Whether you call it barn wood, old wood, or reclaimed wood, using this material has continued to be a trend over the years. I have been obsessed with it since I was young and so I am glad that it has retained its popularity. Unlike new wood, it does need some special attention, given that it has spent an extended period of time outdoors exposed to all sorts of things. You will need to take the time to properly clean it before using it in your home. And unless you sand it smooth and seal it, you will need to know a few tricks on how to keep it clean and dust free. Here are my tips and tricks on how to clean and sanitize reclaimed wood.
Why People Use Reclaimed Wood
The barn wood furniture look has been around for a long time. Why has it remained so popular? I think people like using reclaimed wood because it gives a sense of history to their homes. Especially if they have a new home. It brings a rich texture to the space. Others prefer a more rustic vibe and reclaimed barn wood gives that to their home. For some it is simply a matter of it being a less expensive (and sometimes free) option to new new lumber. Whether you are doing it for financial reasons or the aesthetic, reclaimed wood is an excellent choice for your home.
Places I Source Reclaimed Wood
My number one place I have found old wood for my home is old fences. Fencing companies in my area will post on online classifieds stating they have taken down an old fence and need to taken away. Before the big boom in popularity, I got a ton of old fence pickets for free. Once fencing companies realized there was a demand for it, they started charging. It is still less expensive than new wood and the pickets are almost always in pretty good condition.
Old barns that need to be taken down for safety reasons is another good source. Old barn wood can not only include the slats on the outside, but the large beans inside. Again, check your local listings. Often people will let you take the wood if you help dismantle.
Facebook marketplace has become a good place to find people who are getting rid of old wood. Check it often from spring to fall when people are actively working on clearing out their yards and properties.
Home improvement stores like Home Depot have started selling old wood as well. They jumped on the bandwagon when the trend hit a fever pitch a few years ago. It would be cheaper though if you can source it from people in your area. But this is a great option if you live in an area where reclaimed wood is scarce.
Cleaning And Sanitizing Reclaimed Wood
If the wood is really gross (covered in spider webs, bird poop, and lots of mud) the first thing I will do is hose it down outside before bringing it in the house. You can also gently use a wire brush to knock off the mud. Then I bring it into the bathtub and I scrub it with warm water and a bristle brush. You can also soak it in soapy water before you scrub. Make sure you brush with the wood grain. If you want the wood to retain the gray coloring, don't over scrub. In a lot of cases, the gray aged color is only on the surface and if you scrub hard enough with the scrub brush, it will all come off. Just like using a pressure washer on old fence to restore the natural wood color. Both the gray color and the lighter aged brown are beautiful. It just depends on what look you are going for in your home.
Allow the clean wood to dry before moving onto the next step. I like to lightly sand the reclaimed wood before using it in projects for my home. Use a 220 grit sandpaper. This will help remove any slivers and unnecessary roughness on the surface. Again, the amount of sanding will determine how much gray stays on the wood. That is why I suggest you do hand sanding verses using an electric sander. The more you sand, the less gray will remain. Brush off the saw dust with a soft cloth or rinse it off and allow it to dry again.
Another way to sanitize the reclaimed wood are to use a steamer on it. The high heat of the steam cleaner will kill anything lurking in the wood. You could also use a spray bottle with white vinegar and water (or your favorite cleaning solution) to sanitize the wood. Just know that if you use bleach, it will take away the gray color from the surface of the wood. So if keeping the gray tone is your goal, keep away from bleach. If your piece of wood is not too large, you can also place them in your oven (or a kiln) on a low temp to dry them. This is also a good idea if you live somewhere with high humidity and the wood has too much moisture trapped inside.
Once the wood has been cleaned and sanded, it is ready to use for your next project! Whether you are making a dining room table, a headboard, or shelves, your finished product will be clean and sanitized!
How Do You Clean Your Reclaimed Wood Furniture?
What about once you have the project built out of barnwood? Most reclaimed wood and barnwood furniture is not sealed in order to retain the rustic vibe. To seal it would darken the lighter color and you would lose the matte finish. So how to you keep unfinished wood clean? Bare wood surfaces do need to be cleaned a bit differently than sealed surfaces. Here is how I clean mine!
