Remember back when Robert and I stripped our fireplace mantle and I was in love with the Citristrip we used? Well, that relationship has run its course and after this last furniture stripping project, it’s time for a breakup. Sorry Citristrip. It’s you, not me. And just like every difficult break-up, I turned to alcohol to get me through it. Denatured alcohol that is. (Har har. Come on now, this is a family-friendly blog.)
Yesterday I posted about my mid-strip progress, or lack thereof, and I finally had to call it a day after 24 hours of scraping the stubborn gummy residue that made a complete mess and still didn’t want to budge. Citristrip did great on latex paint before, but it was no match for 40 year old varnish. The Citristrip label said to clean up the residue with mineral spirits, but after hours of applying, scrubbing, and a few dollars shorter later, it still wasn’t much better.
Here’s a shot of the chair legs right after applying the Citristrip. I was blissfully unaware at this point. I was so mad about the gummy gunk later that I didn’t even take a picture of it. Trust me on this one; it was bad.
I searched high and low through resource after resource to figure out a solution for the disaster I created and came up with a few solutions but nothing that really worked. Several sources I found said to try another coat or two of stripper. And my thoughts were “No freaking way! I can’t do it again. I need a shortcut.” (Shortcuts usually lead to more disaster when it comes to home improvement, but I proved that lesson wrong in this scenario…thankfully.)
I reached the point where I didn’t even care that the furniture still had some leftover stain and varnish. I just wanted the residue gone so that I could prime and be done with it. So if you find yourself in a gummy, gunky stripping mess like I did, here is the solution that I figured out through trial and error.
The answer to my Citristrip disaster:
Denatured Alcohol! Check out that beautiful gunk-free wood! Mineral spirits didn’t work. Goof off didn’t work. Goo Gone didn’t work. Sanding didn’t work. Warm soapy water made it stickier. Additional stripper just caused a bigger mess (these chairs had a LOT of varnish). But when I swiped on the denatured alcohol, I could almost hear angels singing. Saying a little prayer for patience probably helped too. So after a good wipe down of denatured alcohol and using a small brass wire brush to work it in the little crevices, I finally saw light at the end of the tunnel. To be safe since there are a few varnish spots still left, I’m giving the wood a coat of oil based primer, Kilz Original.
I’ve never been so happy to take an after shot in my life.
I’m so glad to finally be done with that first step, but whenever I have a DIY fiasco happen, I have to look on the bright side that at least I learned a skill to always keep in mind for any other projects from here on out.
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Danielle says
September 2, 2014 at 2:58 pmLauren! Thank you so much for this post! I used Citri-strip to strip contractor overspray off of my steps after I ripped the carpet off and was left with that same gooey mess. I was at my wits’ end until I found this! You’re a lifesaver.
Lauren @ Bless'er House says
September 3, 2014 at 3:07 pmI’m so glad it helped! It was an absolute nightmare! I shiver just thinking about the gunk all over again. Ugh. I have a phobia of stripping furniture now. I hope it ended well for you!
Priscilla says
July 6, 2017 at 11:52 pmHi using this will it take off the the old stain on it I’m doing a dinning room table.and it has so much layers of gloss on it it’s taking lots of stripping gel.help plz
OliviaAnn says
February 5, 2015 at 11:58 amI know this kind of an old post, but I am using Citristrip for the first time and I have gunk in some places but not in others, and I wanted your advice… I was trying to strip paint, which went wonderfully, but I didn’t know there was some kind of stain / varnish underneath, and now that has come up in some places but not others. Could it be the stain underneath making it gunky, and I should get some more stripper to get rid of that, or is it pretty definitely the Citristrip and I should wash it off asap?
Lauren @ Bless'er House says
February 8, 2015 at 11:04 pmIf you are just wanting to paint the piece, I would suggest cleaning up as much as you can with the denatured alcohol. Trying to wash it off with soap and water only made it worse for me. After the denatured alcohol, let it dry for 24 hours, sand with a medium/coarse grit, wipe off any dust with a tack cloth, and prime with Kilz Original and dry for 24 hours, then paint with whatever finish you choose. It’s a long, aggravating process but it works. Good luck with it! Let me know if you have any more questions!
