Years ago i played with the original Citris-trip and found that it's more of an oil-based stripper, where upon coming across disgustingly old, worn out furniture, it actually helped the old dried out wood grain. yes it darkened the wood, BUT so does any finish. One of the old classical wood finish techniques uses Boiled Linseed Oil as a pre step to finishing the wood, where it requires a long period for the oil to solidify. A great step that brings out the iridescence of certain woods like Mahogany and Curly Maple, but also conditions and helps preserve the wood in or for the long run. This is where, i found, the beauty of using Citristrip ... primarily for the neglected, worn out, old timers ! My latest experimental escapades has led me to a new favorite for stripping all the rest. Just as you found here with your experiment, i love this new solution from Gary at Stripwell. My toying with the products application was the opposite, i brushed it on in several thin coats, {since it was a vertical slant.}....waited and scraped...then scrubbed...then rinse-wiped clean. What a wonderful miracle product ! Not caustic, nor overly smelly ! Really has become a favorite for old classically finished wood. { Meaning, don't know how it would work on Polyurethane types.} Thanks for a great demo-video. Really appreciated this....especially love seeing a great classic table ❣
I've been using Citristrip for well over a decade mostly because its low VOC (better for the environment and I can apply it inside), easy to apply (I like that it's a gel) and its ubiquitous at Home Depot. But a few years ago, I noticed the consistency of it was suddenly a bit different. The thing that made me first notice is was that I actually use it to clean brushes dried hard with latex paint, and I used to be able to just rinse them clean with water before after the stripper had done it's job. Now the Citristrip is a bit stickier, which theoretically should be better, but it doesn't appear to be water-soluable like before, so now I have to use odorless mineral spirits or Krud Kutter to "rinse" the stripper, and it usually takes like 5 days soaking in Citristrip to get the brushes clean instead of like 1. It turns out that the old version of Citristrip used to contain NMP, which is why it actually worked _and_ was water-soluable. But an EPA ban went into effect around 2018 or so. A couple references here: www.lumberjocks.com/threads/citristrip-no-longer-works-grrrrr.306812/ www.nrdc.org/press-releases/home-depot-be-third-major-us-retailer-ban-deadly-paint-strippers
I use water and ammonia for brushes, even with they are almost stiff, and it works great! I put hot water in a plastic container, then add the ammonia. You don't have to use too much of the ammonia. Sometimes (okay, mostly 😂) I get sidetracked and don't clean the brushes right away. Really doesn't change it. Give it a try. Works well.
Brushes in oxyclean dissolved in water after chems works well too. Water that’s a bit too warm potentially defects the glue binding the hairs in the heel😉 Just sharing knowledge that was shared with me. Not saying it’s the right way
The best I've seen on this. I watched someone else brag about citrus strip but I kept wondering why the wood looked darker and thought it was just my mind. This explains allot.
Thank you for your video. A note: mineral spirits are very toxic and you should wear gloves, eye protection and a respirator when using. I'm afraid others will watch this and assume mineral spirits are non toxic.
Just so you know, if your varnish is thin, the QCS Stripwell works great, but if it's thicker, it's best to use Klean Strip or something else. You also end up using a ton of the product, and at $37.95 a bottle, plus $7 in shipping, it's definitely a costly investment.
I understand the issue of cost being a turn off for some people. But if you refinish furniture as much as I do you value your time and ease of use. A quality 3 stage turbine sprayer can cost almost $1,000. It cost money but quality tools like QCS are worth it when you need it.
Thank you for this video! I would never have found QCS Stripwell without it and for me, that stuff has been a miracle. I'm refinishing two 8' solid mahogany doors and sidelights that had a thick layer of cracking marine varnish and the Citristrip was getting me nowhere. Enter QCS and their great customer service and I'm well on my way. Even though this isn't the application the product was made for, and it's taking multiple passes and lots of scraping, I don't mind spending more to use a product that doesn't take my breath away and isn't caustic. QCS is the real deal, and your demo was so helpful.
Hello. I'm new to this. I have a large coffee table from early 70s. Maybe pine?? It's blondish. It's got Tons of layers of primer and paint. Should I use the QCS? It's Aldo got glue from decals.
I recently used QCS and found it be a treat to remove finish with. It was so easy to use and had the best results. It’s pricy (shipping is the main problem) so I will buy larger quantities to offset that cost. Thanks for a terrific comparison.
@@MadManRestorations i have the same question as myrnaloy - curious about applications on wood floors as im a wood floor refinisher and we occasionally get customers who want us to sand floors that have old mastic or glue on them. we used to sand them but turns out it gums up our machines pretty bad, enough that we have to send them out to be cleaned and it gets to be kind of cost prohibitive doing that, plus we're down a machine for however long it takes to get them back. so wondering if this would work for something like that
@@adjustableWench I'm not sure. It wouldn't hurt to try. I think most floors use polyurethane. But you would have to scrape and wipe the the residue off or that will gunk up the sander too.
@@MadManRestorations these days i would say its about half and half whether its actual oil based poly or a waterbased product but what im referring to is older houses- most recent one is about 100 years old and while i doubt the carpet is that old it did have some sort of adhesive left behind. we tend not to want to sand that as it clogs our machines and gets all over the wheels and gets expensive having to get them cleaned - so its advantageous to have something to get that stuff off before we sand
Lots of older furniture had shellac finishes and don't require fancy strippers. To check if it's shellac: Dab a little denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner on one section of the wood finish. Try to find an inconspicuous spot. If it is shellac finish, it will liquefy and dissolve. You know it's a lacquer finish if the test spot turns a little white in color. A result of softening without dissolving suggests there is shellac present but that it has been mixed with lacquer as well. Any other response and you're probably looking at a different wood finish. Use the over the shelf strippers for that.
I've used citrus strip only on solid wood pieces, wrapped in plastic overnight, and never noticed any problem with darkening. (Usually take it outdoors to hose it off while scrubbing with a stiff nylon brush.) It's not perfect but if I found some QCS I might give it a try.
For stain removal i used a scrub brush and liquid sandpaper. Wipe off residue immediately with a paper towel and let dry. Maybe even dry in the sun. Works beautifully.
@@MadManRestorations Liquid sandpaper also removed the finish for me. But for things that the liquid sandpaper can't tackle there's The Easy Off method: 1. Make sure your using EASY OFF. Some of these videos are using just “oven cleaner”. I don’t know if this makes a difference but I don’t want to find out. 2. Make sure you’re using the Heavy Duty (yellow can). Some of these videos are using the regular strength (blue can) and claiming it’s not working so well. And apply it good and thick. Wait 30 minutes. I buy from Home Depot or Lowes because they carry the bigger cans that grocery stores don’t carry. 3. MOST IMPORTANT: DON’T USE WATER TO WIPE OR CLEAN IT OFF !!!!!! I saw one of these videos say to scrub with soap and water and rinse with water. In the video, her table was visibly warped afterwards (which she didn’t bother to mention). When I tried this, the wood began to warp AND crack. Wood and water NEVER get along. After 30 minutes, wipe it off with a dry rag. The paint will just smear. Don’t worry and don’t bother wiping/scrubbing too much. Wipe top layer and let it be damp/tacky. Then use a wire brush to gently scrub AGAINST the grain. The paint should crumble off like eraser shavings. When I scrubbed WITH the grain, it started digging too deep into the soft parts of the wood. You may need to do a second application at this point. Wait 30 min. Wipe. Then gently scrub. 4. Now clean the wood with pure acetone. Gently sand with 400 and paint or sand.