I always start by using the brush attachment on my vacuum cleaner. I vacuum very thoroughly until all the dust is gone. If there has been a spill, or I feel it needs more than that, I use a clean cloth and soapy water to wipe it down. Don't saturate it too much while washing or it could leave a water ring mark. Usually a dusting and a damp cloth are all it needs.
Here are some projects around my home where I have used old reclaimed wood.
Reclaimed Wood Desk with Hairpin Legs
Reclaimed Wood Floating Shelves With Drawer
Laundry Shelfhttps://www.notjustahousewife.net/neutral-laundry-room/
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Gina
Thanks for posting about this! I've seen so many reclaimed wood projects the past few years and have been grossed out thinking about people putting dirty wood up on their bedroom walls.
Kelly Moseley
ME TOO! I often wondered why anyone would do that and it has been the reason my wood is sitting in the garage and not used! lol Thanks
NaDell
My bathroom needs sanitizing before we repaint.
Ashley @ Simply Designing
Oh what a GREAT idea! I actually just got a big old barn door and I've been wondering how to sanitize it without losing the worn look! I didn't even think of pulling out my SteamMachine but now I am totally going to do that! Thanks for the tip!
Shannon B.
Bathroom needs it bad! I never thought about steaming reclaimed wood - thanks for the tip!
Melissa
Great tips! I have a few reclaimed wood projects I'd like to tackle, sounds like I could really use this steamer!!
Jamie
I would love to sanitize around my kids' toilet.
Kimber
We are moving, so pretty much everything!!
Hannah h
Amazing! I could definitely use that!
Lori
I never thought about sanitizing wood before! My kitchen and bathroom floors are my priority first :-)
Jill H
Kitchen and bathroom floors are the priority for sanitizing!
robyn pris
Everything my dogs use.
Kirsten T
We have an older home and our hardwood floors always look and feel dirty no matter how much I clean them.
Emily Ray
My bathroom needs sanitizing! Love the tip to steam reclaimed wood--makes me feel more comfortable using it.
Tiffany
I would love to be able to sanitize things in my home! Especially since my daughter will be starting to crawl any day now!
Jennifer
I work woth reclaimed wood too and this would be so great to use. But in my home I have 3 kids, the youngest is 10 months and crawling everywhere. This would be great to use to clean surfaces wothout harsh chemicals and make me feel ok about him crawling all over.
Jennifer
I work with reclaimed wood too and this would be so great to use. But in my home I have 3 kids, the youngest is 10 months and crawling everywhere. This would be great to use to clean surfaces wothout harsh chemicals and make me feel ok about him crawling all over.
Maureen
Always wondered how you would clean reclaimed wood, thanks!
Maureen
Always wondered how I would be able to clean reclaimed wood, thanks.
Maureen
Thank you for sharing this information
Cynthia C
I would like to do a thorough sanitizing of the bathrooms and kitchen in my home.
Amber
With pets and a baby on the way, what doesn't need sanitizing!
beverly e
You can never over- clean your bathroom and I have a fifty year old shower that could use some extra help!
Abigail
Everything that my children and dog touch could use a good sanitizing! I think I'd start with the couches
karen
I am doing a "lodge / cabin" type room for our oldest son and it will have reclaimed walls and some other reclaimed wood used in it. I don't really like to use chemicals. I use essential oils when I can instead of any chemicals, but I was not sure how to get the wood (there is A LOT) sanitized that way so I have been at a standstill. This is a great solution! I have been looking into one of these machines or a store bought steamer for awhile I just haven't committed. I think I will now! Thanks for the information!
Linda Stegall
Your timing couldn't have been more perfect! I just saved two pieces of wood from the burn pile at my parent's farm to make a couple signs, a new-to me project to try.
Angie
Steam is fun.
Sally
I've always wondered how people cleaned the wood for building. Great idea!
Sandy Klocinski
The bathroom needs sanitizing at my house
Lori Bowers
My whole house!