Vera says
June 25, 2015 at 12:06 amHI! I’ve been reading your post and I went to the store to buy the Denatured Alcohol, but I’m concerned about it being flammable. The can specifically says not to use it on wood floors or furniture due to the fact that Denatured Alcohol is a fuel. What are your thoughts on this? Why did you think to use this product in the first place? I admit that it’s almost misleading considering that it’s sold by Klean Strip and found in the paint aisle. Are you worried about the flammable nature of this product?
Thanks!
Vera
Lauren says
July 2, 2015 at 1:42 amYa know…I can see how it could be a concern but at this point, I was so desperate to just have the gunk gone after trying every solution I could find that it was either use the denatured alcohol or throw out the chairs all together. We’ve had the chairs done now for nearly a year though, so we’re very happy with how they turned out. But we also stained and sealed them, so I’m hoping we’re in the clear.
Vera says
June 25, 2015 at 1:41 pmUpdate: Out of desperation, I went and bought some denatured alcohol. So far, it is helping! Thanks for posting this article and sharing your experience! Hopefully my table won’t burst into flames. LOL Seriously though, I have found several other videos and articles recommending the denatured alcohol.
Have a great day!
Vera
Lauren says
July 2, 2015 at 1:46 amYay! So glad it worked! I was ready to pull my hair out if it weren’t for this stuff.
Shannon says
April 7, 2018 at 3:40 pmI use denatured alcohol to clean furniture before I paint and prime all the time. I guess I should have read those instructions! To make you feel better, the paint company I follow – General Finishes – recommends cleaning all products with a 50/50 mix of denatured alcohol and water before painting. It works like a dream for me. I just do it outside or with lots of ventilation and a mask on. And of course gloves. The alcohol dries pretty quickly – so I think the thread of bursting into flames is pretty low.
Lauren says
April 8, 2018 at 10:41 pmThat’s great to know! Thanks for sharing, Shannon!
Kim says
July 30, 2015 at 9:48 pmTHANK YOU!!! I’m up to my ears in dried gunk and I’m hopeful that this will work 🙂
Lauren says
August 3, 2015 at 2:18 pmYay! So glad it helped! I know the feeling very well. I was ready to throw those chairs in the TRASH! Thank goodness I didn’t. Stay strong, Kim. 😉
Sue Puglisi says
September 6, 2015 at 1:47 pmHi Lauren, I have been refinishing furniture for the past 40 years…and after reading your note with the stripper, I must commend you by saying…it is never too late to teach “an older refinisher” a new trick! I am stripping my kitchen cabinets..using the hard core stripper on the doors outside which is not an issue with good airflow. I too started stripping the indoors areas with EZ strip, Citristrip and and Back to Nature Redi-strip methods and luckily my hair is still intact!!!I was to the point of closing off the rooms and venting the fumes and using the hard core stripper inside. If I use the denatured alcohol I will need to vent as well. My question to you….do you think the denatured alcohol could be used as a first step and forget all the other products? Now after completing the chair project, have you used the alcohol in place of everything else? Thank you, SueP
Lauren says
September 6, 2015 at 2:58 pmI’m so glad I could teach “an old refinisher” a new trick! Haha! I think this one for me was sheer dumb luck out of total desperation. I was so sick of that icky goo after several days. It’ll try your patience for sure. If I’d known the drama it was going to cause, I would have just primed the chairs with Kilz in the very beginning and avoided stripping altogether. I haven’t used the alcohol on anything else because actually…I feel like I’m scarred for life when it comes to stripping furniture now. Maybe one day I’ll attempt it again. But I’ll definitely TEST a spot first before applying it to the entire piece. Ahh! Lesson learned. Hope your project ends up well, Sue! 🙂
Shannon says
September 24, 2015 at 12:51 amI also have a waxy goo after using citristrip. If I use denatured alcohol, can the piece still be stained or have a clear coat over the wood? I didn’t really want to paint these chairs, but might have to.
Lauren says
September 27, 2015 at 3:09 pmI ended up painting mine but that’s really only because I still had a good bit of stubborn varnish left on them. If the varnish is splotchy on yours, I would paint. If you can manage to get all of the varnish off, you can certainly try staining them. And the good thing is, if the stain doesn’t go well, you can always try painting over it then.
