Alternate punny post title: Some Midcentury Microdermabrasion. Ok, so yesterday John explained how we hunted down an old thrift store table and repaired its rickety legs. And since we’re nothing if not honest when it comes to keeping things real-time in this little DIY diary of ours (if something takes two days, it earns two posts – and if a kitchen takes four months, it earns about a hundred) here’s the second chapter for our little dresser-turned-media-cabinet. The title of which could be: How I Showed A Dingy Old Wood Dresser Some Sweet Sweet Love. Or Dr $herdog And Her Scrub-tastic Tricks. You know, depending on your mood.
So let’s dive right into how I brought this 50+ year old piece back from scratched and bedraggled territory. Here are my tools. It’s a pretty simple equation.
Yup, you read that right. Ladies and gentlemen, my first weapon of choice was a Magic Eraser. I’ve found that for old beat up pieces like this, it’s great for scrubbing off years of grime. It essentially does the same thing as very fine steel wool or sandpaper does (but seems to be more gentle on the hands). The cool thing is that sometimes what you think are paint streaks and scratches actually can be buffed off with the eraser so the wood is back to looking downright sexy again. For example, see this detail shot that I took of the bottom right side of the cabinet before I did any scrubbing?
Here it is after about five minutes of buffing that area with a damp Magic Eraser:
I did the same buffing thing all over the top, the sides, and even the legs (tip: you might want to test it on an out of the way spot to make sure it doesn’t mess with your piece’s finish, but if it’s dry old wood like this guy it should work just like high grit sandpaper and just buff things down a bit).
Then it was time to clean out the inside of the drawers. Those were musty and dusty, so it was less about buffing them down to their original glory like it was for the exterior, so my approach changed. I just used an old rag moistened with white vinegar to wipe down the insides of each drawer. That removed all the dust, and since vinegar is also great for absorbing/removing musty smells in old wood, it was amazing how that tangy vinegar went on smelling strongly but then dried to have no smell at all (so those formerly musty drawers smelled like nothing at all as well). Huzzah.
Here’s how she looked after about a few hours of working the outside with the Magic Eraser and the inside of each drawer with a vinegar-moistened rag.
It’s a far cry from the muddled old finish that we saw at the thrift store, right? Now you get the post title, right? It’s like I hooked her up with some nice microdermabrasion, right? Dr. $herdog doesn’t mess around.
The next step was letting her sit out in the sunroom with her drawers all open so everything could evaporate and fully dry out (all the vinegar-wiped drawers need to full air out so the bitter smell dissipates). Then about eight hours later we finally (finally!!) brought her into the living room. Nothing like waiting over two years to find the right media cabinet.
We eventually plan to use a drawer or two for the TV components instead of sitting them on the floor (we can either hinge the front of that drawer for easy remote-access to them or use one of those cool RF remotes that work through wood) but this works for now.
And speaking of planning, we also originally planned to paint the top, sides, and bottom of the piece white (while leaving the rest of it in the same wood tone that you see now – sort of like this but wood where the white is and white where the wood is) but now that we’ve scrubbed it down and brought it into the living room we actually like it just the way it is.
We already have a white desk, a white table, and a white ottoman in the room, so the wooden media cabinet balances nicely with the wooden console that we built for behind our sofa along with the wood-framed chalkboard that we made. We even like the original hardware (although you never know if we’ll see something awesome and be completely seduced). Now that I’m sitting here staring at it, I actually think the existing hardware could look great in an oil-rubbed bronze finish since the curtain rods on both sides of this piece (as well as the dark TV on top of it) are that tone. So that’s always a possibility down the line. Either way you know I’ll keep you posted.
I’d also love to use some sort of wood restoring seal/topcoat to coat the cabinet (since it’s pretty dry and not really very glossy at all) – just to bring back even more luster. I hit up Home Depot and grabbed something that I’m dying to try, so I’ll be back with pics and details for ya about that – maybe along with a tutorial for hinging a drawer for those media components or giving an RF remote a try? Might not get around to it for a few weeks with all of our book tour travel coming up, but I can’t wait to get ‘er done.