Lynn Cutler
I have 6 kids. The better question for me is what doesn't need to be sanitized!
Melissa Leach
I would love to sanitize my bathroom and make it clean and fresh for Spring/Summer. Thanks for the giveaway!
PatC
I never even thought to sanitize reclaimed wood. Great tip!
Jen H
I have 4 little kids so honestly...just about everything! :-)
Nickie
My bathroom
Cara sullenger
I have been wanting to do a lot more projects with reclaimed wood and I homestly didn't even think about cleaning it but this makes perfect sense! Thanks!
ANGEL Buffalino
I saw this at THE perfect time. I just claimed 40 pallets and am going to start making signs and other projects with a friend. I needed to know this thanks
Deb Harris
I would love to be able to completely sanitize the bathrooms & kitchen. We have an older house that I haven't been able to keep up with due to chronic illnesses. My husband & sons do some but not really the way I'd like it done. This would be a great help. Great giveaway.
Carole West @ Garden Up Green
I love coming over here to say hello. This is great information I use a lot of reclaimed wood in my projects and living on a farm you never know what might land on something. Will be pinning this one.
-Carole @ Garden Up green
Ruth Wooden
I need to steam clean my sofa.....ick! It is growdy!
Gina Kleinworth
Oh how I love this- I would be steaming everything from the pallet wood to my kitchen & baths.
Deborah Wellenstein
My bathrooms need sanitizing.
sharal
i would love to steam my tile floors
Marci Clark
We are closing on a house next week and I'm pretty sure the whole thing will need to be sanitized-especially after we move in with our two year old!
Dawn H
I would love to have this steam machine to do exactly what you described! I have been collecting old wood but have been very hesitant to create with it because of how dirty it is. This is great!! Thanks for the easy plan on how to clean it.
carol easterday
I was wondering what I could use on all that reclaimed wood I was saving thank you for the great tips and this wesome giveaway!!
Noreen
Like you, I'm a germophobe. I want to make things from reclaimed wood, but there are definitely some I wouldn't want to touch with a 10 foot pole. A Home Right Steam Machine sounds like it would be perfect for someone like me!
Cassie
What a great idea! Thanks so much for the info.
grace
wow, never thought about steaming reclaimed wood before but this is very insightful. we got several old reclaimed wood that need to get some tlc so i know now what to do with them. thank you so much!
Michelle
My floors in the kitchen and bathroom definitely need a good sanitizing!
Jen Y
Um - everything :) Kitchen & bathrooms are on the top of the list.
Katherine
The block walls on the porch
Christine
my kitchen and tile floors need this
Brad
My kitchen counters should be sanitized
Tari Lawson
My computer keyboards need sanitizing.
Nicole h.
My tile!!!
Jackie W.
Everywhere my 2.5 yr old and dog have been!
Tim A
Everything in my house needs sanitizing. With 2 young boys and 2 dogs, the amount of dirt and germs they track inside is insane. This would be very handy.
Holli
Thank you for your post! I have a stack of reclaimed barn wood in my garage that I have yet to do anything with because it grosses me out. Now that I know a good way to clean it, I can actually use it!
Darla Bunyan
My children's bathroom, my sons aim is BAD!!!!
Kyle Veatch
Thanks for the tips!
Aaron
The bathrooms always need sanitizing, and maybe a good cleaning for the kitchen.
Julia McIntosh
My bathroom tub needs it bad.
Koleen
This was such a great post to read!! Thanks for sharing. The steamer sounds like a great machine to have.
Brandi Bryant
My floors need to be sanitized. Thanks for the giveaway. Love all of your projects. I have made a list...now to find some old wood. Thanks again.
ANGEL Buffalino
Thanks I needed this info at this time
Selma Harris
I Thank You very much for this post!!!! I've been really thinking on how I can use reclaim wood in my house and a friend warned me against it but I KNEW there had to a way to use without comprising safety!!! So what needs sanitizing you ask??? well, I have to sanitize in my bathrooms, kitchen and of course some wood I hope to use someday - somehow!!! LOl.