Tina says
September 24, 2015 at 10:02 pmI just used CitriStrip today to remove flaking stain/shellac/varnish from my sewing cabinet (all hardwood, huge and heavy with tons of storage–a STEAL for $20 from a thrift store). The top was in bad shape, to the point where I couldn’t use it uncovered for actual sewing because it would snag the fabric. Anyhow, finally got around to stripping it, and yes, I got “goo.” Lots and lots of it! I scraped with a flexible metal scraper and wiped it on paper towels and cardboard over THREE separate coats of stripper! What a mess! But, I’m sitting here right now next to an awesome sewing cabinet with a beautifully clear top. I will use alcohol wipes to remove any extra residue, then sand the top. I will probably restain this piece because the wood grain is pretty. My advice, stick with it until you get all the goo gone! Still way easier than sanding, IMO.
Lauren says
September 27, 2015 at 2:59 pmGood to know, Tina! Maybe I just need more patience. I’m thinking I’ll try a different stripper next time. Maybe the Citristrip and I just don’t get along.
Amie says
November 26, 2017 at 5:43 pmyou can’t let it sit too long. My first experience was on a rocker, think I left it on 24 hrs and that was my problem.
Meredith says
October 3, 2015 at 2:21 pmI had the same problem! I have a beautiful old dresser COVERED with gummy gunk that won’t wash or sand off. I hate Citri-Strip! I dried the mineral spirits and they did nothing. I just tried your trick with the denatured alcohol, and it softened it somewhat, but I am still left hacking at the residue with a metal painter’s five-in-one tool. What did you use to remove the residue, please? Scrubbing just doesn’t seem to be doing it. I wonder if it depends on the nature of the original finish interacting with the Citri-Strip.
Also, what will you try instead for a stripper? I was trying to avoid toxic chemicals, and now I have had to buy and use many more chemicals than if I had just used an effective stripper in the first place!
Thank you for posting & happy stripping, lol.
Lauren says
October 5, 2015 at 8:15 amOh no! The denatured alcohol really did the trick for me so I’m sorry to hear you’re still dealing with it. I did a little research and found that this stripper is the highest rated: http://amzn.to/1MTYTK4 It’s supposed to be an alternative to harsh chemical strippers too.
I haven’t tried it yet myself though, since I finally just broke down and primed and painted my chairs instead. I hope that helps!
Jaci says
November 10, 2015 at 12:26 pmOH MAN!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!! I loved using it on my table top but ran out of steam on the base and 4 chairs…and I tried FEVERISHLY to get what I left, off. I will buy some of this too!! I am so excited now!
Thank you
Lauren says
November 10, 2015 at 1:28 pmIt’s the biggest paint in the butt ever, right?! I think I’m scarred for life. Haha! Glad my little tip could help. I was pulling my hair out!
Anne says
November 30, 2015 at 1:28 pmLauren, I love you. Six Queen Anne dining chairs with five layers of paint (my own doing) and although I do like Citistrip I didn’t think I could handle the mess. Thank you!!
Lauren says
December 1, 2015 at 11:40 amWhew! Nope nope nope. I wouldn’t be able to handle it either. So glad this little trick could help. Such a nightmare! Over a year later, and I’m still scarred. Haha!
Tana says
March 8, 2016 at 7:50 pmYou literally just saved my life. After hours of tears and a full meltdown I’m headed out to get some denatured alcohol.
Lauren says
March 9, 2016 at 7:42 pmI know EXACTLY how it feels, Tana! Hope it worked out for you.
Susan Meehan says
April 2, 2016 at 11:12 pmHi Lauren,
I was wondering what your opinion would be. I used Citristrip on my mother’s staircase. I only did the bottom post and that has the most detail with grooves and an ornate molding. It had layers of paint and then I discovered the stain and varnish at three bottom of it all. It seemed like the citristrip worked well on the newer paints but the older(lead based) paints I am sure, turned to liquid goo. I applied three oats so far and I just can’t do another. I was always going to repaint. It just had sooooo much paint and it was messy looking. Anyway, I am left with tacky goo all over it. I used the citristrip because my mom has asthma. It hasn’t bothered her at all. My question is in your opinion, is the denatured alcohol very fumey like mineral spirits? I may not have a choice but to use it. I just don’t know how to proceed in stripping the rest of the staircase now after the citristrip mess! Possibly a heat gun. Ugh! Thanks! Your post was a blessing. At least I know it wasn’t only me.
Lauren says
April 12, 2016 at 11:26 pmI am SO sorry I’m just now seeing this post, Susan! The denatured alcohol does have fumes, so you do need to be careful about that. I wish there was some other way, but everything else I tried that didn’t have fumes was a big giant fail. A heat gun would probably be your best bet.