Oh and as for securing the TV so it’s kid safe, we use this anchor system to keep it in place (here’s a picture of it with our last media cabinet from this post, but it’s the same system, we just unattached it and reattached it higher on the wall to work with the new cabinet). We’ve also had luck using similar systems for tethering desks and dressers and leaning mirrors to keep them from tipping (more on that here).
Now we’re just basking in the glory of a not-too-low TV that actually doesn’t make the whole room feel sofa-heavy (that side of the room always felt more substantial thanks to the teeny old TV table). Ooh yeah, I’m going to stuff those abundant drawers with all of Clara’s games and toys that runneth over. Momma’s excited about that. Oh and as for the old TV cabinet, we just craigslisted it for $30 yesterday! So in the end this new $59 TV cabinet was more like $29 after you put that $30 craigslist payment back in our pockets.
Is anyone else trying to bring an old piece of furniture back to its former glory? Have you ever used a vinegar wipe-down to de-must drawers? Have you tried the Magic Eraser approach on old grungy wood? I’m not sure it would be a good idea on something super shiny (sealed/lacquered) since it might make tiny scratches in the finish, but for old dry wood that looks beat up and battered already, it certainly removed a lot of things that I thought were deeply rooted into the stain (they must have been sitting right on top). Word up to less-beat-up-than-you-thought furniture.
NYer says
I never would have thought to use a Magic Eraser — thanks for the tip! The console looks great and I love the storage. Safe travels to you both!
Carmen says
ditto the Majic Eraser comment – never knew about that! It looks great in your space! Good job!
Megan says
I “third” the thanks for the Magic Eraser tip! It’s amazing how you were able to clean up the console. It looks so fantastic!
Jessie says
WOW! That looks AMAZING! I am shocked at how beautiful the finish was!! I wish the thrift stores around here (northern Michigan) had more than old, mauve La-Z-Boys and laminate dressers.
denise says
Same here in south Georgia. In all my thrifting we’ve only found one piece (a kitchen table) worth taking home.
Ashly says
The trick is to visit late on Saturdays, Sunday and Monday mornings. This is when people drop off the items not sold at garage sales. Consistency is key, too! If you *really* want to find something, you have to keep looking! :)
Alisha says
Jessie–that mauve La-Z-Boy may have come from my parents’ house! haha. If you ever make it to southern Michigan there is a super sweet second hand store on Blue Star Highway called Sunset Junque that has some AMAZING finds. Definitely worth the drive.
Ashley in NC says
Thank you so much for sharing how you got rid of the musty smell inside the drawers! I just inherited a gorgeous mid-century dresser from my mom, the very first piece of furniture she ever bought as a working woman back in the 1960s. I buffed it and changed the hardware out already and it looks amazing, but I couldn’t figure out how to get rid of that smell! I will be trying your method tonight after work. Y’all are awesome!
Stefanie says
I definitely agree that I wouldn’t use a Magic Eraser on something with a lacquered / shiny finish… mostly because I did that a few days ago to our lacquered kitchen table. It definitely got the paint stain off of it, but it also took away the shiny finish :(
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no!
xo,
s
Kathy says
I recently purchased a drop leaf table for $50 and cleaned it with vinegar/olive oil but it still looks really dry. Any suggestions?
Also, I’m looking to purchase a mini camcorder or pocket video camera. You and John have one but I can’t remember what you have. Do you like it? Would you recommend it?
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe oil it with Restor A finish? As for a camera we like our HD Flip and our Nikon D3200 (it’s a camera and video cam).
xo,
s
heather says
Note on vegetable oils for polishing wood: They can go rancid. You’re better sticking with a mineral oil for counter tops/butcher blocks/furniture.
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
I always like some goat cheese and dried cherries with my olive oil and vinegar. Not sure that would help in your situation, though. : )
Amy @ a new old house says
Kathy-
Try Lemon Oil- note: not lemon juice!! ;)
or “Liquid Gold” which is sold in an aerosol can.
I’ve had great luck moisturizing wood furniture with both of these!
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds great!
xo
s
Stacy says
I’ve heard not to use Olive oil b/c it will not help much. you are better off using an oil made expressly for furniture. You can buy some at Ikea or THD.