Ashley C
Everything needs sanitizing in my house! Especially my floors!
Kaye Newman
My drapes in my living room could really use sanitizing. I would use this for sanitizing everything in my home.
Sarah K
Everything in my bathroom and kitchen needs sanitized!
Cindy B
My oven needs it first but there's other things, too.
Danielle Daniels
I have twin toddlers and a six year old son, EVERYTHING needs sanitized - including the children!
Angie
I need to sanitize the pallets I just got to make a few signs for around the house!
Elizabeth G.
My kitchen needs to be sanitizing!
Pat B
My bathroom and kitchen definitely need this.
theresa J
My kitchen could use some sanitizing
Renee Smason
I have a few pallets I want you use for projects indoors, so it would be nice to know they were really clean.
Kristy
What needs to be steamed cleaned? All the reclaimed wood in my garage and how about my refrigerator, baseboards and all the nooks and crannies. Thanks for info.
Sylvia
Love this post!! I have nightmares about creepy crawly things from reclaimed wood.. This solves all that!
Jennifer W
We've got some wooden furniture that was unsealed and had some food/drink spills - I want to seal it but wanted to sanitize first. This would be perfect!
Robin
I would love to sanitize my bathroom.
joni
My mudroom, which is the entrance way, could use a good cleaning.
Kim Henrichs
Definitely my laundry room!!
janice owens
great tips because I am about to use some old fence pickets and was wondering how to sanitize them
Andie D
I want to steam clean my bathroom!
Courtney Margot
This is great. I've always sanded it but never knew steaming it was the best option.
Mary Prevost
Oooh, I did not know that you could steam clean your oven door until I read your post - I SO need to do that with mine. I've been agonizing over HOW to clean it for almost a year (had a 4th of July BBQ at my house and had a incident that made a huge mess of my oven door).
Denice
the bathroom
Jennifer Borrego
I had always heard pressure washer. I like your idea better!
Lisa
Great tips! Thanks so much.
Cara R
Love, love, love the floating shelves. I do have to say that I love your website too. It is so clean looking! That's the only way I know how to describe it. Some sites are so cluttered/busy and yours is refreshing and a great place to visit!
Donna
such great ideas! Would have never thought of steaming the wood ! Excellent
Heather Lawrence
I'm just getting ready to need this info! Well timed post- Thank you!
staisha roberts
I have a few projects I want to do for my nursery! Also a germaphobe who wants the cleanest house for my family!
Tiffany
My window sills, would be the ones benefiting from this machine!! They need it, something fierce!
Debar Viola
I need to sanitize our families bathroom and kitchen before speckling and painting. I hate chemicals but was leaning towards using TSP. Great article on how to sanitize reclaimed wood. Never thought of using a steam machine. glad I read this post. :-)
Cindy
Now that I am done school I can start working on my reclaimed wood projects. I had seen it somewhere to sanitize them well and this post is a great reminder with easy how to steps. Thanks!
Heather
My entire kitchen floor needs to be sanitized. And just what I've been looking for with my reclaimed wood.
Catherine Simmons
I would love to have one of these. We have lots of old barn wood.
bridget
Good info and reminder! Thx
bridget
Good info and reminder! Thx!
bridget
Good info and reminder!thx
Rita Loomis
Thanks for the chance to win. Love the article!!
Emily
I actually just recently got my hands on some wood planks that I didn't even think about sanitizing! Excited to maybe try this machine out!
JT
Thank you for posting!
Theresa
I've been wanting to do a few reclaimed wood projects this would be great. I can see using this for our remodel & upkeep on our home too. Thanks for the chance. *used my personal FB to enter
Sandi Allen
With a house of 4 boys/men. I would use it in the bathrooms.
Also I would use it to sanitize reclaimed wood, like you did.
Thank You for sharing this post and tips.
Rachel
I would love to use it on reclaimed wood!
Bartemous Black
Thanks for the article. I've also wondered about the bugs that can be brought inside and how to get rid of them.