Elizabeth says
April 25, 2016 at 3:09 amDo not use a heat gun! Especially indoors on old lead paint. It will make lead vapor in the air and is very dangerous. My coworker several years ago wanted to strip the giant Victorian baseboards in her tiny bedroom. I even told her to be careful…well, she was in the hospital for two weeks with lead poisoning and was seriously ill. On top of that, once she furnished her tiny bedroom, there was barely any of the baseboards showing.
Lauren says
April 27, 2016 at 9:44 pmWoah! That is so scary! Thank you for sharing that, Elizabeth! Yes, definitely test for lead paint before stripping anything.
Joann says
April 12, 2016 at 11:15 amThanks for the tip. But I’m curious should I clean of the gooey mess before I apply the alcohol?
Lauren says
April 12, 2016 at 6:56 pmI would try to get rid as much of the gooey mess as you can, but rubbing it down with the alcohol should help get rid of the rest.
Angie says
May 2, 2016 at 10:43 pmI am going to run to the store and get denatured alcohol as soon as possible. Citristrip is terrible! I tried using it on all of the trim in our entire house… worst idea ever! Now our whole house is full of this gummy mess.
Lauren says
May 4, 2016 at 11:50 pmOh no!!! I’ve been there before! Worst. situation. ever. Hope it works out for you!
Annie says
September 25, 2017 at 12:50 amThis is where I’m at right now.
Gotta run to the store now to try this.
Since my trim and case moldings are all gooey from the citristrip and I’ve added that mineral spirits to try and remove it like the instructions say. (Two days of pulling my hair out) Since this is all done inside. Any feedback on to how to now apply it (i.e. With what) and remove it using the alcohol? How long does it need to sit before removing?
Thanks,
Carolyn Lester says
August 12, 2016 at 9:57 amI literally came across this by accident. What a blessing. I have been fighting with a bathroom window all week. The only way I can describe it is melted chewing gum. I am leaving to get some alcohol right now. Thank you! Carolyn
Lauren says
August 19, 2016 at 9:42 amUgh! Yes! That’s exactly what it’s like. Glad it helped though!
Teresa says
August 31, 2016 at 1:15 pmWe have a stair case banister that has about a million coats of paint, and it’s now just a big CitriStrip mess of goo. We are trying the denatured alcohol, but so far it’s not much help. Does letting it sit before scraping/scrubbing help?
Lauren says
September 9, 2016 at 4:25 pmOh no! You can maybe try a different brand of paint stripper. I’ve been discovering that CitriStrip seems to be the biggest culprit.
Dee says
September 28, 2016 at 8:24 pmI’m glad I found this post. I have a CitriStrip mess on my front porch in way of a chest of drawers I’m redoing. I’m totally exhausted from the mess. My niece used the CS on her kitchen cabinets and she loved it that it did a phenomenal job. So tomorrow I’m going to pick up the denatured alcohol and pray I can get this thing finished. It’s a beautiful solid oak piece. So I’m praying it works so I can get it done & get on with life inside the house on projects I need to finish. Thanks for everyone who has posted. I’m just praying this other will work. Otherwise, I have a gummy mess all over the boxes & rags that need to be thrown out. 🙂 Possibly the chest, but I hope not.
Lauren says
October 3, 2016 at 11:20 pmAck! It’s the worst and I completely feel your pain. Hope it works out!
Margaret says
October 1, 2016 at 5:59 pmThank you! You are an angel! I haven’t tried the denatured alcohol but I’ve tried every one of the other things you had tried before the denatured alcohol. Just your sharing is a blessing in itself because I had no idea what to try. So off to the store I go.
Lauren says
October 3, 2016 at 10:43 pmYay! Hope it works out!
natalie axe says
October 5, 2016 at 8:52 pmBless you Lauren! I have been fighting all afternoon with a sewing cabinet (probably much like the one described above). We had gotten it from my mother in law many years ago, and I just wanted to give it a quick face lift, but after redoing the top and one of the panels in front, it looked so wonderful that I decided to go all out and take it down to the wood and really do it right. When I started the project, I just went over the two surfaces I was most interested in with a “mouse” sander and took it down to the wood, but while at the store getting additional stains, I got sucked in to doing it “right” and stripping the finish off. Having plenty of outdoor space to work in, I bought the hard core, big nasty chemical variety. Trust me, CritiStrip is not the only culprit in the goo game! It bubbled and boiled like I thought it was supposed to, but turned into the stickiest, stubbornest, boil your skin in a split-second mess that can be imagined! No amount of brushes, steel wool, elbow grease, tears, etc. will separate it from it’s host. I’m far too exhausted tonight, but first thing in the morning, I’m heading back to the store, walking with blinders past all the distracting “great ideas” and buying a large container of denatured alcohol, thanks to you! (Well, I might get a few packages of sandpaper for my mouse, cause that’s the only way I’m taking any finishes off in the future!) Thank you so much!