Jen says
I highly recommend Howard’s Feed ‘N Wax. I redid a mid-centery dresser by first using Howard’s Restore a Finish, which is blend of stain and something (mineral spirits maybe) that allows the stain to penetrate. It isn’t a dramatic difference like staining raw wood, but if the old piece’s existing finish is dingy and there are a lot of scratches and abrasions, the Restore a Finish helps those blend in and sort of perks up the existing finish. I then followed with Wax ‘N Feed, which lubricates the wood and makes it all purty and shiny. It’s magic.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome!
xo
s
Kimberly says
It looks really really great.
You always inspire.
Ashley says
I feel the need to go thrifting this very moment…
Ashley says
Have you considered a staining technique like what’s used in this blog post? http://www.sawdustandembryos.com/2012/07/burn-pile-buffetpart-2-using-stain-to.html
YoungHouseLove says
Love that project!
xo,
s
annabelvita says
She’s stunning! I like using a mix of olive oil and vinegar to get thirsty raw wood nice and shiny, but I’m looking forward to your tips for this sort of thing as my secretary desk is looking a little dull.
Peggy M says
Magic Eraser is great–and Walmart makes a knockoff (Great Value generic) that’s cheaper.
How many did you use? I ask because the Walmart brand disintegrated relatively quickly as I used it. Is that the same for the branded product?
May I suggest that if you convert a drawer to a hinged pull-out that you do it in a way that the pull-out can be converted back to a drawer? I always feel really sorry when irreversible changes are made to old pieces. But of course the decision is yours.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes nothing would be irreversible! And I only used one magic eraser. It definitely disintegrated as I went.
xo,
s
Paige says
Such a beautiful piece–you found a treasure!
I’d like to suggest painting just the legs of the unit to add a little color, and a little contrast. The wood is gorgeous but feels maybe a bit heavy to me.
I went thrifting and came home with a new pair of fuzzy socks for my 6yo. I like your fnd MUCH better!
Meredith says
Dipped legs! Only paint a portion of the legs. Planning to do that on a desk for daughter’s room with similar legs.
Gaby {lifeineight.com} says
The anchor system idea is great and Mia is looking super atractive these days after all that skin treatment ;o)
Pam Groom says
I have a mid century record player that could use a little sprucing up. After the Magic Eraser, did you have any dings or variation in the stain that needed addressing? I’m not sure how to handle that myself, so I’m wondering what you would suggest. I’m also eager to hear what you snagged to give it a little sheen.
Pam
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe something like Restore A Fibish would work? Good luck!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Hi, guys! The dresser looks great! Can you tell us how many components (cable box, dvd player, etc) you have, and where you plan on stashing those?
YoungHouseLove says
Just the things you see on the floor there (cable box and DVD player).
xo,
s
Marcie says
I love the new cabinet and your eye for the diamond in the rough. Do you have plans for the cable box, etc. on the floor? Everything else in your house/the room is so clean, decluttered, and put away (HOW do you do that with a toddler?) that they are distracting in the photo. Maybe they are less so in real life.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes we mentioned our plans in the post :)
xo,
s
Marcie says
Ack! Sorry, I missed it. I guess that’s what I get for trying to read with a little “helper”.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, no worries at all! I know how that goes!
xo
s
Lauren Hill says
I can’t wait to see you guys tonight! I’m in the A ticket group!!! I hope y’all have time to hit up at least one amazing restaurant in town. 24 diner is right across from BookPeople, and it is amazing.
I think you’ll get tired of components on the floor faster than you think.
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! So excited for the signing!
xo,
s
Jenn says
SWOON. All I can say. I love everything about that dresser turned media cabinet, of course I am a sucker for anything MCM! I am currently searching high and low for the RIGHT MCM record/stereo console for my livingroom, with working record player for the old vinyl my dad is about to pass on!
Emma (Broke Ass Home) says
I believe this is calling Laughing all the way to the Bank, guys. It looks really great and it totally makes the room feel more balanced. Plus…it’s just a sexy piece- and when you think of the price…I mean- come on! You guys totally scored. And so many drawers. So. Many. Drawers. Reminds me of Step Brothers. SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES.
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
Magic Erasers are the BEST!! I never would’ve thought to use it on wood but you can bet I will if I ever get a 2nd hand find in the future!