Tonya Gordon
Everything need sanitizing, sadly! I have an old home, and that many years of dirty are hard to scrub off!
jennifer west
I use reclaimed wood all the time. Had not thought to steam it. Great info. Now i need a steamer!
Sherry
just got a barn door to use inside but unsure about how to clean it. Going to try this! Thank you!
Pat
I have some tile floors in kitchen and baths that could use this.
Pat
I would like to sanitize our showers.
Pat
I would like to sanitize showers!
Phyllis C
I need to sanitize some pallets.
Sharon
Thanks for this!
Kristina
Need this!!
Teri
Having 5 cats and 3 kids plenty needs sanitizing in our home. Unfortunately, the cats are little piggies! Thanks for the post, I have always wondered how can people take that nasty, dirty wood and make things with it that go inside of their homes?
Stacey
I have a old pool deck that needs to be taken down and steamed for use as my new kitchen floor!!!
Kristi S
Love using reclaimed wood! My bathroom always need sanitized.
p.kopec
my floors need to be sanitized. I cannot get them clean with a mop.
Belinda S.
Very good to know....thank you for sharing! And thanks for the awesome giveaway too!!!! =)
Belinda S.
We need to sanitize our kitchen....especially the cabinets!
Jamie
love this!! I never thought to steam the wood!
Sharlene Piscitelli
I have tile and grout that could use some steam cleaning.
Erica B.
Definitely the kitchen.
Deb K
My kitchen could use some sanitizing!
Pam
My dog? Ha, ha...just kidding (a little). My basement floor could really use this.
Amy
neat tips
JB Richards
Seems like an awesome machine. I can think of a million things to sanitize.
Amanda Goh
Thanks for the post! Me!! I want the machine!! I would totally santize my toilets!
Amanda Goh
Thanks for the post! Me!! I want the machine!! I would totally sanitize my toilets!
Suzanne Black
Wonderful idea ...I could use the steam machine for my whole house ..oh and the barnwood too!
Cindy W.
Probably every thing lol. I work so much my house is a disaster.
Deb C
Lots of things here could use sanitizing but I think I would start with the refrigerator.
Cathy Conley
I would love to try this on my ceramic tile and grout. I am also just starting to use reclaimed wood. thanks for the opportunity to win.
Linda
What if I wanted to use it as a floor in my house? How would you clean it? I vacuum it but how do I CLEAN it as part of my weekly routine? Thanks, Linda
Jennifer Deppe
I have four kids and a dog so I am constantly cleaning. I love the fact that I can clean without chemicals with a steamer/sanitizer. We also want to put reclaimed barnwood on one of our walls so this will come in handy to prevent all the nasty stuff that comes with that! Thanks for the tips!
Danielle Fish
Definitely the bathroom!
lee
fabulous suggestion, love my homeright sprayer
Kimberlee
Does this process work for barn wood also? I've read to have it kiln dried before using it in a house
Stacy
If you live in an area with high humidity, it is a good idea to make sure it has completely dried before using it in your home.
Carolyn Daley
It would be nice to sanitize the bathroom floors and surfaces.
Francine Anchondo
My bathroom
karen tate
Everything in my house needs sanitizing! I have a dog and 5 adults coming and going all the time. It would be helpful to kill off the germs my son brings home from the school kids so the rest of us are not constantly sniffly or sick. I can appreciate the need to really clean any wood brought into the house. I use bleach water to kill any bugs, mold, algae, and plants that might be lurking in the grain.
Cheryl Lewis
With two toddler grandchildren, I have plenty that needs to be sanitized. I would start with the toys!
Anita Duvall
I would like for everything to be sanitized, but the Kitchen is my pet peeve. I want the countertops, floors, and cabinets thoroughly sanitized!
Shawna Yeomans
LOVE reclaimed wood!
Cheryl Koelzer
Thanks for the great information. I would love to win!!
Stephanie Larison
The kitchen tiles definitely need the help!
Lisa V.
All my flooring and furniture would use sanitizing.
Sarah
The bathroom! Little boys are a mess.