Sarah says
November 5, 2016 at 7:59 pmI literally was about to put my dresser on the curb for the trash man. Citrustrip was such a disaster!!! I decided to first take a shot at Google and found your blog. Headed straight to the store for some more stripping pads and denatured alcohol. Was working great. My husband came home and pulled out the acetone, and it was like miracle liquid! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I just wanted to share back for future blog readers. I would only recommend acetone if you can be outside though. Imagine a nail salon… times 1000! But I am so glad to be rid of all the GOO!!!! :-O And to think, I started working on my dresser 11 hours ago thinking I would save time and elbow grease using Citrustrip. *sigh*
Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience! I would have thrown my dresser away if I hadn’t found this!
Amy says
December 4, 2016 at 4:09 pmI have to ask….did the alcohol take the varnish off too, or just the goo. I am refinishing dressers and this my first time, and probably my last after this debacle. I was going to try a harsher stripper to try and take the goo and varnish off at the same time, but was unsure if the alcohol would take the goo off, then I’d use a different stripper to get the 40 year old varnish off. HELP!!
Amy
Lauren says
December 7, 2016 at 12:56 pmHi Amy! I’ve been there and it is NO fun! The alcohol only removes the goo, so I’m afraid you’ll still have to use a stripper to remove the rest of the varnish. Hang in there!
Brit says
January 3, 2017 at 9:56 pmThank you! I found a lane chest (oak veneer and cedar lined) at a thrift store that someone painted pink! I used citristrip and it stripped the paint off beautifully but left a gross residue. I used the alcohol you suggested and it worked! I’m sanding and staining tomorrow and I’m very excited 🙂
Lauren says
January 4, 2017 at 2:39 pmI’m SO glad it helped, Brit!
Nicole says
January 17, 2017 at 1:29 pmThanks for the tip, it worked like a charm & saved me a lot of frustration, I’m sure!
Lauren says
January 17, 2017 at 2:57 pmYay! So glad it helped!
Shirelle says
February 1, 2017 at 3:05 pmHi Lauren,
In the process of stripping a table and found this article. Mineral spirits didn’t work so well in the past for me either. One question though, I’ve used diluted denatured alcohol in the past to thoroughly clean furniture before painting. Do I dilute to remove the gunk?
Thanks 🙂
Lauren says
February 6, 2017 at 11:57 amHi Shirelle! I didn’t dilute it. Just put it right on there to work its magic.
MELISSA BARBER says
February 20, 2017 at 5:19 pmHey Lauren,
I too am working on 45+ yr old end tables and have the dried on Citristrip. Nothing budges this dried on mess. I got the denatured alcohol you suggested. Do I rub it on with cloth? How did you do it?
Thanks,
Melissa
Lauren says
February 20, 2017 at 9:08 pmI just used it on some steel wool I soaked in it, so maybe see if that helps.
Irina says
April 3, 2017 at 12:04 pmThanks so much!! This saved me from so much goo!!! One question: I’m using little rags to apply it (painters cloth) – is there a better way? Also, any suggestions for a good little wire brush that won’t hurt the wood too much?
Chandra Savaso says
April 6, 2017 at 3:56 pmThank you so much for this post !! I’m in the middle of this disaster right now!!
Lauren says
April 11, 2017 at 10:05 amWhew! I’ve felt your pain before, Chandra. Hang in there!
Victoria Petrovic says
April 10, 2017 at 6:45 amThis post is great! It’s 6 am, starting Day 2 of refinishing 1950s birch kitchrn cabinets ( and their boxes). Yesterday was just deep clean and then Citristrip. Thank goodness for the Internet as i find others and their stories of the same trouble with 70 yrs of stubborn varnish.
Thank you! thank you! Thank you! Because day 2 will now begin with a purchase of denatured alcohol and hopefully the sweet sound of angels all day long!