I have also noticed a change in Citristrip. It takes MUCH longer to dry. It never altered the color of the wood before, so I was surprised when I saw dark blotches this time. That being said - I did a little research and the reformulation prevents it from drying out to quickly. The "blotches" still feel damp after 24 hours, but seem to be fading away as the piece (a large cherry table) dries. I'm hoping that once fully dried the blotches will be gone. However I am going to use some denatured alcohol to help break down the waxes in the stripper to try and speed the drying process. I'll update the results when done. I used to be a fan of Citistrip. But this new formula - if it doesn't permanently stain the wood - is no longer a viable solution for me as I cannot - and will not wait extraordinary lengths of time for it to dry.
Update - after several days I just took to re-sanding to remove the stains. They never fully disappeared. I'm definitely done with citristrip. Too bad. It used to be a decent option for me, as I don't have great ventilation.
At the antique shop I work at we had to literally trash a giant beautiful antique dining table due to citri-strip. From now on, citri-strip is only to be used on metal objects
Oh woe is me…woe is me! I have a quart of citristrip in my basement! I won’t use it anywhere near wood projects now! I guess I’ll use the rest of it to strip old paint from painted-metal projects. Nice comparison…I can’t help but feel that it must have been a pain to get the three sections looking the same. I personally HATE veneer, but that table is gorgeous. So nice job on your presentation.
A tip: I've found that lacquer thinner works better than mineral spirits as an after-wash. Lacquer thinner will often remove any softened finish that your scraper missed, especially if the piece has a lacquer finish.
@@merryhunt9153 You're right. It is flammable, so you need to be careful with it and exercise good judgement. However, I've used many, many gallons of lacquer thinner and I've never heard of it exploding in the can, and have certainly never seen it happen. Using it outside is, however a great piece of advice.
I have never tried QCS but I had the other 2 brands. I was taking the finish off of 2 bathroom cabinets, preparing to paint them. I tried Citristrip and and didn't like the results. So I bought some Clean Strip, and it worked GREAT. I had results similar to yours. I agree, I would never use Citristrip again.
I think y'all are in cahoots, just pushing the new product and a very expensive product. The price puts it out of reach for a lot of people. I've never had any problem with citristrip before.
@@jude7321 I'm just a homeowner who does aot of my own work. I wasn't paying attention to the prices of the strippers. I figure if I'm saving the cost of the labor, I want good products to save my time. Clean strip might cost more for a can but it's very thin and will go much further than citrusstrip. So you're not saving money in the long run with citristrip. You can believe whatever you want, but cleanstrip worked faster, with less product
How do you fix a blotchy strip after using citristrip? I just found this video. I already stripped twice with citristrip and there's a few areas that where left blotchy and some of the old laquer still on. This is a 100 old chair that I bought on an estate sale very solid but with a very deteriorated finish. Must of the finish came out nicely after citristrip, mineral spirits with wire wool, and washing with a little water with dish soap. After letting it dry in the hot sun of a summer in Texas I noticed that there's still old finish attached, and a very blotchy backrest. I applied the stripper again and it didn't do anything more. How can I fix the blotchiness left by the stripper?
well i’m glad i saw this video. i was about to buy citrus strip lol i just ordered the 8oz sample size of QCS with your coupon code can’t wait to try it out
Thanks so much. I have a bedroom set from the 70’s that I have been wanting to strip, but it has lots of “nooks and crannies”. Also I need to do the work in the room that it’s n. This will be perfect for the job. Thanks so much for your research!🙂
I was quite impressed and ordered the product. I am a little concerned about cleaning off the stripper using steel wool. Some think the tiny fibers will get into the wood grain. Have you seen this?
That's more common with sanding with steel wool. Not using it like this with the stripper. Besides, after stripper you still need to wipe clean, sand, and wipe again. There's no way steel wool will be on the piece after all that.
For me, when using Citristrip, once I’ve scraped the excess off you have to follow up with a cleaner to remove the residual. I use a product called Afterwash. I’m doing exterior redwood trim to be painted so I think it can handle the Afterwash which seems like lacquer thinner. Doing vintage furniture I would caution against it since you want as gentle of a product as possible on delicate highly prized items
The citress wax addiitive made it almost impossible to remove from a metal hvac register. Worked after a few days, but the stuff turned into good that was almost impossible to wipe off. Back to old school stripper.
Citristrip. It actually worked well on the metal after a week or so. Covered the registers and put them into a tin pan with cover. The one you find in the food store for oven cooking. Trying to get the Citristrip off the metal was a treat. It did strip down to metal but a wax like coating remained. I used a torch and cooked the residual off the metal. I just painted with an oil enamel spray. Looks good now. @@MadManRestorations
Very unhappy with Citistrip. It left splotches on my dining room table. I’ll never use it again. Other products have not darkened or left splotches on previous projects.
Have you tried using QCS and then covering it with seran wrap? Maybe that helps with penetration and more cost effective since your loosing less chemical to evaporation?
I used Citristrip on a dresser, let it sit with plastic wrap overnight, and it was completely dried out the next morning. I may have not used enough so the next application, I used a thick layer, with plastic wrap and misting with water, if necessary. It’s good at removing from horizontal surfaces but not so good from vertical surfaces so the sides of my dresser still have stain and veneer on it. And I was using a wire bristle brush too. I’m not doing a third round and will just sand to remove excess veneer and blotchiness from the wood. I don’t know if it’s the fact the dresser was espresso colored that it’s blotchy but I may just end up painting the dresser in a solid color to salvage it which is what I wanted to avoid initially. Waste of time and money.
@Mad Man Restorations citristrip has some use for flat tops that have been painted and works very well for paints. Absolutely sucks for removing finishes. You ever watch mad city modern on YT? He restores a table exactly like this one.
Yeah, I agree with this. I've been using Citristrip for over a decade (and I'm about to post a separate comment about that), and I've used it on a ton of furniture projects with good results. I mainly like it bc its low VOC and I can use it inside. But I redid my kitchen and taped the upper cabinet edges with frog tape delicate surface, and the tape removed some of the varnish on the side face of the cabinet. So I thought I'd just remove all the varnish, and re-poly. 3 rounds of citristrip paste and it did nothing. Like legit absolutely nothing. I didn't want to sand bc its too messy or buy another stripper that would have too many fumes. Plus my kitchen renovation was basically done except for that, so I opted to just cover it up with a combo chalk/dry-erase/cord board that I made.
Did u use the finish remover AND cleanser? Or just the remover? The website is selling it as a bundle with the cleaner. If the cleanser isnt necessary, id rather just purchase more remover. Pleasw advise
I'm a rookie and grateful for the video. I'm wondering if QCS is the best product to clean the stain from my sun-cooked front door with intricate etching so I can restain it.
Hi, can you please clarify? In your vid. you state that you can simply use water to clean it. But the QCS company states that after applying QCS finish remover you then must use the QCS surface cleanser. I'm hoping to restore my grandfather's old dark-armchair, which has lots of vertical slats on its back. The chair was on a veranda, thus became weathered by both sun and rain. How would you apply/cleanse the QCS on such an armchair? It has sentimental value to my BIL (but only if restored to orig. color & colorfast.
@@MadManRestorationsThanks for letting me know & great video! May be in touch with a pic via your biz. There's possibly areas of surface mold, so can I do 50/50 vinegar/water first? Also is an 8-oz. QCS bottle enough for the chair? Also how would you strip nine vertical slats that are near each other along the chair back? Stripwell hasn't replied to email, and there's only voicemail.