Kelley P
I just made some signs out of an old fence for my nieces wedding. I definitely could use a steamer, hoping to win. Thank you!
ANGEL Buffalino
Thanks for posting this. Just in time for spring projects
Samantha
This is great, i always leave those pallets I see on the side of the road because I wonder how to clean them up but wishing I could make them into something. i really need to clean the window crevices.
Kathy
I'm about to start a wood pallet DIY project and just came across this post on Pinterest! I'm going to make sure I clean the heck out of the pallet I picked up on the side of the road yesterday :)
Caitlin Richmond
What a fantastic idea. I recently found some old barn doors, and turned them into a headboard and I hated feeling like they were never clean enough!
Caitlin
Thanks for the idea!
clynsg
The upholstered furniture needs sanitizing--animals are always on them!
EMMA L HORTON
MY FLOORS NEED SANITIZING
jules m.
pretty much every single square inch of it.
Karen in Texas
Me !! I could use this for many different projects !
Richard Hicks
The bath room certainly needs it.
Laurie Emerson
Our bathroom could really use sanitizing, especially all the tile we have in our shower stall.
Breanne
My bathroom.
Sherry Conrad
Our bathroom flooded not long ago, and while it was professionally cleaned, I would feel better if I could steam it half to death. ;)
Della Barker
Everything! I have pets and really need to sanitize my floors. A steamer for sanitizing reclaimed wood is a wonderful idea! Thank you for posting about this!
Lisa Davis
The bathroom needs sanitizing
Ginny s
I had just finished getting a bunch of wood ready and wondered if there was a better way to clean it. Now I just need to get a steamer!
nipa
My bathroom and laundry room santizing
R Jones
Personal wishlist of home sanitizing: counter tops, floors and reclaimed pallet wood stash.
Steam makes everything seem extra clean...
(PS. Thanks for the wonderful wood cleaning pointers!)
Lucinda
Ooh, this steamer would be so great to keep up with my kiddos' messes!
Laura Bristol
OMG This is a GREAT idea! I never considering steaming my reclaimed wood! This raises things to a whole new level! Thanks!
Michelle D
My kitchen floors need sanitizing!
Lorrie Potts
the tracks of my vinyl windows need sanitizing
Sherri G.
All of the heat-resistance surfaces in my kitchen and bathrooms - stove, counter tops and of course, the floors - need a good steam clean.
Ashley Landry
Doing a project right now with reclaimed barn wood. Could use a steamer to finish it!
April Rutherford
This looks awesome, and thanks so much for the tutorial!!
Denise Donaldson
my bathroom!
rachel
Genius! never would have thought to clean it
Amy Heinle
I need to sanitize back by the furnace/water heater....we had a mishap and I need to scrub it up.
Jordyn
My bathroom definitely needs it more than anywhere else! Thanks for sharing this :)
sand
i would like to sanitize my kitchen.
Tina Reynolds
I would say the bathroom floors and kitchen floor I mop but this seems more effective
Chris from Midwest Cottage and Finds
Ohhhh I would love to add this to my arsenal!
Jessica Hays
My bathroom floors!!!
Thanks!
Trisha McKee
My furniture, especially my couches. I have three bulldogs.
Kristi
Thanks for sharing this. I have quite a bit of reclaimed wood that I am dying to use. I do have a question though since I've not yet done a project with the wood. If I use this in a bathroom, do I need to water seal it or would it be fine to just paint?
Thank you!!
Lisa Calvey
Very interesting post - thanks fir sharing I am just wondering how you recommend sealing the wood. I jought a reclaimed wood table and it seems to hold the slightest bit of grease. Wondering how best to seal with ruining the natural look.
Kathy
thanks for the info! I only like using old outside worn out dirty wood! Lol! I enjoy the finished look of it much better. My main concern has been am I getting it clean enough? I've been scrubbing w/apple cider vinegar steel wool brushes to get into holes and rinseing the heck out of them. Also spraying them w/bug spray! Thank you!
