My Vintage Porch

Interior Design, DIY, and Refurbishing

Bleaching Furniture

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I found this armoire at a local estate sale. I love these old cabinets and I thought it would be fun to try to lighten it up! I went back-and-forth in between trying to decide whether I wanted to paint it, or bleach it. I mostly thought I wanted to paint it because that was the easier route. As you can see in the “before“ photo, it was already pretty the way it was. I just love the bleached/raw wood look!

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I actually started off by trying to use spray oven cleaner to strip off some of the stain. It worked a little bit, but there was not much of a difference. it was just too big of a piece to keep spraying it with more oven cleaner. If you haven’t tried that before, oven cleaner can strip things but make sure to wear a mask and other safety gear when using it! I would probably try it again on something really small. I spray it on, leave it for an hour, and then wipe off with a damp paper towel when I use it. Even the fume free one gives off a lot of fumes though.

I decided to sand it. The reason why I didn’t want to sand it initially is because it is too heavy to take outside. Where there is a will there is away, I brought my hand sander inside and got the job done! I had to be careful on the sides because they were covered with wood veneer and if you sand too deep into wood veneer, it can leave a big mark that is not easy to fix and sometimes not fixable at all. I sanded it with 100 grit sandpaper with my hand sander.

I then used my Dremel on the decorative parts. That was the first time that I had used this dremel and I loved it! It worked so good! I took the photo below after the piece was finished, for reference.

After I was done sanding it, I bleached it. I used my paintbrush to wipe undiluted outdoor Clorox bleach onto the wood. I wiped one coat on, let it dry, applied another coat, let it dry, and applied the last coat. How many coats that are applied is really preference of how the piece is lightning up, more or less coats could be applied. When I finish bleaching furniture, I wipe it down with water. I have seen some others use a vinegar/water mixture after bleaching to neutralize the bleach. I have never tried that so I can’t testify to how it works and it always works just fine for me to wipe it down with water after bleaching.

I’m so happy that I didn’t paint it! I figured I would like it better bleached than painted. I’m glad that I took the time to sand it and bleach it! Sometimes bleaching with this outdoor Clorox bleach does not work on certain kinds of furniture. I’ve noticed that it works better on pieces that are a little darker in color. I’ve used it on some pieces that are already lighter in color after I sanded them down, and I couldn’t tell much of a difference. The last two pieces that I’ve done, this one, and the hutch that I refinished, the bleach worked great! Also, to note, the furniture piece needs to be stripped down, or sanded so that the sealer is removed. This photo below is taken with indoor daylight lighting, with no lights turned on, for reference. I can never get my hands on any of the Zinsser wood bleach, but that works great too!

I opened the front door in the photos below, to give reference of what it looks like with brighter daylight lighting.

When I shared the process on Instagram in stories, a lot of you were saying to keep some of the dark parts inside the carved area. Great idea! It looks so good and makes the carved design pop even more!

The inside of the cabinet process took almost as long as the outside! Someone had stapled fabric on all of the shelves. The fabric was cute but it was stinky! I knew I needed to remove it, so I just removed the staples and exposed the plywood shelves. I thought they would look so much better painted, than just plywood. I love them so much now that they’re painted! I used the color “Writer’s Parchment” Behr paint.

Chester is glad that I’m done too, so that he can get treats for modeling.

I think the inside is just as gorgeous as the outside! I love all of the exposed wood on the sides!

I left the hardware, as is and I love the old tarnished look of it! There is not a skeleton key that came with it, but it still opens ok without it.

I think this will be a great cabinet to use for linens! I am hoping to use it in our bedroom when we build our house.

The carved detailing is just amazing! I love the character it gives! I’m so pleased with how this turned out! Just make sure to safety up when bleaching, I use mask, gloves, and safety goggles.

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Comments

  9. What a great cabinet you created. Love it. Have a cabinet from 1800 and I just moved to Kentucky. The movers did a horrible and it got damaged. Years ago and antique repair shop told me never strip it would ruin the value but it’s damaged now. Should I strip it all the paint is. Craze and crakle. Should I strip it than sand it.I love your look that give your furniture.

    • That sounds like an awesome cabinet! I’m so sorry it got damaged! The crackle paint sounds cool too! It’s really a preference of what you think would look best in your room, but sounds so cool!

  12. You are amazing!!!
    One beautiful project after another.
    Entertaining and humor added along the way.
    Thank you ????

  13. This cabinet is absolutely gorgeous. Your projects always remind me of the verse in the Bible, PSALM 103:13-14 ‘You make beautiful things out of the dust’. You are making beautiful things out of something others would discard. There’s a sermon in there that will PREACH! Thanks for sharing.

  15. Absolutely gorgeous!! I dont think I would ever try oven cleaner to strip but its good to know that its possible. Thank you for sharing with us.

  17. WOW ???? It’s so beautiful!! I also love the door next to it and the gallery wall Thoth the bench! So pretty!!!

  18. So in love with all the beached wood! Definitely makes me want to give it a try!!! Keep up the awesome work!

  20. I love all your work any advice on how to get a look like that in painted metal door ? ????

  22. Amazing! Beautiful! Great work! All the things! How do you continually come across such gorgeous pieces of furniture? That is as impressive as your work and results!

  23. Wooow! I never anticipated it would look this lovely, and was very curious how the detail would come out and if it was even possible.

  24. Gosh you are my kind of people. I would sand inside to if I had to. I love this gorgeous piece and it sure will make a statement in your forever home someday.

  26. You’re furniture is gorgeous! What do you use to seal furniture after you bleach or sand down especially like a table that get lots of use.

  27. Congratulations! I admire your persistence to achieve these amazing pieces. You are a great inspiration. I love seeing all your project. Thanks so much for sharing!!! ????

  30. I’m sanding a chair and the chair legs have some intense curved turning. How do you sand it with a dremel/get in the grooves? What grit did you use? Thanks!

  31. Absolutely beautiful. You have some many wonderful ideas! Could this process be used on kitchen cabinetry?

  32. Its beautiful. I have a question at the end of the whole process of bleaching did u seal the furniture piece.

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  1. […] work to make all of the various wood types close enough in color to look good. I have more on the bleaching technique that I used, in this previous post. I thought for sure that the feet would not lighten up. Boy, was I […]

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