Sayward says
Um, this is fantastic and we’re totally twins. I just moved and I have my heart set on a mid century mod dresser or credenza for my TV… I’ve been hunting like crazy – you guys struck MCM gold! This looks great and totally balances out the room. I found one dresser at my Goodwill for $6 (!!!) because it needs a ton of sanding, but one of the drawer fronts is broken and I think replacing it would be beyond my skill level. I decided if it’s still there later this week I’m just going to shell out the $6 and see what I can do.
Your living room looks so much richer and more balanced now. I love looking at it!
Ashley G says
Wow. It looks amazing. I never would have thought that a magic eraser could do that.
Sarah says
That looks fantastic!!! I actually found an amazing dresser that looks really similar at Goodwill for $15 and I haven’t been sure how to try to revive it. I love the wood tone of it and I’d really love not having to restain or paint it, so I’m definitely going to try the Magic Eraser!!
Elizabeth says
Just beware, the Magic Eraser definitely will take off a shiny/sealed finish…I just learned the hard way getting scuffs of paint off my newly refinished hardwood floors! Test it first :)
Colleen says
I LOVE it!!! I found one almost identical to yours for $10, just lying outside of a thrift store, looking all sad. I brought her home and haven’t wiped the dopey grin off my face ever since. Check it out when you have a sec. http://58waterstreet.blogspot.com/2012/08/mid-century-dresser-update.html
I think yours looks just perfect there. Score!
Robin @ our semi organic life says
Love it! I used magic eraser yesterday to get rid of some marker stains that’d soaked thru DH’s desk. That free tv sign worked though!
LauraCinIndy says
Love it! We use an antique desk that came out of downtown Victorian house in Indianapolis. Almost everyone who comes in the house says something about it. It def makes a statement.
Brittany T says
It DOES look so much more balanced! I can’t wait to see how you decorate around the tv… or maybe you’ll keep it uncluttered how it is now… it’ll be fun to see the evolution!
Jenn says
It looks great! I can’t believe how well it cleaned up.
Another note on the RF remote (I mentioned it yesterday) – I love it for keeping little hands away from the components and keeping fingers from getting pinched in drawers/doors. The other bonus is that you don’t have to be anywhere near the TV to use the remote. We play music a lot and can change the songs from the kitchen since the remote works through walls, etc. How cool is that??
YoungHouseLove says
So cool!
xo,
s
Jessie @ Cape 27 says
Ummm, that dresser is down right sexy. We use vinegar to wipe down our thrift finds too. Works wonders on funky smells :)
Katie S says
What a difference!! I love this piece and love even more that it was such a steal! I wish magic erasers worked for everything though…last year I found these awesome old suitcases that were just a little worn and dirty so I tried using a magic eraser on them (startng on the bottom so I could test it out where I wouldn’t see it). Unfortunatly the eraser started to take off the blue coloring. I have no idea what the suitcases are made of but I am so glad I tested it on the bottom before ruining the whole shabang!
http://instagram.com/p/PDDKZViJ7y/
YoungHouseLove says
So smart!
xo,
s
mary @ B&Gjournals says
wow, it looks so awesome, and i’m glad you are keeping it in its original finish for now–i think it looks great as-is. and what a smart tip with the magic eraser, would not have thought of that but it makes complete sense! definitely hoping you give us some tips on the wood sealer down the line as i’ve got a great MCM dresser that needs some elbow-grease and love. safe travels, hope you enjoy austin!
Meghann@HolaMatrimony says
Glad to hear you decided not to paint it! The wood is absolutely gorgeous after the fantastic Magic Erasering (any word can be a verb, right?) you did.
erin says
MIA is basically what i’ve been looking for to replace my 4 x 4. i’m pretty jealous!
Nancy Evans says
I have a great Art Deco bar that has seen better days. I found it on Craiglist and was hoping to find a way to clean it up without having to completely refinish it. Now I can’t wait to try a Magic Eraser and see what happens. Thanks!
Torie says
It looks amazing! What a transformation and what an amazing bargain!
Nancy says
I have seen lots of media cabinets like this where they take out the middle column or top row of drawers for open storage. Maybe your other components could go there?
YoungHouseLove says
Always another possibility!
xo
s
Erin says
Magic Erasers truly are magic–especially with an (almost) 3 year old in the house! Never would have thought to use it on furniture, though. It looks beautiful! And score major points for all that extra storage space!
