A trick for old shellac that saved a table last month

Last month I had a client bring in a 1920s oak table with a shellac finish that was all cloudy and sticky. I tried denatured alcohol but it just smeared. My old mentor from Kansas City once told me to add a few drops of fresh lemon juice to the alcohol, so I gave it a shot. I mixed about a cup of alcohol with maybe a teaspoon of juice, and it cut right through the old finish without any gummy mess. Has anyone else found a good fix for old shellac that's gone bad?

3 comments

3 Comments

markt2320d ago

Read that lemon juice trick in an old furniture book once, right?

rubysingh19d ago

Old books have the best tricks. That lemon juice one actually works pretty well.

val_williams19d ago

Forget old books, that lemon juice trick can actually damage the finish over time.