@@MadManRestorations By "bio" did you mean the Trenton locale? If so, I believe i sent you the pics when i posted the above. So did you see the email sent to Trenton?
I have 4 bottles of QCS. Previously I used Citristrip in an attempt to remove the paint from the window trim, and it dried out. Do you think that I can use the QCS to remove the dried out Citristrip?
Technically stain is in the wood not on the wood like a hard finish. But I have had good luck using QCS to remove stain. Let it sit and scrub with wet steel wool. You will probably still have to sand.
On the stripwell website it says it only works on antique finishes from 1970 and prior. The table I want to strip is from 1980s. Is it going to work? Why wouldn’t it work on a stain from the 80s?
QCS will only guarantee that it works on 1970s and older finishes. In the 1980s some manufacturers started using polyester finishes that are a huge pain to remove. That's kinda why. But if youe table is a lacquer finish QCS should work no problem.
@@MadManRestorations I sanded the table top with a mouse sander and there was a white residue that came off before I got wood. I loved how it turned out after adding a tinted osmo hard wax. Would like to make the chairs match. Sanding the ornate chairs will be so laborious to get the stain off.
Soooo helpful! I’ve done very little stripping finishes, and am glad to see the product comparison. I was very concerned about fumes, and stripping detailed woodwork. Thanks for taking the time to share!!
I used Citristrip and covered my pieces with plastic overnight. When I came back less than 24 hours later and scraped, the goo was liquefied and very dark black leaving my wood extremely discolored. Using Citristrip within 30 minutes caused less discoloration but still some in certain places. In my case, I am painting the wood so it doesn't matter but if I were re-staining, it would be an issue.
I always scrub with lacquer thinner after using stripper regardless. I also give the furniture a light sanding before applying stripper I feel like it lifts the paint faster
I recently bought 17 custom wood doors and drawers for several bathroom cabinets. They were manufactured with solid hard maple and finished with a driftwood stain and pinstripe glaze. The doors are beautiful but the stain color is too dark to match the other bathroom decor. I don't want to spend another $3K to remake. I am considering refinishing them myself. Would you recommend removing the stain/finish with QCS and then re-finish like new wood? I am an experienced DIYer, but never attempted stain removal. Any advice?
You can definitely try that. If they are indeed solid wood you can sand without going through veneer. However, maple does not stain well and usually ends up blotchy. You may have to use toners of you want to adjust the color.
I’m watching this after using Citrus-strip on an oak table top. I left it overnight with the Saran Wrap and I’m left with dark blotches all over the table. We’re you able to remove the dark spots from your project?
Would the QCS work on vertical surfaces? I want to refinish all the woodwork in my home that has worn old varnish on it. Tried Citristrip and the other stripper you used and it just made a gooey sticky mess.
It's a family owned company that makes it in small batches. Of course it's going to be a little more expensive. But considering the benefits and that there is no other product like it on the market makes it a must have in my toolbox.
I've used it on pieces that have been painted with modern paint no problem. But they don't guarantee that it works on paint because there are so many variables.
I have a mahogany table with open wood pores that's been spray painted black . The strippers get the main paint off but not whats in the pores. Any way I can get them clean too? They are very thin, and probably not deep.
I used citri strip 4 months ago, and then a few weeks ago on two different items. Turns out, I'm super allergic to it. I barely got a drop on my skin, and within hours hand my hands sweel, turn bright red, crazy itching and the hives all over. Once that gaze was done, the skin on my hands spent days peeling off. I didn't realize it was the citri strip the first time, or I would have never used it again. Now I'll only ever use smart strip.
Was directed to you from someone on Reddit. Your videos are excellent tutorials?, I needed to find your content sooner! Can u tell me how to correct the dark embedded stain/ splotchiness from citristrip on walnut veneer? Sanding further seems risky, I tried oxalic acid but it didn’t work. . Looks bad.
I used Citristrip on both latex painted furniture and automotive enamel paint. It completely softened the latex within 30 minutes (rinsed off completely with warm water and scrub brush) and effectively softened or reduced the paint to metal bond of the enamel overnight to be scraped off with a stiff putty knife.
One look at the safety data sheet (SDS) for Klean Strip should make clear that safe use of the product requires far more precautions than does safe use of Citistrip. While it might not have methylene chloride, Klean Strip has other hazardous solvents. Control of the hazards, e.g., selecting and obtaining appropriate personal protective requires knowledge and experience beyond that of most people (hobbyists/DIYers). By contrast, the SDS for QCS makes it appear far less hazardous. However, today it is not available from the manufacturer (out of stock). Moreover, I could not find through other outlets, e.g., Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Menards, or Hobby Lobby.
Bought Stripwell for a window restoration project. I tried it multiple times. It removed basically no paint. Citristrip was more effective (although Citristrip required multiple rounds)
@@MadManRestorations they have updated their website since I bought it. But they still advertise paint stripping as a feature: th-cam.com/video/u6OZfoCb504/w-d-xo.html
I gotta say that reading the labels on all strippers, including Cirtistrip, and they ALL read the same. They ALL recommend wearing PPE including respirators (not dust masks) and from what I can tell, have pretty much the same VOC. The MSDS for QCS is quite impressive compared to the others, but it's price is no joke.
I'm having great results using Citristrip Gel and Paste on my cabinets. The secret is to apply generously, then cover the wet areas with food plastic wrap and let it sit for at least 12 hours. I let mine sit for 24 hrs. Then scrape, reapply & plastic wrap, sit 24 hrs, the scrape, scrub hard with a toothbrush and water to clean out the wood pores and neutralize the stripper and wipe down. And no Methylene Chloride. I started with just a quart of the gel to test how it works - I've used traditional strippers before, but they're pretty toxic. Glad it worked for me!
Do not be confused by the smell of Citristrip. It is not really "safer" than other strippers. Cabinets are different than working on MCM veneer pieces. Keeping the veneer wet can cause it to lift off the particle board which is not good. I would never let Citristrip sit overnight under plastic wrap. Look how it darkened the veneer after only 20 mins.
Oh my gosh!! I wish I had seen your vid BEFORE using citristrip on my pine table. It looks awful! As per directions, I used plastic wrap, let it “soak” overnight and then used mineral spirits to clean after scraping of and it looks awful!!! We’ve tried to further clean with 91% alcohol and it help a bit. I agree with advice - DONT use especially on pine.
Ugh. What a nightmare. I can't believe on the directions they say to use plastic wrap. Let it dry and strip again with another stripper or sand carefully to even it out.
Me, too! Just yesterday I began the process of removing the black painted finish off a pine coffee table that I picked up on Facebook Marketplace. Did the Citristsrip w/ plastic wrap and the paint came off great however the wood looks orange! I've tried paint thinner w/ steel wool, vinegar & water, Dawn & water, even rubbing alcohol and can't seem to get all of the Citristrip off. When I attempt to sand, my sandpaper gums up within a minute or two. I'm just about at my wit's end. Wish I had known of the pitfalls of Citristrip beforehand.
Thank you so much for this review!!! I have an old door I'm needing to strip as well as a chest of drawers and a table! I ordered using your code! Again, many thanks!!❤❤❤
No. 0000 steel wool will not scratch the wood. This is to remove the finish so it doesn't matter. Using steel wool against the grain in a finished piece may scratch it. But very fine and is easy fixable.
