Look What I Got At An Estate Sale

Don’t let a little dust and grim keep you from bringing home an old piece. Come see how to clean an antique cabinet in just a few easy steps.

A few days ago I made a frantic phone call to my husband. I needed his assistance desperately. With the help of a friend, I had located the most perfect antique glass cabinet. You know, the kind with both perfect patina and gorgeous wavy glass. I only saw the cabinet through a grainy facetime video – but I was instantly in love. I had just one problem, I was tied up for the day and couldn’t go get it.

After just a tiny bit of persuasion, my husband agreed to drive three hours round trip to get it for me. Have I ever mentioned how much I love him!

I was excited to get the piece home and when Mark arrived with it I was beyond thrilled. It was more beautiful in person that I could have ever imagined. But, it needed a good scrub. There were cobwebs and dirt dauber nests and a layer of dust too.

Over time, pieces like this collect dirt and grime. Little bits of debris settle into the cracks and nooks of old pieces like this. There were areas covered in old contact paper. There were areas that had been painted black. There areas that needed some TLC. But – I did’t let that scare me away from embracing this amazing antique. I am going to show you how I clean an antique cabinet in just a few easy steps!

Clean It Up

air out

It is important to note that old pieces who have been around for a while may have a musty smell. That happens when pieces have been ‘locked up’ for years. I always allow the piece to ‘air out’ in the driveway for several hours. And, I usually do it for several days in a row. I have found that helps to eliminate any odors. It doesn’t always take away the smell completely, but I have found that it does help!

vacuum

This cabinet had obviously spent some time in an old barn or shed. There was evidence of that and I knew before I could bring it inside my home, I would need to clean it really well. I began by using a shop vac to suck up as much of the debris and dust as I could. I was sure to vacuum in places that were not easily visible – like under the cabinet and above the door openings. I want to make sure to get it as clean as possible with the shop vac. That makes the next step much easier.

scrub

This cabinet was filthy and it took several washes to get it cleaned to my liking. After the piece has been vacuumed, I used Murphy’s Oil Soap and warm water. Click here to see all my favorite products to use on my antique and vintage finds. I washed the cabinet as best I could with an old rag and scrubbed hard. I like to take my time when I am scrubbing my furniture and I tend to wash them over many times. This helps to remove as much of the grime as possible.

*I found that simply scrubbing hard also removed most of the contact paper as well! YAY.

wormholes

One thing that I noticed when I was cleaning the piece was that there were many wormholes. Worm holes are common in old furniture and happen when a beetle has eaten into the wood. These wormholes are actually considered to be desirable because they ‘prove’ that the piece is old. So much so that furniture makers today will sometimes create the appearance of wormholes in new pieces to give it an ‘older look.’

If you have an older piece with wormholes and you are nervous about any active beetles, you may want to check for any ‘sawdust’ near the holes. That would indicate that there were active beetles in your furniture. You can also treat the wood with a woodworm killer. I have not done this before but I know that it is an option. Make sure to do this outside and wear a mask as to not expose yourself to any toxic chemicals.

Style It

Once we got the cabinet cleaned up, it was time to find the perfect spot to put her. We decided that she would live her best life in our upstairs living room! Like most of my pieces, I plan to use it to style my favorite seasonal collections. That means that these shelves will probably be twirled often and I am thrilled to have yet another spot to work with. That also means that shortly this piece will be filled with cheerful vintage Holiday goodness. But, until then, I was happy to fill it with some of my favorite basics! Woods, whites, books, and glass for the win today!

Do you spy those gilded walnuts in the dish. I made those a few days ago. Click here to see just how easy it is to make your very own!

I hope this post inspires you to snag a gorgeous antique piece that you are instantly drawn to. The raw wood and wavy glass made this piece irresistible to me and I am so happy that it made it’s way into my home. I guess it was just ‘meant to be.”