Mythbusters - How do I remove tape marks from furniture?

If you have children, I'm sure you've experienced the joy of seeing your favorite antique furniture covered in Hello Kitty or Cars stickers.

Trust me, I feel your pain.

Sometimes my kids get a hold of Scotch tape or even Duct tape and stick it just about anywhere.

So - what happens when you don't catch this infraction until it's too late?  You've pulled the tape off an now there is the residue stuck to your wood furniture and you really don't feel like refinishing it?

Well, follow me as I try out some of the methods stated in other blogs..

Reference guide: Tips and Tricks to Remove Tape Marks from Wood Floors and Furniture

I will attempt to confirm/bust three of the claims within this article:

1. Three common household products are mineral oil, vegetable oil, baby oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil and olive oil. Each of these products remove tape residue with minimal effort.
2. Other household items that remove tape marks by rubbing them over the residue [:] petroleum jelly, toothpaste...
3. Baking soda is another product that works well to remove tape marks.  Make a baking soda paste from two tablespoons of baking soda and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of water. 

Let's try it out and see.

1. Olive oil 
   
   .  
   

   

   Olive Oil

   
   
   
   This does not work.  Check out before and after shots:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Petroleum jelly
   
   
   
   

   

   Petroleum Jelly

   
   Although it made the piece very slippery - it did not remove any adhesive at all
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Toothpaste
   
   
   
   .
   
   
   

   

   Toothpaste

   
   
   My dresser is now very minty smelling but still has tape residue on it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Baking soda and water 

I figured the abrasive nature of baking soda would do the trick - and it did - however, it took a little bit of the finish off with it.. not so much that you'd notice but just use caution.  The major issue I have with the reference article is the ratio of baking soda to water is way off.

2 TBSP baking soda to 1/4 tsp water

I initially tried it with two TBSP baking soda and 1/4 tsp water.  This created a mixture that was extremely dry - just about like using plain baking soda.  It just made a huge mess when I tried to use it and didn't do a great job since most of it fell right off.

2 TBSP baking soda to 1/2 tsp water

 Next, I tried two TBSP baking soda and 1/2 tsp water.  This was slightly better but the mixture was still very dry and messy - and didn't cling to the wood long enough to be the abrasive agent.

Equal parts baking soda to water

 Finally, I went to about 2 TBSP baking soda to 2 TBSP water (equal parts) and created a slurry. This worked MUCH better and I was able to get all the tape residue off.  Don't get me wrong, there will definitely need to be some elbow grease put into this but you can remove it by yourself without resorting to harsh chemicals or goo be gone (note, I did try this stuff earlier on the drawer front and it made a mess plus stripped some of the finish off)

So there you have it.. best thing for removing tape residue is baking soda!  Has anyone else tried other methods?  Had other successes?  Let me know!

Before and After

Can you REALLY re-create Pinterest projects at home?

So, we've all done it.  

We've succumbed to  fever - spending countless hours surfing through images of beautiful hand made clothes, clever organizational ideas, stunning pictures of delicious baked goods and - especially in my case - the HOME DECOR section.

I've often thought to myself - can the products of these domestic goddesses actually be attainable by us mere mortals?

There are tons of hilarious articles of Pinterest failures (worth a glance) like these ones: 

Pinterest Failures - Pins

Huffington Post November 2012

but I wondered - can it be done?  Well, let's give it a try and see.

So I found this table on the domestic imperfection blog - I've had it pinned for about 2 years now.  I really loved the paisley pattern and the clever use of stain over paint.

Now, if you've seen my other posts, you know that I'm familiar with how to refinish wood surfaces so full disclosure dictates that I mention this advantage over the average amateur bear.

However, this is my first time taking on a project from one of my board pins so I'll walk you through it.

My husband proudly bought this antique table along with a horrible ergonomic chair (still in the "shop" in desperate need for re upholstery)  It was in rough shape and even at the $40 price tag, I thought it was too much for its condition.  Anyway, turns out that it was the easiest table I've ever refinished because frankly - it didn't have much of the original finish left on it anyway!

About 15 minutes with my Dewalt orbital sander (150 grit then 220 grit) and I was done.

 Next step, stencil.

Now, here is where I think we go wrong.

We see an inspiration photo and try to re-create it using different products and expect the same results. I was going to use the SAME product as in the original blog - so I chose a stencil from the same company - Cutting Edge Stencil Brocade No. 1 - it isn't an all-over stencil but I like it just the same (used it on my son's nursery wall as well)

Originally I was going to do a symmetrical pattern so I divided the table up in fours but once I got started, I liked the offset look better.

You just have to go with your gut on this and so I chose a pattern that was visually pleasing to me.

The key with stencilling is to use VERY little paint. It's hard to tell from the photo but you can actually see the wood grain through my paint.  Plus, it helps give it an antique/worn sort of look if it isn't so crisp and bright.

I went against my own advice by choosing a non-Minwax stain - however I love Circa 1850 products and knew this stain would work for me.  I also chose a dark stain (Dark Walnut 716) to make the stencil design pop.

I stained right over the design and the wood - using just a torn rag (actually an old crib sheet from my son's crib).  I did two coats of stain and later read that you shouldn't do multiple coats of stain since the second coat really can't be absorbed into the wood - oh well!

and VOILA - here is the finished product.  It's even cooler since this is a gate leg table so the design wraps around the piece when it's folded both ways (I'll take another photo and post that later)

I am actually extremely happy with how this turned out.. but you tell me.. can you REALLY re-create Pinterest projects at home?

How to repair furniture with damage from cat claws

So, as an owner/parent of cats in the past, I am well aware of the phenomenon that is "cat damage martyrdom".  This is the ultimate sacrifice of your beloved furniture to your non-declawed cat's carnal desire to rip, shred, rend and attack various types of material.

In our case, it was our beautiful new leather dining chairs, the back of the sofa, rattan chair, carpet and yes, the underside of our bed's box spring (lovely to wake up to by the way).

This is something as pet owners that we just accept as part and parcel of our lives with our fuzzy children but it's understood that no one on earth will want to purchase or even own your defaced items.

Take exhibit A

Exhibit A: damage from cat claws

This person was giving away their once beautiful HOPEN dresser because it had been used primarily by - their cat.

This is the first time I'd seen this level of feline angst but indeed, he/she attacked each and every drawer with blinding precision.  The result being a pretty torn up set of drawers with (thankfully) a pristine claw/dent free top.

So - out came my trusty wood pencils and beeswax (as seen in photo) and I went to work.

It took a bit of time but I was able to create a wood pencil and wax slurry/mixture that I applied to each drawer face with a paper towel.  The wax mixed with the color from the wood pencil filled in all the holes/scrapes very handily to the point where you couldn't notice there were any imperfections.

The results were great - I was able to match the wood color and fill the holes.

repaired drawer

The end result was a very nice dresser with no perceptible damage - ready for the next pet owner! ;)


Summary

Purchased: $0 (given for free)
Modifications: $0 (all items on hand)
Sold: $120

Profit: $120