What happens if it the orange stripper dries? I just used for stripping our 100 year old front door. The wood is rougher and has more grain than a nice piece of furniture. Like it wasn't sanded and as smooth as furniture would be sanded. . I'm thinking of applying another coat of orange strip, since I have it, but how do I get it out of the grain. Does that make sense? Thank you for the great video. Oh and does the QCS work on acrylic paint as well?
If Citristrip dries it can be really hard to scrape because it hardens like a chalk. Simply pour some mineral spirits on it with a rag, brush or spray bottle until it’s wet again and then you can scrape it back off because it activates it again!
Can I use QCS on Teak wood that was just finished with Dutch Oil? We bought Dutch Oil from WATCO but it was a bad batch and it created black spots on our teak table. The support team from Watco recommended using a paint strip. In your experience, do you think that would work? Thanks for any help.
Most Danish teak furniture did NOT use oil. So you shouldn't either. That is why you got the result you did. I would totally use QCS to remove the oil and possibly the stain. Spray QCS, let it sit, apply more, then scrub with steel wool soaked in QCS.
Do you think the QCS would remove a more glossy/factory finish or is it more for antiques with the traditional laquer finishes that have kinda started flaking? I’m in desperate need of removing some shiny gloss. The scraper works ok but very physical on a large piece
Years ago i played with the original Citris-trip and found that it's more of an oil-based stripper, where upon coming across disgustingly old, worn out furniture, it actually helped the old dried out wood grain. yes it darkened the wood, BUT so does any finish. One of the old classical wood finish techniques uses Boiled Linseed Oil as a pre step to finishing the wood, where it requires a long period for the oil to solidify. A great step that brings out the iridescence of certain woods like Mahogany and Curly Maple, but also conditions and helps preserve the wood in or for the long run.
This is where, i found, the beauty of using Citristrip ... primarily for the neglected, worn out, old timers !
My latest experimental escapades has led me to a new favorite for stripping all the rest. Just as you found here with your experiment, i love this new solution from Gary at Stripwell. My toying with the products application was the opposite, i brushed it on in several thin coats, {since it was a vertical slant.}....waited and scraped...then scrubbed...then rinse-wiped clean. What a wonderful miracle product ! Not caustic, nor overly smelly ! Really has become a favorite for old classically finished wood. { Meaning, don't know how it would work on Polyurethane types.} Thanks for a great demo-video. Really appreciated this....especially love seeing a great classic table ❣
Thanks for the kind words ☺️
I've been using Citristrip for well over a decade mostly because its low VOC (better for the environment and I can apply it inside), easy to apply (I like that it's a gel) and its ubiquitous at Home Depot. But a few years ago, I noticed the consistency of it was suddenly a bit different. The thing that made me first notice is was that I actually use it to clean brushes dried hard with latex paint, and I used to be able to just rinse them clean with water before after the stripper had done it's job. Now the Citristrip is a bit stickier, which theoretically should be better, but it doesn't appear to be water-soluable like before, so now I have to use odorless mineral spirits or Krud Kutter to "rinse" the stripper, and it usually takes like 5 days soaking in Citristrip to get the brushes clean instead of like 1.
It turns out that the old version of Citristrip used to contain NMP, which is why it actually worked _and_ was water-soluable. But an EPA ban went into effect around 2018 or so. A couple references here:
www.lumberjocks.com/threads/citristrip-no-longer-works-grrrrr.306812/
www.nrdc.org/press-releases/home-depot-be-third-major-us-retailer-ban-deadly-paint-strippers
It's actually not better for the environment. Read the label and compare it to other paint strippers. It's basically the same stuff.
I use water and ammonia for brushes, even with they are almost stiff, and it works great! I put hot water in a plastic container, then add the ammonia. You don't have to use too much of the ammonia. Sometimes (okay, mostly 😂) I get sidetracked and don't clean the brushes right away. Really doesn't change it. Give it a try. Works well.
Try putting hard brushes into a 50/50 with Murphy's oil soap and water. Let it soak, it takes a while, but it works and is totally safe to do indoors.
Yeah the EPA strikes again. They ruined paint stripper I had to get a special account just to get the one with the "bad stuff"
Brushes in oxyclean dissolved in water after chems works well too. Water that’s a bit too warm potentially defects the glue binding the hairs in the heel😉
Just sharing knowledge that was shared with me. Not saying it’s the right way
The best I've seen on this. I watched someone else brag about citrus strip but I kept wondering why the wood looked darker and thought it was just my mind. This explains allot.
Thanks! I'm glad you learned something.
Thank you for your video. A note: mineral spirits are very toxic and you should wear gloves, eye protection and a respirator when using. I'm afraid others will watch this and assume mineral spirits are non toxic.
😬 well that’s bad news
"very".... eh, it is like a 5/10. We're not talking Hydrogen Sulphide.
Just so you know, if your varnish is thin, the QCS Stripwell works great, but if it's thicker, it's best to use Klean Strip or something else. You also end up using a ton of the product, and at $37.95 a bottle, plus $7 in shipping, it's definitely a costly investment.
I understand the issue of cost being a turn off for some people. But if you refinish furniture as much as I do you value your time and ease of use. A quality 3 stage turbine sprayer can cost almost $1,000. It cost money but quality tools like QCS are worth it when you need it.
It’s worth it when it works so great!
Thank you for this video! I would never have found QCS Stripwell without it and for me, that stuff has been a miracle. I'm refinishing two 8' solid mahogany doors and sidelights that had a thick layer of cracking marine varnish and the Citristrip was getting me nowhere. Enter QCS and their great customer service and I'm well on my way. Even though this isn't the application the product was made for, and it's taking multiple passes and lots of scraping, I don't mind spending more to use a product that doesn't take my breath away and isn't caustic. QCS is the real deal, and your demo was so helpful.
Wow that's great. I never thought a video would have such an impact. Thanks! 😊
Hello. I'm new to this. I have a large coffee table from early 70s. Maybe pine?? It's blondish. It's got Tons of layers of primer and paint. Should I use the QCS? It's Aldo got glue from decals.
You’re not only great a blending color on woods and restoring but you’re educational as well. Thank you.
Thank you. That's why I started making videos. There are very few channels that show how to properly refinish furniture.
I recently used QCS and found it be a treat to remove finish with. It was so easy to use and had the best results. It’s pricy (shipping is the main problem) so I will buy larger quantities to offset that cost. Thanks for a terrific comparison.
Glad you like it. I agree with buying in bulk.
Will this strip varnish from the floor?
@@MadManRestorations i have the same question as myrnaloy - curious about applications on wood floors as im a wood floor refinisher and we occasionally get customers who want us to sand floors that have old mastic or glue on them. we used to sand them but turns out it gums up our machines pretty bad, enough that we have to send them out to be cleaned and it gets to be kind of cost prohibitive doing that, plus we're down a machine for however long it takes to get them back. so wondering if this would work for something like that
@@adjustableWench I'm not sure. It wouldn't hurt to try. I think most floors use polyurethane. But you would have to scrape and wipe the the residue off or that will gunk up the sander too.
@@MadManRestorations these days i would say its about half and half whether its actual oil based poly or a waterbased product but what im referring to is older houses- most recent one is about 100 years old and while i doubt the carpet is that old it did have some sort of adhesive left behind. we tend not to want to sand that as it clogs our machines and gets all over the wheels and gets expensive having to get them cleaned - so its advantageous to have something to get that stuff off before we sand
THANK YOU! I have awaited a video demonstrating exactly this.
Lots of older furniture had shellac finishes and don't require fancy strippers. To check if it's shellac:
Dab a little denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner on one section of the wood finish. Try to find an inconspicuous spot.
