) and I think that has caused the 'treated surface' to 'melt' or something.
- We left pots and pans etc. with water in them to soak on the counter top, making the area next to the sink totally water damaged – the wood is warped, and has gone black.
- There are a few ringmarks where I've left mugs etc. on the surface
What could possibly be done to remedy these? We have not done ANYTHING to maintain these surfaces because we have no idea how to care for them properly, and were not instructed by the landlord to do so. We have no tools or equipment barring screwdrivers, so if you could advise exactly what I'd need to ask for at a hardware store to fix anything that would be great.
Best Answer
I'd really need to see a photo to know, but more or less...
A lot of your options aren't great for food prep surfaces: for a non-food surface, I'd use turpentine or Restor-a-Finish.
Start with baking soda, warm water and a green scrubber to get the gumminess up. You might try washing soda or dish detergent if the baking soda alone doesn't do it. Fill a small bucket with warm water, sprinkle some baking soda down, scrub it up, wipe it up with a wet dishcloth, rinse the dish cloth, repeat. I've heard you can alternately use white vinegar. You probably won't scratch the wood but it never hurts to go with the grain instead of in circles.
Either way, don't leave standing water on the counter, clean it up as you go.
If it is really nasty you might wind up with a few rinses. Once you get it clean, oil it with mineral oil or refinish it. If you go the mineral oil route, you pour a small amount on (small) and rub it in (with the grain) and repeat.
UPDATE: I just happened upon a blog post which suggests that a bowl of hot water, a few tablespoons of murphy's oil soap and a pad of steel wool will go along way. With steelwool and sand paper you definitely want to go with the grain, always. Never ever go in circles. Add the soap to your hot water, scrub with the grain, rinsing often as you go. Change the water as it gets grimy. Keep some rags handy to dry up with so you aren't leaving standing water.
As far as the warping goes, you probably can't do much except plane it, is a recipe for making everything worse if you don't know what you're doing. Are you moving soon or just starting to realize you maybe need to be more conscientious?