Thread: Removal of oil from bare timber

Originally Posted by David N

I am having trouble with the removal of both mineral and vegetable oil from shelves in meat safes and on the surfaces of table tops. Most of the furniture involved is made of Baltic Pine and in most cases, the oil has soaked deeply into the timber. What is the best way of removing this troublesome oil. Any comments would be most helpful.

That is tricky to say the least. I don't know any easy method that won't affect timber.

White spirits (dry cleaning fluid) will dissolve oils, but getting it into the wood deeply enough can be an issue if you can't soak the timber. As in any other situation with unwanted oil you either need a solvent, a detergent or something that degrades/breaks the chemical bonds of the organic oils like a strong alkali (but they all have an effect on the timber too). One commercial possibility is to have the item dipped in a caustic bath as is used for paint stripping, but the pine will become quite "furry" with raised, damaged tracheids on it and require sanding afterwards.

There are some paint/chemical experts on the forums. They may be able to advise you better.

Good luck.

I'd say you have little chance of removing it. You might remove it from the immediate surface for a while but oil will continue toooze out for years. Solvents can drive the oil further into the wood which means it just comes back out later.

You will need to create a one way removal direction using a material tha grabs oil better than wood does. I have never tried it but I have heard of using something like kitty litter as an oil absorber and packing the wood in that and placing it in the sun for as long as you can afford.

what sort of finish are you planning? Any kind of varnish, epoxy, poly etc is likely to bubble but most natural oil type finishes will blend with the animal oil. The problem might be that even the faintest amounts will go rancid and can be detected.

The finish would be a thin coat of shellac then waxed. I could also use tung oil

Originally Posted by David N

The finish would be a thin coat of shellac then waxed. I could also use tung oil

Shellac will be problematic. Have you tried Tung oil to see if it goes on?

Originally Posted by BobL

Shellac will be problematic. Have you tried Tung oil to see if it goes on?

Hi Bob

you sure about that?

Shellac is often recommended as a sealer on top of an oil to allow application of a water based finish.

Originally Posted by ian

Hi Bob

you sure about that?

Shellac is often recommended as a sealer on top of an oil to allow application of a water based finish.

I think it depends on the amount. I've seen it bubbling out of wood for years afterwards and it lifts anything its under. Worth a try though.

If I were you, I would try vacuum bagging it. I do composites for a living and one way to remove moisture from aircraft components is to apply heat and vacuum.

Originally Posted by reinhardt132

If I were you, I would try vacuum bagging it. I do composites for a living and one way to remove moisture from aircraft components is to apply heat and vacuum.

That sounds like it could be successful as the timber in question is a soft wood but is about 20mm to 30mm thick. I was thinking of putting some type of solvent on the underside of the timber and trying to draw the oil through as per vacuum.

Originally Posted by David N

I am having trouble with the removal of both mineral and vegetable oil from shelves in meat safes and on the surfaces of table tops. Most of the furniture involved is made of Baltic Pine and in most cases, the oil has soaked deeply into the timber. What is the best way of removing this troublesome oil. Any comments would be most helpful.

Hi David,

I have quite a few years in restoration of antiques and have many times had to remove oils from tables writing desks etc.
What I have done and a word of warning (can be dangerous) is to pour some meths onto the surface over the oil stain and leave it to evaporate, then add more and here is the danger part ignite the meths. your will find that the heat from the hot meths will bring the oil to the surface and leave a blackish bubbled surface which can be scraped off.
You may have to repeat it several times but make sure the surface has cooled down. It is quite spectacular to see the flames and then the bubbling oil.

Caution take the object outside - do not put too much meths onto surface- be careful lighting the meths.

I once poured to much onto a round table and after lighting to meths watched as the burning meths flowed over the edge of the table but did not reach the floor.

Sometimes it may help to make a mound around the oil stain with plasticine to keep the meths in the oils stain area.

I have used this method on french polished tables and it does not ruin the surface and only needs to patch the affected area.

You may start off putting white spirits ( Stoddard Solvent ) on the surface first which will not affect the french polish and will tend to dissolve some oils.
(White spirits is used as dry-cleaning fluid and it will not leave an oily residue when it evaporates. Kerosene and mineral turps both leave residues and take longer to evaporate. Also you can use it to remove build up of waxes).

Suggest to try this burning method on scrap timber first.

Good Luck

ET

Hey ET, are you puliing our collective legs with this?

Originally Posted by Dengue

Hey ET, are you puliing our collective legs with this?

backwards "THE" may well be

Many, many years ago we used the same method to draw axle oil out of brake linings that had plenty of thickness. Probably cheaper to buy new linings but just following the bosses orders

A lot less dangerous but still possible could be putting the timber in an oven (even a made-up oven space with enough heat input .. but NOT flame) and applying enough heat to induce the oil out of the wood. But you would have to also have the wood surrounded by a very good oil absorber. Petrol stations and business that have oil/fuel supplies all have "spill kits" that include very oil absorbing materials that would be suitable.

Unfortunately, some items are beyond redemption. In my opinion oil impregnated/saturated items may be in that category. I have some lovely old (antique) Kauri Pine wide boards that were part of an old dresser. Someone saturated them in oil. I believe they are ruined, but they sit, in storage, for that rare project when oily boards will be great ... or for my successor who foolishly believes likewise ... and maybe his/her successor who ....

To those doubters

It does work and no, would not pull your your legs. Why don't U try it yourself.
And to Lappa so did I !!!

Regards to an oil absorber I use Kitty litter to remove oil stains from my workshops concrete floor. My neighbor's forklift leaks hydraulic oil so I know works a treat and U can reuse it.

THE ET