Lauren says
April 11, 2017 at 9:49 amSo glad it helped, Victoria!
Hannah says
May 16, 2017 at 1:00 amThank you! I am in this same mess! I will have to go buy some..! I am doing a Louis IV type antique couch..
Citristrip seemed to take off selectively.. any thoughts on the steps to finish this thing!? : )
Going for a raw wood look with white pillows! 🙂
Brian says
May 17, 2017 at 1:25 pmA cheaper substitute for denatured alcohol is to go to Dollar Tree and buy 12 oz bottles of Gas Treatment or Fuel Injection Cleaner for $1 each. The ingredient in both is ethanol which is grain alcohol, ie same as moonshine whiskey but they add methanol to it so people cannot drink it to get drunk it would make you vomit or go blind or die.
Works like a charm to remove shellac based coatings on most old furniture.
I buy the cheap dollar tree green scrubbing pads that look like scotch brite pads and dip them into the cleaner and scrub off the finish.
Wash everything including your hands with Dollar Tree LA’s Totally Awesome yellow cleaner. It is a degreaser and that stuff really is great and very powerful.
I use that as a hand cleaner when working on my car spray some on your hands and scrub with a green pad and wash with warm water.
Do not use LA’s totally awesome cleaner on glass it leave white smeared residue.
https://www.dollartree.com/SMB-Fuel-Injector-Cleaner-12-oz-/p128303/index.pro#ratingsReviews
https://www.dollartree.com/20-oz-Totally-Awesome-Cleaner/p8056/index.pro
Heather says
June 14, 2017 at 9:57 amThis post about denatured alcohol removing Citristrip gumminess might have just saved my life!! We used Citristrip on an old wood floor that had a petrified padding crisis – worked beautifully to get the remaining padding off, after using a tile scraper to remove the majority. Afterwords though, panic set in. Gummy messy floor and no hope in sight! Heading to the local hardware store to buy a gallon and pray it works like you say. Thanks for sharing!
Heather says
June 14, 2017 at 2:23 pmThere were definitely angels singing! I’m definitely thanking God for your post… And you too of course. Saved the day, for certain.
Isa says
June 15, 2017 at 1:14 amOh my god!!! I found this article out of desperation because of the messing citris trip… it is my first time ever stripping a furniture and what a nightmare…. I have a Victorian dining table, hutch and 10 cane chairs. I can’t and I won’t deal with this stripping anymore. I when to the store and got the denatured alcohol and it worked but after brushing and brushing and brushing. It was too much effort, but it did worked at the end. Now I have a question: can I just paint the chairs without stripping it or sanding them?
Lauren says
June 16, 2017 at 12:17 amAwesome! Yes, you can paint them. I would sand them a little just to try to get them as smooth as you can. Prime before you paint too. Kilz Original should do the trick.
Amy says
July 3, 2017 at 7:13 pmI’m in the same situation as everyone else it seems and I appreciate all of your suggestions, comments and feedback. One thing that I came across, while looking for a solution to the white residue, was a warning about not using the steel wool, because it can ignite the chemicals (fumes) (not sure if this was for the stripper or the denatured alcohol) if a fiber of it were to come in contact with an electrical source. I don’t know the definites here, but at least a warning to be cautious of this. That is also where I first heard the suggestion of using the Scotch Brite scrubbers instead too.
Min says
July 22, 2017 at 3:14 pmI am so glad I found your blog Lauren. I have just used citristrip to take off loads of horrible flaking paint on an old table hoping I would find beautiful wood underneath. I found instead dark horrid smelly varnished wood and just didn’t know what to do next as sanding would probably not work and be back breaking. I have ordered the denatured alcohol and will try it as soon as it arrives. Can I ask how you applied it? Do you brush it on or use a cloth to Dab it on and then how did you remove the old varnish? With a paint stripper or cloth or kitchen towel? Grateful for your advice. Many thanks.
Lauren says
July 31, 2017 at 10:40 pmHi Min! I used a rag to wipe it on, then let it dry, and sanded to get it semi-smooth. From there, I had to use Kilz primer and paint. I really wanted to stain but there was just no way at that point. I was so ready to be done. I’m sure you know the feeling.