If it is shellac finish, it will liquefy and dissolve.
You know it's a lacquer finish if the test spot turns a little white in color.
A result of softening without dissolving suggests there is shellac present but that it has been mixed with lacquer as well.
Any other response and you're probably looking at a different wood finish. Use the over the shelf strippers for that.
@@watcherwatchmen7785 antiques may have shellac on them. Starting around the 1930s most furniture had a lacquer finish.
I've used citrus strip only on solid wood pieces, wrapped in plastic overnight, and never noticed any problem with darkening. (Usually take it outdoors to hose it off while scrubbing with a stiff nylon brush.)
It's not perfect but if I found some QCS I might give it a try.
www.stripwell.com/#/
Made us buy the strip well and can confirm this stuff gets the job done well.
@@TrentTomas-b6p nice! Glad you like it! 👍
For stain removal i used a scrub brush and liquid sandpaper. Wipe off residue immediately with a paper towel and let dry. Maybe even dry in the sun. Works beautifully.
Removing stain is different than removing finish. Stain is in the wood. Finish is on top of the wood.
@@MadManRestorations
Liquid sandpaper also removed the finish for me. But for things that the liquid sandpaper can't tackle there's
The Easy Off method:
1. Make sure your using EASY OFF. Some of these videos are using just “oven cleaner”. I don’t know if this makes a difference but I don’t want to find out.
2. Make sure you’re using the Heavy Duty (yellow can). Some of these videos are using the regular strength (blue can) and claiming it’s not working so well. And apply it good and thick. Wait 30 minutes. I buy from Home Depot or Lowes because they carry the bigger cans that grocery stores don’t carry.
3. MOST IMPORTANT: DON’T USE WATER TO WIPE OR CLEAN IT OFF !!!!!! I saw one of these videos say to scrub with soap and water and rinse with water. In the video, her table was visibly warped afterwards (which she didn’t bother to mention). When I tried this, the wood began to warp AND crack. Wood and water NEVER get along.
After 30 minutes, wipe it off with a dry rag. The paint will just smear. Don’t worry and don’t bother wiping/scrubbing too much. Wipe top layer and let it be damp/tacky. Then use a wire brush to gently scrub AGAINST the grain. The paint should crumble off like eraser shavings. When I scrubbed WITH the grain, it started digging too deep into the soft parts of the wood. You may need to do a second application at this point. Wait 30 min. Wipe. Then gently scrub.
4. Now clean the wood with pure acetone. Gently sand with 400 and paint or sand.
@@meme-du8xj I'd be concerned about the chemicals that are in easy off penetrating into the wood. But to each their own.
I have also noticed a change in Citristrip. It takes MUCH longer to dry. It never altered the color of the wood before, so I was surprised when I saw dark blotches this time. That being said - I did a little research and the reformulation prevents it from drying out to quickly. The "blotches" still feel damp after 24 hours, but seem to be fading away as the piece (a large cherry table) dries. I'm hoping that once fully dried the blotches will be gone. However I am going to use some denatured alcohol to help break down the waxes in the stripper to try and speed the drying process. I'll update the results when done. I used to be a fan of Citistrip. But this new formula - if it doesn't permanently stain the wood - is no longer a viable solution for me as I cannot - and will not wait extraordinary lengths of time for it to dry.
Yeah. We've all kind of been duped with Citristrip. Give QCS a try!
Update - after several days I just took to re-sanding to remove the stains. They never fully disappeared.
I'm definitely done with citristrip. Too bad. It used to be a decent option for me, as I don't have great ventilation.
Mine always lighten up after given some time. Usually a couple shifts at work before I get back to it! 😅
At the antique shop I work at we had to literally trash a giant beautiful antique dining table due to citri-strip.
From now on, citri-strip is only to be used on metal objects
Oh woe is me…woe is me! I have a quart of citristrip in my basement! I won’t use it anywhere near wood projects now! I guess I’ll use the rest of it to strip old paint from painted-metal projects. Nice comparison…I can’t help but feel that it must have been a pain to get the three sections looking the same. I personally HATE veneer, but that table is gorgeous. So nice job on your presentation.
Thank you. I ended up using QCS on the whole piece to even it out.
A tip: I've found that lacquer thinner works better than mineral spirits as an after-wash. Lacquer thinner will often remove any softened finish that your scraper missed, especially if the piece has a lacquer finish.
I 100% agree. That's what I use. But I followed the directions for this test and they say to use mineral spirits.
@@MadManRestorations I know. Also, I've tried Citritrip too, and I agree with you. It's a waste of time and money.
@@islandblind big facts!
Lacquer thinner is a great solvent, but is DANGEROUSLY FLAMMABLE - can even explode in the can. It should be used outdoors and only as a last resort.
@@merryhunt9153 You're right. It is flammable, so you need to be careful with it and exercise good judgement. However, I've used many, many gallons of lacquer thinner and I've never heard of it exploding in the can, and have certainly never seen it happen. Using it outside is, however a great piece of advice.
I have never tried QCS but I had the other 2 brands. I was taking the finish off of 2 bathroom cabinets, preparing to paint them. I tried Citristrip and and didn't like the results. So I bought some Clean Strip, and it worked GREAT. I had results similar to yours. I agree, I would never use Citristrip again.
We should start a movement to remove Citristrip off shelves 😆
I think y'all are in cahoots, just pushing the new product and a very expensive product.
The price puts it out of reach for a lot of people.
I've never had any problem with citristrip before.
@@jude7321 I'm just a homeowner who does aot of my own work. I wasn't paying attention to the prices of the strippers. I figure if I'm saving the cost of the labor, I want good products to save my time. Clean strip might cost more for a can but it's very thin and will go much further than citrusstrip. So you're not saving money in the long run with citristrip. You can believe whatever you want, but cleanstrip worked faster, with less product
I’ve been thinking of using denatured alcohol and lacquer thinner on an (identical?) old Lane table … I think I’ll get some QCS, it did a great job.
@@BobSperber I would use lacquer thinner to clean it up after QCS.
How do you fix a blotchy strip after using citristrip? I just found this video. I already stripped twice with citristrip and there's a few areas that where left blotchy and some of the old laquer still on. This is a 100 old chair that I bought on an estate sale very solid but with a very deteriorated finish. Must of the finish came out nicely after citristrip, mineral spirits with wire wool, and washing with a little water with dish soap. After letting it dry in the hot sun of a summer in Texas I noticed that there's still old finish attached, and a very blotchy backrest. I applied the stripper again and it didn't do anything more. How can I fix the blotchiness left by the stripper?
@@lmgorbea1 don't use soap. You can strip with another stripper. A lot of chairs are solid wood. If that's the case you can just sand it out.
@@MadManRestorationsthanks. I'll try that to see if it works.
well i’m glad i saw this video. i was about to buy citrus strip lol
i just ordered the 8oz sample size of QCS with your coupon code
can’t wait to try it out
Great!! I hope you like it
Thanks so much. I have a bedroom set from the 70’s that I have been wanting to strip, but it has lots of “nooks and crannies”. Also I need to do the work in the room that it’s n. This will be perfect for the job. Thanks so much for your research!🙂
Glad to help.
I was quite impressed and ordered the product. I am a little concerned about cleaning off the stripper using steel wool. Some think the tiny fibers will get into the wood grain. Have you seen this?
That's more common with sanding with steel wool. Not using it like this with the stripper. Besides, after stripper you still need to wipe clean, sand, and wipe again. There's no way steel wool will be on the piece after all that.
