My ‘GO-TO’ PRODUCTS FOR CLEANING JUNK

Have you ever brought home a car load of ‘junk’ that really needed a good clean? I do it all the time. I love to go “junkin’ in the dirt” for old pieces. That means that often times I am hauling home items that are filthy. I love old greasy tools, dusty wooden crates, and rusty furniture – I am drawn to things that I feel may have a ‘second shot at life’. I can usually see the potential in a piece that may be covered up by dirt and grime. I have unearthed and brought home some real treasures over the years and I have spent a lot of time cleaning them up. Below you will find a few of my ‘go-to” cleaning products that I use to bring my finds back to life. While there are a lot of products out there, these are the things that I typically reach for first.

SOAP AND WATER

Often times, a piece just needs a good scrub with something as simple as soap and water. I usually begin any cleaning project with this step. You would be surprised at what you can remove with just these two basic items! I usually use a mild dish soap and a scrub brush or a sponge. These things can easily be found anywhere and don’t cost a lot of money. It is important to note that water pressure can help too. Sometimes a piece only needs a gentle scrub with water from a bucket. Other times, I have found that a good fast squirt (the pressure from your water hose or even the pressure from a power washer) can make a difference. The pressure of the water can dislodge debris from cracks and crevices and can help to remove ‘crud’ that has been collecting and settling over time. Water can literally pushed the dirt right off our your piece. I think that is pretty amazing!

MURPHY’S OIL SOAP

Like many of you, I mainly use Murphy’s Oil Soap to clean and restore the beauty of the floors and cabinets inside my home. I also use it to restore the beauty of old wooden pieces that I find. From huge cabinets to small ammo boxes, Murphy’s Oil Soap really brings out the beauty of any wooden piece. I just mix the concentrated solution into a bucket with water and then scrub away with a rag or a brush. I do usually go over it with clean water when I am done scrubbing. In my opinion, the best thing about Murphy’s Oil Soap is that it has a very unique smell. It reminds me of my mom and that just makes me happy.

BLEACH

I use bleach on items that may have mold on them. I usually scrub a piece with a water/bleach mixture (one quart water to 1/2 cup bleach) using a soft brush. I work at the area until all signs of the mold are gone. Then I wipe the area down and let the item sit in the sun to dry – compeltely. Bleach can be very harsh on your things so be careful. It is important to note that there are specific mold removal products out there as well, so be sure to shop around if you aren’t comfortable using bleach.

SIMPLE GREEN DEGREASER

I have found simple green to be a really great product to help with removing heavy dirt and grease. I use it often on old greasy tools and things/parts that I might find in an old barn or an old work shop. It cuts through just about anything! The best thing about this product is that it is environmentally safe and it also serves as a deodorizer. To use this product, I usually just spray it directly on an item and let it sit for a few moments and then wipe it clean.

3-IN-1 HOUSEHOLD OIL

I had to mention this product because my dad swears by it. This oil is something that will quickly penetrate through rust. You can simply take a little bit of the oil on your finger and rub it onto a rusty or corroded spot on an item. Let it sit for a bit and then simply wipe it off. You will be amazed at how clean the item becomes. It will leave a little bit of a residue to prevent future rusting as well.

BAR KEEPERS FRIEND

Bar Keepers Friend is great to clean up things like chrome, steel, ceramic, enamel, and glass. It is non abrasive and will not scratch the surfaces that you use it on. I usually put the product on the item that I want to clean (like an old pyrex dish or an enamel pot) and I let it sit for a maximum of one minute (per the instructions) and then scrub away with a rag. It is quick and easy!

GOO GONE

One more product worth sharing is Goo Gone. I use it all the time, mainly to life adhesive off of my finds. Have you ever had a pesky price tag or label that just wouldn’t come off? This will help you with that. Simply squirt the Goo Gone directly onto the sticky trouble spot and wait a few minutes. It will then usually peel right off!

A FEW THINGS

• It is important to note that I clean the majority of the things that I find outside in our side yard. I rarely clean really dirty pieces inside.
• With that in mind, I usually try to clean my junk outside on sunny days so that the sun can quickly dry my items. This is especially important with wood pieces.
• You may want to use protective equipment when working with some of these products. You may want to consider a N-95 or P-100 mask, goggles, and/or gloves.
• If you are not working outside, you may want to consider setting up a box fan to help out with ventilation .
• I would suggest that you always test a product out in a small corner or the backside to make sure that it doesn’t damage your piece.

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YOUR TURN TO SHARE

I love the fact that with just a few simple products and a little elbow grease, we can all give ‘old forgotten’ items a new life. Above, I simply listed a few of my absolute favorite products. I do also use a variety of other things like Pledge, Windex, and Brass-O. There are so many awesome products out there on the market right now. With that in mind, I want to know what YOU use to clean your antique and vintage finds. Please drop a comment below so that we can all reference this list when we need it! Lets save and clean all the OLD THINGS – together!

disclosure: please note that affiliate links are used in this post.