Laurie says
August 19, 2017 at 3:07 pmLauren, I am so glad I found this post. I used Citristrip on a dining set. My plan was to take it down to raw wood and wax or seal it with a clear coat and leave it. The Citristrip directions said not to use if below a certain temperature; however, I was in a hurry to get this done and I had three days at home for the first time in a long time, so I tried it anyway. Needless to say, I ended up with a mess. My chairs look just like yours did. I bought the denatured alcohol and it is slowly but surely working. After hours of working on one chair, the dried up gunk is gone, but the white film remains on the chair. In your professional opinion, do you think I should change my mind and paint the chairs or do a whitewash instead of leaving the raw wood, or do you think if I re-sand the white film will go away and leave the wood ready to go?
Lauren says
August 21, 2017 at 8:37 amHi Laurie! Ugh. I so feel your pain. I personally just gave up and primed/painted them. You could try sticking to the original plan. Depends on how patient you are. 😉
Jen says
September 10, 2017 at 6:59 pmWow! I am currently stripping an old oak pedestal table. I had no issues with the top as it was a very fair stain but a lot of shellac.
The base, however, is painted ugly green and WILL NOT come off with stripper! My husband, bless him, spent 2 hours with a sander and got minimal results. Instead of burning the damn thing, I will try the alcohol first.
Michael says
October 16, 2017 at 11:21 amLauren,
We have been refinishing for 30+ years and have discovered some things which affect clean-up:
1) Check what layers are on the furniture (oil paint, latex paint, milk paint, varnish, stain, other) that one is stripping off.
2) Check what’s in the stripper.
Yes, that knowledge will make less headaches as you have shown us. Again, many thanks.
Michael
Tim says
October 25, 2017 at 12:41 pmCitristrip did a very good job of getting the varnish off a 20-year-old fireplace mantle. And odorless mineral spirits are doing a good job of cleaning up the minor residue. However, I’m left with the goo inside narrow grooves that is proving very difficult to remove. A site elsewhere recommended small wire brushes. I just came across this post searching for tips. I’m assuming the denatured alcohol should make it a lot easier to get that goo out? Does it sort of liquify the goo, or does it just help it come up off the surface? Thanks!
Lauren says
October 26, 2017 at 10:11 pmIt really just dries it out so that it’s no longer sticky, and from there you should be able to sand it or use a wire brush.
Gail says
December 22, 2017 at 6:32 pmThanks for that info. I found myself in a similar situation. I tried Citristrip on a staircase after reading glowing reviews. Oh man it was a mess. Thanks to the denatured alcohol it got the goo out and my stairs resemble stairs again. I still will need another rinse with the alcohol, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.
Courtney says
January 7, 2018 at 6:24 pmJust found this post after I used citristrip on my fireplace (recommended by lowes). This is a fake fireplace that the old homeowners painted with probably 5 costs of paint. Decided I wanted to strip it back to the natural brick. Boy was that the worst decision I ever made. Literally goo everywhere – the whole thing is basically covered in melted chewing gum. Looks like you are having success with the denatured alcohol on wood, what about brick? Do you think this would work and how toxic is it for pets to breathe in? I have a dog I’m worried about. How would I apply This?
Lauren says
January 18, 2018 at 10:16 amOh no! I haven’t used it on brick, so I really couldn’t tell you how that would work. There are fumes, so I would definitely open all windows and ventilate as much as possible.
R Brown says
March 10, 2018 at 1:56 pmI literally Googled “refinishing with citristip didn’t work nasty smeary sticky mess what do i use next?” and arrived at this page. Can’t thank you enough! Back on track with my Eastlake dresser restoration. Someone painted it with orange and white racing stripes but it will live again thanks to your advice! Also my blood pressure has returned to normal and I am no longer uttering loud, foul-mouthed curses on my deck 🙂
Lauren says
March 12, 2018 at 2:22 amYaaay! Been there! It’s a rough situation. Hoping it turns out well foryou!
Molly says
March 10, 2018 at 11:10 pmTHANK YOU for this. Got myself a wire brush and denatured alcohol today and finally got my nightstands cleaned up. Hoping to re-paint tomorrow!
Lauren says
March 12, 2018 at 2:22 amAwesome! Hope it turns out well!
Jennifer says
June 4, 2018 at 12:27 pmI decided my first stripping wood project would be my dinning room table and chairs… probably should of started with something smaller. I tried citistrip, as recommend by someone in Home Depot, unfortunately, it is very hot in Texas right no, even at night, and doing the project in my garage. It is drying before it can work. I’ve spent over 20 hours to strip two chairs. Any recommendations? I thought about throwing in the towel and buying a new set, but there is a lot of furniture in my house that I could slowly redo, so I really want to master this. What kind of gloves do you use? The stripper ate through a couple different kinds I had on hand.