For me, when using Citristrip, once I’ve scraped the excess off you have to follow up with a cleaner to remove the residual. I use a product called Afterwash. I’m doing exterior redwood trim to be painted so I think it can handle the Afterwash which seems like lacquer thinner. Doing vintage furniture I would caution against it since you want as gentle of a product as possible on delicate highly prized items
That's another reason I don't prefer the other strippers. They recommend you buy another product as afterwards. Seems ridiculous to me.
The citress wax addiitive made it almost impossible to remove from a metal hvac register. Worked after a few days, but the stuff turned into good that was almost impossible to wipe off. Back to old school stripper.
What stripper are you talking about?
Citristrip. It actually worked well on the metal after a week or so. Covered the registers and put them into a tin pan with cover. The one you find in the food store for oven cooking. Trying to get the Citristrip off the metal was a treat. It did strip down to metal but a wax like coating remained. I used a torch and cooked the residual off the metal. I just painted with an oil enamel spray. Looks good now. @@MadManRestorations
Thanks for sharing. I wonder if removing it initially with the steel wool, on all 3, would work better with the other 2?
I wanted to follow the directions provided by each company. Klean Strip and Citristrip do not say anything about using steel wool.
Very unhappy with Citistrip. It left splotches on my dining room table. I’ll never use it again. Other products have not darkened or left splotches on previous projects.
Love citristrip. Did an awesome job with stripping nearly 1000 sq ft hardwood floors.
Have you tried using QCS and then covering it with seran wrap? Maybe that helps with penetration and more cost effective since your loosing less chemical to evaporation?
I have not. Stripwell says it's unnecessary. Plus I think it's a waste of plastic wrap.
@@MadManRestorationsI'm really hoping you can also advise me with regard to the question i just posted. Thanks.
I used Citristrip on a dresser, let it sit with plastic wrap overnight, and it was completely dried out the next morning. I may have not used enough so the next application, I used a thick layer, with plastic wrap and misting with water, if necessary. It’s good at removing from horizontal surfaces but not so good from vertical surfaces so the sides of my dresser still have stain and veneer on it. And I was using a wire bristle brush too. I’m not doing a third round and will just sand to remove excess veneer and blotchiness from the wood. I don’t know if it’s the fact the dresser was espresso colored that it’s blotchy but I may just end up painting the dresser in a solid color to salvage it which is what I wanted to avoid initially. Waste of time and money.
Sucks. But lesson learned, don't use Citristrip!
@Mad Man Restorations citristrip has some use for flat tops that have been painted and works very well for paints. Absolutely sucks for removing finishes. You ever watch mad city modern on YT? He restores a table exactly like this one.
Yeah, I agree with this. I've been using Citristrip for over a decade (and I'm about to post a separate comment about that), and I've used it on a ton of furniture projects with good results. I mainly like it bc its low VOC and I can use it inside. But I redid my kitchen and taped the upper cabinet edges with frog tape delicate surface, and the tape removed some of the varnish on the side face of the cabinet. So I thought I'd just remove all the varnish, and re-poly. 3 rounds of citristrip paste and it did nothing. Like legit absolutely nothing. I didn't want to sand bc its too messy or buy another stripper that would have too many fumes. Plus my kitchen renovation was basically done except for that, so I opted to just cover it up with a combo chalk/dry-erase/cord board that I made.
Can I use QCS on refinishing a wood front door without taking it off the hinges?
@@sneidigh QCS works on vertical surfaces. What finish is on the wood door?
Did u use the finish remover AND cleanser? Or just the remover? The website is selling it as a bundle with the cleaner. If the cleanser isnt necessary, id rather just purchase more remover. Pleasw advise
This is the finish remover. Cleanser is a new product that was not out at the time of this video.
I'm a rookie and grateful for the video. I'm wondering if QCS is the best product to clean the stain from my sun-cooked front door with intricate etching so I can restain it.
I would use QCS on that. Especially if it has a bunch of grooves in the door. So much easier using QCS than a regular gel stripper.
Hi, can you please clarify? In your vid. you state that you can simply use water to clean it. But the QCS company states that after applying QCS finish remover you then must use the QCS surface cleanser. I'm hoping to restore my grandfather's old dark-armchair, which has lots of vertical slats on its back. The chair was on a veranda, thus became weathered by both sun and rain. How would you apply/cleanse the QCS on such an armchair? It has sentimental value to my BIL (but only if restored to orig. color & colorfast.
QCS surface cleanser was not out yet at the time of this video. I still use water for my QCS finish remover cleanup.
@@MadManRestorationsThanks for letting me know & great video! May be in touch with a pic via your biz. There's possibly areas of surface mold, so can I do 50/50 vinegar/water first? Also is an 8-oz. QCS bottle enough for the chair? Also how would you strip nine vertical slats that are near each other along the chair back? Stripwell hasn't replied to email, and there's only voicemail.
@@minniyoutubaster pictures would be helpful. You can email them to me. Email is in my TH-cam bio.
@@MadManRestorations By "bio" did you mean the Trenton locale? If so, I believe i sent you the pics when i posted the above. So did you see the email sent to Trenton?
@@minniyoutubaster madmanrestorations@gmail.com
As a furniture refinisher I'm kind of impressed with the qcs
@@hacksaw413 as am I!
I have 4 bottles of QCS. Previously I used Citristrip in an attempt to remove the paint from the window trim, and it dried out. Do you think that I can use the QCS to remove the dried out Citristrip?
Absolutely!
Can I use QCS on my entry door vertically? I cannot make it flat. Thanks
Yes, I've had good results using QCS on vertical surfaces.
I applied one coat of gel stain on my stair. I did not like the color. Can I use QCS to remove it?
Technically stain is in the wood not on the wood like a hard finish. But I have had good luck using QCS to remove stain. Let it sit and scrub with wet steel wool. You will probably still have to sand.
On the stripwell website it says it only works on antique finishes from 1970 and prior. The table I want to strip is from 1980s. Is it going to work? Why wouldn’t it work on a stain from the 80s?
QCS will only guarantee that it works on 1970s and older finishes. In the 1980s some manufacturers started using polyester finishes that are a huge pain to remove. That's kinda why. But if youe table is a lacquer finish QCS should work no problem.
@@MadManRestorations so to test that do you use the rubbing alcohol and q tip trick to see if stain appears on the q tip?
@@MadManRestorations I sanded the table top with a mouse sander and there was a white residue that came off before I got wood. I loved how it turned out after adding a tinted osmo hard wax. Would like to make the chairs match. Sanding the ornate chairs will be so laborious to get the stain off.
@@kevinwalker7392 try lacquer thinner. If it removes the finish it's lacquer.
@@kevinwalker7392 stain is color that goes into the wood. Most pieces were finished with tinted lacquer that goes on top of the wood.
Does it work on PAINT as well?? Any Sanding required afterwards?
Works well on modern latex paint. You still need to sand. But I did post a video on how to refinish without sanding.
Soooo helpful! I’ve done very little stripping finishes, and am glad to see the product comparison. I was very concerned about fumes, and stripping detailed woodwork. Thanks for taking the time to share!!
Glad to help.
I used Citristrip and covered my pieces with plastic overnight. When I came back less than 24 hours later and scraped, the goo was liquefied and very dark black leaving my wood extremely discolored. Using Citristrip within 30 minutes caused less discoloration but still some in certain places. In my case, I am painting the wood so it doesn't matter but if I were re-staining, it would be an issue.
