How to Clean Your Furniture before Painting in 3 Easy Steps

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Something I learned when I started flipping furniture - the hard way, mind you - was that you CANNOT, repeat CANNOT, skip over important steps during the prep process when you're getting a piece of furniture ready for paint. EVEN if the particular paint you're using claims it's 'Prep-Free'. Trust me on this, and I speak from experience. Why can't I just start applying my paint, you might ask? Well, there is nothing more frustrating or disappointing then getting to actually grab your paint brush (or foam roller, or sprayer) and start applying your paint, wait for it to dry, and then scratch it right off with your fingernail. Ugh!!!

Keep reading to learn one of the most important steps you'll want to take to get your paint to actually stick to your piece! Believe me, I learned the hard way. Be sure to check out my YouTube video for more tips!

So, you've got your first furniture flip piece out and you're feeling like you've got this - you're all ready to get some primer or paint on it, right? But wait, wait, wait, what?

The First Step in Getting Your Paint to Adhere

No matter what the label on your paint might read, "no prep paint" is an oxymoron. There's a pretty good chance you'll have some sort of adhesion issue if you haven't cleaned your piece and freed it of years of dirt and grime prior to applying paint. Particularly in areas where grease tends to settle (trim and detail work, curves, ridges, grooves), you'll want to scrub these areas well to remove any sort of film or residue in these spots. Even after degreasing every last bit, I'll often take some low-grit sandpaper (60-80 grit) and go back over these details until all areas are completely free of any gloss, shine, or sticky grime.

Supplies You'll Need

My go-to, must-have products when I start prepping a piece of furniture include:

• An inexpensive tub or bucket (mine here is from our local Dollar Tree)

• Warm water (because who wants to stick there hands in a freezing cold water bucket?)

• Dawn Dish Soap

• A degreasing agent like GreenEZ Strip & Clean (diluted with a 6:1 ration of water to solution). This was the first time using this new-to-me product, and I have to say it worked great! I've also seen other refinishers use this product in a more concentrated form to actually strip varnish and paint completely from a piece. I can't wait to try it out for that purpose as well.

• I've also used solutions like Krud-Kutter, but really like to opt for the less caustic, still effective, choice whenever possible. Simple Green is also a great eco-friendly choice.

• Scrub Brush(es)

• Old toothbrushes or small detail scrub brushes

• Old rags, t-shirts, or micro-fiber cleaning cloths

• As always, wear PPE as necessary - including gloves, a respirator mask, and safety glasses.

Step 1:

After thoroughly vacuuming my piece (and don't forget to get the cobwebs on the bottom of it!) and removing any hardware, I'll get to scrubbing. I always start by filling up a bucket with warm water and just a touch of liquid dish soap. Taking a larger scrub brush, I'll work over the surface of the piece scrubbing in a circular motion, being sure to get every inch of the piece, even the inside of the piece after removing its drawers. I'll use my finer detail scrub brushes for the cracks and crevices as well. Scrub brushes work better than simply using a rag to really scrub out any grime and grit with in the pores of the wood grain. This is a great time to take note of any repairs I might need to go back and make after I've cleaned my piece. In fact, I keep a notebook in my workshop for just this reason.

Step 2:

Next, comes the degreasing and going back over areas that are particularly grimy with crud from over the years, I'll spray these parts down with my degreasing or de-glossing agent. And I'll go back and spray all of the flat surfaces as well. Then, taking my scrub brushes, I'll go back over all these surfaces, giving every inch a good scrubbing. Back and forth, up and down, and in a circular motion, taking care to get in the pores of the wood grain as best I can.

Step 3:

After I've scrubbed the entire piece from top to bottom with the degreaser, I'll finally go back over the piece with a wet rag or microfiber cloth to remove any of the solution or leftover cleaning residue. Be sure to let your piece dry completely before proceeding with the next step in the prep work.

It really is as easy as 1, 2,...Clean.

You may not be too keen on cleaning your piece from top to bottom (and you'll do it multiple times before you have a completed piece), but it's worth the extra effort.

One thing I've learned in my refinishing journey and through painting and flipping dozens of furniture pieces is that you CANNOT skimp on preparation steps. In the end, your finished piece, with a flawless finish, will only ever be as good as the time you take to prep (and clean!) it properly.

I'd love to hear from you! Have a product you love or a question about these 3 easy steps? Drop me a comment below and I'll be sure to get in touch with you!

Be sure to check out my full YouTube tutorial here as well!

How to Clean Furniture for Paint