Lauren says
June 12, 2018 at 2:05 pmCitristrip is my nemesis too. You have to use chemical resistant gloves for the job. These work great: https://amzn.to/2JCXMlD
Sue Yancey says
June 14, 2018 at 1:19 pmHelp! I wanted to refinish an old side table that had water marks down to the wood and did research as to the best product to use. Believe it or not, I found one that said denatured alcohol or mineral spirits, depending on whether the top coat was shellac or varnish. Well, the alcohol did the trick but my problem is that there is a white color left on portions of the wood. What is it and how do I get rid of it?
Sheena says
August 30, 2018 at 1:14 pmI used the Citristrip on an old Jenny Lind bed frame turned bench. It is so beautiful but has so many grooves I have a huge mess. I had to wipe the hole piece down yesterday with a damp cloth just to remove the gunk it left behind. There was absolutely no scraping this stuff off. It dried and hardened. Do you think the alcohol would work for this piece with all the spindles and grooves? And can you buy that alcohol at Walmart? Thank you. I am hoping to get this done soon. Such a headache
Lauren says
September 3, 2018 at 11:48 pmHi Sheena! From my experience, it should work to remove the gummy gunk and at least make it harden enough so that you can sand it down. Yes, Walmart should sell it in the aisle where you find the caulk and paint. If you live in a hot/humid climate, I’m betting that played a factor in the paint stripping process. The same happened to me.
Carol Walters says
September 4, 2018 at 1:17 amI’ve been through the same awful mess with Citri-Gel too. It’s awful! I’ve even tried covering it with plastic wrap and leaving it overnight so it could work longer. It did an “ok” job on my stir handail but then scrapping all the gunk off was the worst!thankfully, i only tried it on a small section. Then another furniture remaker buddy of mine told me to try Blue Bear Soy Gel Stripper. You can use it inside. I live in SE Florida and need the AC to be able to work. It doesnt smell bad, worked pretty quickly and came off much better than CitriStrip!! I think it’s getting more popular now but when I bought a few years ago, no one around me sold it so I had to have it shipped. I think I might have seen it Home Depot recently. Here’s a link to it so you can read about it. https://products.franmar.com/products/paint-urethane-stripper-soy-gel
Cindy Tobin says
October 29, 2018 at 4:14 pmNow YOU are MY angel!!! I Googled “Citristrip is gooey” and this article was #2 in line. I still have to do the work, but the alcohol definitely cuts through the goo!!! I’m using steel wool soaked in it, and then drying with a rag. Very spindly chairs, so lots of work still to do!
Lauren says
October 29, 2018 at 7:54 pmWOOHOO!! Sticky stuff has to go. Good luck on the remainder of your project!
Megan says
January 11, 2019 at 11:05 pmI found this article right in the nick of time! I was going to slather on the Citristrip last night and let sit over night to get the varnish off an old dresser that I’m up-cycling. Because of your article I used denatured alcohol instead and it was so fast and easy! Thank you for your insights and for making my project so much easier!
Lauren says
January 12, 2019 at 9:21 pmAWESOME, Megan!!
Noren says
February 4, 2019 at 7:59 pmYour chair After everything was stripped off looks beautiful!!
Even areas that were not stripped with Citri strip and just had the old glaze, did the denatured alcohol take it down to that bare color as well!?!
Lauren says
February 4, 2019 at 9:10 pmTotally worked out, right?! No, sadly the denatured alcohol didn’t strip anything. The stripper did the dirty work for that part, but it was just the residue leftover that I couldn’t get off without the alcohol handling the gunky mess.
Annie says
February 19, 2019 at 6:55 pmHi! It looks great and I’m in the middle of fighting some post citrus-strip cabinet doors. I bought some denatured alcohol yesterday and I’m ready to give it a try. Can you explain how you applied the alcohol? Rag, scrubber, etc…and did you only have to wipe it off or scrub, etc…Any details would be much appreciated. Thanks!!
Lauren says
February 19, 2019 at 7:54 pmI just poured it on a rag and rubbed it into the wood and the gummy gunk solidified. It at least made it so I could sand the surface. Hoping it helps! I know what a pain it is!