Patti says
What a find! Great job restoring that beautiful piece of furniture. I also enjoyed reading about the wooden console. Great idea! I’ll be sure to bookmark it for future woodworking.
WM says
Love those Magic Erasers! I recently brought my son into the office with me on a weekend, he drew on the wall with a dry erase marker! It literally happened in about .4 seconds. I was mortified, and my Mom who lives nearby came to our rescue with the Magic Eraser!
Quick question – You mentioned how you secure the TV to the wall. Do you have any recommendations for securing furniture to the wall in a child’s bedroom? I have an old dresser that should be secured to the wall – but I admit I cringe at adding more holes to the wall. I tend to rearrange furniture often. All the big box stores sell the ones you screw into the wall, any alternatives either of you might be aware of? Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I would definitely use one of the cable systems from amazon.com (many of them only call for one hole, and it’s so worth it and not too bad to patch if you ever want to move it). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Steph says
That looks like the perfect size for your TV, what an awesome steal!
I’m SO glad you posted this. I just got a (ridiculously cheap!) gorgeous old antique desk/bench at an antique shop the other day. I was originally going to paint the top of it a glossy white but I love how it is so much. I scrubbed it out with vingear, but it didn’t do anything for the scratches. I’m so happy to try the magic eraser! I also picked up something at Home Depot to help shine/seal it, but it wasn’t a stain or anything. I wonder if it’s the same thing!
Patty says
Gorgeous! I never would have thought of using a Magic Erasure for this application. Great job!!!
Patty says
“Eraser” (sigh)
Harper says
Looks great, I love mid-century furniture, and I love how you kept it the original finish :)
Lena says
Love it! Such a steal and exactly what your living room needed!
Crazy to think those Magic Erasers are capable of cleaning an old dresser.
Kathryn says
Wow! Talk about balancing out a space. Everything looks so much more proportionate (proportional? Proportioned? In proportion?) The size of everything works much better together is what I’m trying to say! And I personally love the projects that involve simple TLC and elbow grease.
Peggy says
A great post! The Magic Eraser is a good (less invasive) place to start on a piece that doesn’t really need a full strip-and-refinish. Another product I’ve used with success is Restore-A-Finish. They also have an oil finish that might be good for your piece. Or you might want to consider paste wax.
Mary says
I wouldn’t have thought to use a magic eraser on furniture either! I did use it on my older white MacBook. It was amazing at buffing scuffs off of that!
Matt Rogers says
Hi Sherry and John–
Long time lurker, first time poster. My wife and I love your blog! Great work on that dresser-turned-media-cabinet. What an amazing find.
As far as putting the video components inside the cabinets, you shouldn’t need to go all crazy with an RF remote (which can get really expensive) — just this affordable IR repeater: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011009&p_id=9895&seq=1&format=2
I used it when I put built-in cabinets in our living room, and now all our video components — receiver, TiVo, Blu Ray, Apple TV — are completely out of sight. That particular IR repeater is very fast and responsive, so if you’re thinking about hiding the equipment I’d recommend giving it a look.
Just make sure you ventilate the back of whatever space you put the video components in. Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip Matt!
xo
s
Erin says
Matt,
Could you offer any more information for readers now exploring this option? Would this work with a Charter DVR HD Cable box and remote? Thanks Matt!
Lauren says
Wow, I’m amazed! I thought for sure you were going to have to sand and restain that piece. It looks so great!
Shannon says
AHHH!! I LOVE this! Looking for something similar for our living room! :) Will have to keep the mr.clean + vinegar in mind!
Happy traveling today! :)
Shannon
Hunter says
I’m still not sure how you found such a fantastic piece for $59 bucks!! You must have had a coupon!
Mary says
Looks great, I love it. I just wanted to suggest using Miss Mustard Seed Hemp Oil all over the piece to condition the wood and shine her up. I’ve used it on a lot and LOVE it! Just my two pennies :)
Nina says
Great idea. I would think it would dry out the wood (which is probably already pretty dry from age/neglect.) Any plans to treat it with some kind of furniture body lotion?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we mentioned that in the post. Will keep you posted about whatever I rub all over Mia! Hahah!
xo
s