Cleaning Wood Grain Dash

[Guest AlK]

Have a question submitted by a member of Alabama Packards:

"How do you clean the wood grain dash and window moldings of the older Packards." He says he has a gummy residue and is afraid to clean it with a trial and error procedure that might damage the wood grain.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I use 'Murphey's Oil Soap'. It's made for wood furniture and works great. My wife found it at grocery store.

[Guest Randy Berger]

I had someone use that on an old train and it burnt the paint - much too strong.

I would try plain warm water first.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

'Murpheys Oil Soap' is for wood Only, Not for painted surfaces. So I wouldn't use it for simulated wood, like dash panels that are actually painted. Murpheys works for both Varnished and Oiled Wood.

[DM37]

Many, many moons after the original forum posting.

 

For Wood-grained painted metal surfaces:

• Do NOT use ALCOHOL or alcohol-containing products.
• Simple Green concentrate on a soft light-color cloth (so you can observe the dirt, etc coming off). I've cleaned several mid-30's metal with woodgrained surfaces, lightly, to remove old grime, finger oils, dirt, etc with no damage to the surface. If you are cleaning it to touch it up, Simple Green is also the only cleaner (in my aerospace optics realm) that we ever found that actually REMOVES silicones that contaminate space optics; alcohols and other substances only smear silicones around and damage wood-graining and clear coats.

For Wood garnish moldings/trim:

• Simple green (not too wet; wipe it and follow immediately with a dry cloth...don't puddle it or saturate the surface.
• Also, Murphy's oil soap should be fine as noted. Most oil soaps for wood should be fine on home furniture (varnish) as well as original automotive moldings (varnish or clear lacquer) or on restored auto moldings (1960's and newer restorations likely used polyurethane or clear lacquer).

Edited November 8 by DM37 (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Actually been meaning to post a related question.  Does anyone wax faux woodgrain?  I believe mine was done when the car was restored 80s -90s.  I have yet to touch it but wouldn't mind protecting that surface especially on a convertible.

[DM37]

If you mean painted woodgrain over metal, yes...use a NON-abrasive liquid wax...make sure it doesnt have any buffing compound in it. Dont let it sit...on, then right off