Cleaning woodwork

I’m grateful for the former owner’s restraint when it came to remodeling. I love that the bathroom tiles have crazing, I love that the floors creak, I even love that the bathtub has a round top that makes balancing shampoo and razors on the edge nearly impossible. The only thing I don’t love so much is the decades-worth of build-up on surfaces people touch.

Banisters, doors, cabinet pulls, even light switches. I think it was just a result of waxy cleaning products, but I have a really active imagination when it comes to germs.

After thoroughly scrubbing all the light switches and cabinet pulls, I decided to tackle the stair railing. Jeremiah is convinced I removed the “original patina,” but that’s just the years of Antiques Roadshow talking. Even if I am, I’ll take partially removed original finish over sticky, gummy old finish. Blehck.