I still can't believe they actually recommended covering it with plastic wrap. No liquid should sit on wood that long.
would this be useful for old interior solid wood doors that have been painted (possibly several times)? I'd like to strip the paint and stain them.
It could. It's worked in painted pieces for me. However, who knows what kind of paint is under there. It could be lead paint. Just be careful.
I always scrub with lacquer thinner after using stripper regardless. I also give the furniture a light sanding before applying stripper I feel like it lifts the paint faster
I generally use lacquer thinner as well. But for this video I wanted to follow the directions for each stripper.
@@MadManRestorations do you sand before applying stripper ? Would be a cool video idea. Sanding before vs not sanding before
@@NYSeaNile I have not. But could be a good idea. What grit do you sand with before stripping?
@@MadManRestorations 180 usually. If its a thick poly like on pianos 120
Citristrip does have a strong smell to it especially if you have a sensitive nose. It's best to use outside or garage.
I recently bought 17 custom wood doors and drawers for several bathroom cabinets. They were manufactured with solid hard maple and finished with a driftwood stain and pinstripe glaze. The doors are beautiful but the stain color is too dark to match the other bathroom decor. I don't want to spend another $3K to remake. I am considering refinishing them myself. Would you recommend removing the stain/finish with QCS and then re-finish like new wood? I am an experienced DIYer, but never attempted stain removal. Any advice?
You can definitely try that. If they are indeed solid wood you can sand without going through veneer. However, maple does not stain well and usually ends up blotchy. You may have to use toners of you want to adjust the color.
My dad still to this day over pays others to do stuff, my grandfather (mom side) made stuff and repairs in his garage, I definitely was influenced
Does kleanstrip premium stripper work with water based poly?
@@Tatsunami_Studios I haven't tried. But I think it would.
What grade steel wool are you using ?
@@jdibo I only use 0000
@ thanks man
Great comparison! Can you use QCS indoors? I have a heavy chest that I want to strip in place.
Yes, you can absolutely use it indoors.
@@MadManRestorations Thanks for the quick reply. Ordered it from Stripwell and used your 10% discount code. 😎
@@mikesweeney5685 nice! Hope you enjoy it!
That QCS was surprising. Something nonhazardous that actually works. Cleanup with regular stripper is a mess. I'll definitely be checking out QCS.
Can you use QCS on a wooden deck?
@@angelanatrin5579 what are you trying to remove?
I’m watching this after using Citrus-strip on an oak table top. I left it overnight with the Saran Wrap and I’m left with dark blotches all over the table. We’re you able to remove the dark spots from your project?
Sorry that stinks. I would strip again with QCS or Klean Strip.
@@MadManRestorations Thank you so much!
Would the QCS work on vertical surfaces? I want to refinish all the woodwork in my home that has worn old varnish on it. Tried Citristrip and the other stripper you used and it just made a gooey sticky mess.
Yes! It works surprisingly well on vertical surfaces.
Thanks for the video, really helpful. You didn't mention price though, and QCS is considerably more expensive than the other options
It's a family owned company that makes it in small batches. Of course it's going to be a little more expensive. But considering the benefits and that there is no other product like it on the market makes it a must have in my toolbox.
Is this qcs safe for veneer finished furniture as well?
Yes I guarantee most if not all the furniture in your house is veneer.
Thanks for the video! The blotchiness of the citristrip bothers me even more; this is really important to know before using it.
Glad you learned something.
Any recommendations to fix uneven wood darkening after citristrip?
@@kimberlyh3468 you can't try using another stripper. Then try lacquer thinner or acetone. Last resort is to hand sand with 150 grit.
What will QCS do on painted wood?
I've used it on pieces that have been painted with modern paint no problem. But they don't guarantee that it works on paint because there are so many variables.
I have a mahogany table with open wood pores that's been spray painted black . The strippers get the main paint off but not whats in the pores. Any way I can get them clean too? They are very thin, and probably not deep.
I usually use lacquer thinner and a brass brush.
WOW, great comparison. What can you do to repair the darkening done by Citristrip?
You can use a better stripper like QCS or sand. Just be careful when sanding. You don't want to take too much off.
@@MadManRestorations i just used citristrip and put wood conditioner on after sanding. Should i sand again and re strip?
@@zoeyfischer3288 is it still blotchy after wood conditioner?
Does it work on any finish ??
Will it remove the old wood stain finish back to bear wood ?? Is there anything that will do that beside sanding it ???
I will be trying it on a Polyshade finish next. I have not tried on stained wood. But it definitely wouldn't hurt to try it.
Thank you so much for doing this video. I really appreciate the the information. And you’ve saved me a world of hurt.
Thank you 🙏 😊
You're welcome. That's my goal of making videos 👍
I used citri strip 4 months ago, and then a few weeks ago on two different items. Turns out, I'm super allergic to it. I barely got a drop on my skin, and within hours hand my hands sweel, turn bright red, crazy itching and the hives all over. Once that gaze was done, the skin on my hands spent days peeling off. I didn't realize it was the citri strip the first time, or I would have never used it again. Now I'll only ever use smart strip.
Wow, that's awful. It could have been worse. But at least you know now to stay away!
Using Citristrip gave me hives and burning... I'm done with that.
where did you purchase the QCS please?
www.stripwell.com
Thank you for the information. I wonder be interested in the results of this test with different types of paints and finishes.
I personally had similar results with painted pieces. But I deal with mostly old lacquer finishes.
Does QCS work for stripping on ornately carved furniture piece and table legs?
That's when I would only use QCS and nothing else. Spray, wait, rub with wet steel wool, done.
Does the QCS remove paint? I'm stripping an old built-in buffet with several layers of old paint, which do you recommend?
If it's an older paint job I would use something like Klean Strip. But if it's a recent spray paint or latex paint QCS should work.
Would love to see a video where you remove paint or many layers of paint with similar products!
Just have to find a painted piece lol.
Was directed to you from someone on Reddit. Your videos are excellent tutorials?, I needed to find your content sooner! Can u tell me how to correct the dark embedded stain/ splotchiness from citristrip on walnut veneer? Sanding further seems risky, I tried oxalic acid but it didn’t work. . Looks bad.
I would try another stripper like klean strip or QCS. Then sand by hand with 150 grit. OA won't do anything in this situation.
I used Citristrip on both latex painted furniture and automotive enamel paint. It completely softened the latex within 30 minutes (rinsed off completely with warm water and scrub brush) and effectively softened or reduced the paint to metal bond of the enamel overnight to be scraped off with a stiff putty knife.
Thanks good. But there are better strippers for wood than citristrip.
@@MadManRestorations True, but they are more toxic. Former Journeyman Carpenter turned Architect here.
@@cptcosmo I'll take something hazardous that works better than something nonhazardous that doesn't any day of the week.
@@agomodern
Well, it's your lungs.
@@jude7321 They have masks for that. I work outside with plenty of ventilation from good ol' mother earth. lol
Something for the curves and grooves of my waterfall furniture!
Yep. QCS is the best for that!
@@MadManRestorations
You sure are pushing that stuff, I think you're just on the payroll.
@@jude7321 try it and find out for yourself. Use code: MadMan at checkout
this QCS stuff looks really good but the price is almost triple the alternatives...
It's a mom and pop family business with a product not sold in big box stores. It's a tool that comes in handy when certain situations arise.
@@MadManRestorations its a good thing that they are doing, I might still consider is for my next project
One look at the safety data sheet (SDS) for Klean Strip should make clear that safe use of the product requires far more precautions than does safe use of Citistrip. While it might not have methylene chloride, Klean Strip has other hazardous solvents. Control of the hazards, e.g., selecting and obtaining appropriate personal protective requires knowledge and experience beyond that of most people (hobbyists/DIYers).
