So we really need a dining room table and have kept putting off going to IKEA and buying one, 1. because IKEA is hell and 2. because I am loath to spend the money. So the other day I noticed an expanding dining room table had been abandoned out in our street and it was still there today, so my boyfriend and I took it up.

Only issue is with a week out on the streets- its a bit grimy. Plus its not like I live in a very nice area so I REALLY want to clean this well before using it. Its made of pretty worn varnished wood- so what I want to know is how I can clean the crap out of it (I'm a little OCD about cleanliness) without peeling all the varnish off? Never really retrieved dirty wooden objects before so am dubious on how to clean them.

P.S. I don't really care that much about maintaining it I just don't want mounds of half peeled wax all over the place.

i had a bad experience with a wood coffee table
it is now outside again

if you are ocd like me i am not sure i would want to eat off it

but to not kill what finish it does have a wood soap is good like a murphys oil soap type of thing
i use another mild soap product as well but it comes from canada

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should i choose a noble occupation
if i did i'd only show up late and sick
and they would stare at me with hatred
plus my only natural talent's wasted

Why not just sandpaper the fucker and whip some more varnish down on top. You can even get spray varnish, which is very very easy and good. Sure, it'd take a good few hours work and all, but worth it for next to no money...

I think bigmuff has the right idea.. sand it down then re-varnish it.

This.

I love finding stuff in the garbage.

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Eat a bowl of fuck