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Old 04-04-2008, 20:25   #1
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Question dusting varnished wood below deck

Don't all yell at once that I'm posting this question in the women's area ... I couldn't find a more appropriate place to ask my question & given that I am a female I figured this might be safe space

So here is the question:
I have nicely varnished wood below deck & it has fingerprints etc all over it. What is the best way to dust/spot clean?
I've done a little googling & see I can dust with a soft, dry cloth. From the few mentions I've seen on the forum here people seem to think that pledge or other such cleaners are bad news but I didn't see anything directly focused on the ins & outs of daily cleaning for interior spaces.

I don't want to re-varnish or strip anything. I just want to get rid of silly fingerprints!
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Old 04-04-2008, 20:38   #2
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hey Dusty, fingerprints are oil, so I would suggest mild dish washing soap and warm water. that should melt away the prints, dirt and collect the dust. the rag must be lint free. wood cleaning products will leave a film that can lead to softing of some finishes. just do't drown the wood.

fine homebuilder and boatbuilder for 30 years, so been there, done it...
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Old 04-04-2008, 20:42   #3
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We use Murphy's Oil on our teak about once a year, but it isn't varnished, just oiled.

The same company makes a soap which is pretty benign.

Steve B.
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Old 04-04-2008, 20:46   #4
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"Dusty." That is cute!

So it seems like a tad of moisture (water with dishsoap) is not as horrible as other sites make it seem. Awesome.
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Old 04-04-2008, 20:57   #5
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just remember that varnish is a very thin layer of plastic, so wash away... I was to cheap to use Murphys soap! I just spent a week scrubbing down my newport 30, getting ready to sell. just Dawn and water...
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Old 05-04-2008, 15:54   #6
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We have a lot of fancy satin finish teak below, and while we constantly are battling the moisture deal here in San Francisco, we still use Murphy's Oil Soap --- just pick a sunny day with a bit of breeze, get some good ventilation going, scrub away with a soft lint free cloth, and have at it. The boat is from 1985, all the woodwork below is original finish, looks brand new, and all three owners have been Murphy's Users since it came out. When we were down in drier Baja and San Diego, we'd use Murphy's weekly........and another friend with a Baba 40 also Murphy's the floors after each sail before we head out.

Dawn is another nice cleaner, but does need rinsing. Too much water. At least in our experience, as long as you can get a good airflow going to dry out the space below, Murphy's is great stuff.
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Old 05-04-2008, 22:30   #7
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Murphy's Oil Soap

I agree with the Murphy's use... been using it on saddles for years and now get to use it on my boat, too. Works like a dream.

Sarah
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