By contrast, the SDS for QCS makes it appear far less hazardous. However, today it is not available from the manufacturer (out of stock). Moreover, I could not find through other outlets, e.g., Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Menards, or Hobby Lobby.
@@puluke1953 QCS by Stripwell is literally a Mom and Pop operation.
Bought Stripwell for a window restoration project. I tried it multiple times. It removed basically no paint. Citristrip was more effective (although Citristrip required multiple rounds)
QCS does not claim to remove paint. Even though it has been proven to remove certain paints.
@@MadManRestorations they have updated their website since I bought it. But they still advertise paint stripping as a feature: th-cam.com/video/u6OZfoCb504/w-d-xo.html
where do you live?...I have a Plywood wood chair i need help with you..ty
@@koconnell1444 New Jersey
5F5 was the best stripper, but a few people who didn't know how to use it properly and the EPA ruined that.
@@msheart2 heard dat!
Great video, have you ever tried QCS on brick? I tried Citristrip and wasn't happy with the results
I have not. Sorry.
Buscaba un video así , con una excelente explicación. Muchas gracias. Por fin se que usar y cómo usarlo 👍
What type of brush I ccan use with Klean strip?
I use a cheap chip brush.
I gotta say that reading the labels on all strippers, including Cirtistrip, and they ALL read the same. They ALL recommend wearing PPE including respirators (not dust masks) and from what I can tell, have pretty much the same VOC. The MSDS for QCS is quite impressive compared to the others, but it's price is no joke.
@@justadbeer Stripwell is literally a mom and pop set up. After using QCS for a while it's my main stripper. It saves time which in turn saves money.
Thank you for this video! It was incredibly helpful!
are you using #0000 steel wool?
@@MadHatter5032 yes. That's the only grit of steel wool I own.
@@MadManRestorations Thank you
I'm having great results using Citristrip Gel and Paste on my cabinets. The secret is to apply generously, then cover the wet areas with food plastic wrap and let it sit for at least 12 hours. I let mine sit for 24 hrs. Then scrape, reapply & plastic wrap, sit 24 hrs, the scrape, scrub hard with a toothbrush and water to clean out the wood pores and neutralize the stripper and wipe down. And no Methylene Chloride. I started with just a quart of the gel to test how it works - I've used traditional strippers before, but they're pretty toxic. Glad it worked for me!
Do not be confused by the smell of Citristrip. It is not really "safer" than other strippers. Cabinets are different than working on MCM veneer pieces. Keeping the veneer wet can cause it to lift off the particle board which is not good. I would never let Citristrip sit overnight under plastic wrap. Look how it darkened the veneer after only 20 mins.
Oh my gosh!! I wish I had seen your vid BEFORE using citristrip on my pine table. It looks awful! As per directions, I used plastic wrap, let it “soak” overnight and then used mineral spirits to clean after scraping of and it looks awful!!! We’ve tried to further clean with 91% alcohol and it help a bit. I agree with advice - DONT use especially on pine.
Ugh. What a nightmare. I can't believe on the directions they say to use plastic wrap. Let it dry and strip again with another stripper or sand carefully to even it out.
@@MadManRestorations would you recommend QCS to remove the stains from the table after Citristrp?
@@My_sister_crochets 100% YES!!
Me, too! Just yesterday I began the process of removing the black painted finish off a pine coffee table that I picked up on Facebook Marketplace. Did the Citristsrip w/ plastic wrap and the paint came off great however the wood looks orange! I've tried paint thinner w/ steel wool, vinegar & water, Dawn & water, even rubbing alcohol and can't seem to get all of the Citristrip off. When I attempt to sand, my sandpaper gums up within a minute or two. I'm just about at my wit's end. Wish I had known of the pitfalls of Citristrip beforehand.
Dang…. Wish I had seen this BEFORE going through the goopy mess of applying citristrip multiple times to my side table 😢
Ugh. I've been there. I'm so glad I'll never be using Citristrip again.
did you actually try the saran wrap or just guessing regarding the results of the sitris strip
I've never done it. Nor do I think it's a good practice. Veneer should not be see that long. I've seen other people do it with horrible results.
Waiting for 24 hours is a joke when other strippers work in 5 minutes.
@@agomodern I agree. But for this test I wanted to give them equal drying time. Plus, I was also busy.
@@MadManRestorations I was referring to the tip with plastic wrap for 24 hours.
How much stripper should you use per 100 sqft??
Uhh I dunno. Just make sure it stays wet.
Would you recommend QCS for paint?
I've had good luck using it on spray painted pieces with latex paint. But it's not intended to work on paint.
Thank you so much for this review!!! I have an old door I'm needing to strip as well as a chest of drawers and a table! I ordered using your code! Again, many thanks!!❤❤❤
My pleasure. I'm trying to put out useful information for refinishers.
Question: Wouldn't the steel wool scratch the wood?
No. 0000 steel wool will not scratch the wood. This is to remove the finish so it doesn't matter. Using steel wool against the grain in a finished piece may scratch it. But very fine and is easy fixable.
@@MadManRestorations This video was very informative. Many thanks for the reply.
So helpful! Thank you!
@@kimdavidson2810 my pleasure. Hope it saves you a headache by using the wrong product.
What happens if it the orange stripper dries? I just used for stripping our 100 year old front door. The wood is rougher and has more grain than a nice piece of furniture. Like it wasn't sanded and as smooth as furniture would be sanded. . I'm thinking of applying another coat of orange strip, since I have it, but how do I get it out of the grain. Does that make sense? Thank you for the great video. Oh and does the QCS work on acrylic paint as well?
If Citristrip dries it can be really hard to scrape because it hardens like a chalk. Simply pour some mineral spirits on it with a rag, brush or spray bottle until it’s wet again and then you can scrape it back off because it activates it again!
Has anyone ever used QCS to remove wood stain?
If heard people have good success with some stain. I will be testing that soon.
Wow, great find. I’ll have to give the QCS a try!
It's a learning curve compared to box store gel strippers. But once you get used to it you can't go back to old strippers.
Hmm, I think that if you use the steal wool with clean stripe you will get the same results as QCS.
Possibly but you can't touch Klean Strip with bare hands. Plus I was following the directions explicitly.
Citrus Strip used to be good. But they changed the formula several years ago, and now it sucks. Kleen Strip is good. I use that now.
Me too. Depending on the project it's either Klean Strip or QCS.
Thanks for posting, great video. Shame i can’t get it here in Spain as the shipping costs are wayyyy to expensive.
That stinks. But glad you liked the video!
Where can I purchase QCS?
www.stripwell.com
Can I use QCS on Teak wood that was just finished with Dutch Oil? We bought Dutch Oil from WATCO but it was a bad batch and it created black spots on our teak table. The support team from Watco recommended using a paint strip. In your experience, do you think that would work? Thanks for any help.
Most Danish teak furniture did NOT use oil. So you shouldn't either. That is why you got the result you did. I would totally use QCS to remove the oil and possibly the stain. Spray QCS, let it sit, apply more, then scrub with steel wool soaked in QCS.
Do you think the QCS would remove a more glossy/factory finish or is it more for antiques with the traditional laquer finishes that have kinda started flaking? I’m in desperate need of removing some shiny gloss. The scraper works ok but very physical on a large piece
I recently used QCS on a gloss lacquer finish. Same deal. It was too hard for my scrapper but used QCS and it came right off.