JUDY IN TEXAS
THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR TIPS. I CLEANED SOME RECLAIMED CEDAR FENCE BOARDS AND THEY BECAME "FUZZY." I HAD TO SAND THE BOARDS FOREVER WITH A PALM SANDER AND 60 GRIT SANDPAPER. IS THERE ANYWAY TO AVOID THIS HEAVY SANDING STEP? AFTER I WASHED THE BOARDS, I SCRUBBED WITH A FLOOR BRUSH.
Bbrooks
Just starting my reclaimed wood skills...hoping to turn it into a business and turn it into a business. Thanks for the information, I now know how important it is to clean your wood thoroughly. I'm interested in pallet work, so this was very helpful as you just do not know what had been shipped on the pallets.
C T Ross
please be aware of the dangers of Lead-based paint!
Betty
I wanna win a homeright steam machine plus! :(
arthur nicholie
Hi, I live in Germmany and I'm buying a house here in Germany I'm from Detroit area. I've got about 30 one-way pallets and I'm going to do my bedroom wall with them and thanks for to tips. I'll try and send before and after pictures. write and lets correspond thanks Arthur
Barbara Wagner
Great projects! I have been trying to clean wood furniture but I haven`t had success. Love your blog. It helps me a lot. Thank you for sharing it. Best regards!
Dee Gardener
Love the idea of steam cleaning barn wood before using it inside. I still am wary of using pallet wood because of the chemicals used in the making of the pallets and also what chemicals could have spilled onto the pallet wood while in use. There are so many great projects to try with pallet wood, though, I may have to make something for a less used room....
Joel Kromrei
I need a HomeRight Steam Machine Pluse. I am just beginning the challenge of using recycled wood, making wood signs, etc. I read your peice of How to Clean and Sanitize Reclaimed Wood. I never thought of steam cleaning the wood, but it does make sense. Thank you for sharing.
Joel
Ashlyn
Great post!! I love reclaimed wood, so this is great to know!
Betty
Your right about the steaming sounds THKS
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Pricilla
I have read that you can also use oxiclean to clean reclaimed wood.
Becky Hall
Thanks for the info! Very interesting!
Rebecca
Thank you for this tip. I have a lot of projects and material at hand. This is the only thing that has kept me from proceeding. It is never told in project process. A steam cleaner sounds like the perfect cleaning tool for me.
Karen Patton
Hey there! Your projects are just beautiful! I am on the beginning end of working with reclaimed wood and have been researching what I need to do with it first. My first thought about reclaimed wood, especially if it's been outside, was bugs being inside of it. I have a fear of making some beautiful project and then having it begin to crawl!! Ugh! It seems as though everything I read says to treat the wood with costly pesticide glaze type thingys. Plus they are epensive! Does steaming the wood take care of any bugs and their larvae they may have left behind?
Thanks for your time and input.
Stacy
If the piece is small enough to put in the oven, I would bake it at a low temp (225 f) to make sure. I have never had larvae in my wood. The steam get very hot but if they are inside of the wood the heat may not reach them.
Claudia Blanton
how cool! I love how reclaimed wood looks like but before reading your post, I had no idea how i would ever do anything with it. Thanks for the inspiration.
Blessings!
Claudia via http://missfiercelyindependent.com
Sherry Nappa
Thanks for sharing these great techniques with us at the Merry Monday link party.
Linda Holding
Thank you so much for this valuable information. I am about to start some creative idea with reclaimed wood, so once I know this my projects will awesome. And it will be fun and it will make and the people I care about happy. Thank you again. Oh I love what you done with wood. Sincerely, Linda
Jessica
Hello, when using reclaimed wood, how would you know if the wood was pressure treated/ contains toxic chemicals and therefore can or cannot be used in the house? If it is pressure treated with chemicals, does this process that you describe make it "clean"? I'm new to upcycling wood but would love to do it but put safety of my family first!
Stacy
If it is really old wood (older than 1970) then is probably wasn't treated. After reading up on it that was the date when wood started being treated. The process and the chemicals used have changed over the years and sometimes varies from company to company. If you cut the wood and you can see the grey layer, then a green layer, then the yellow of the wood, then the green layer indicates that it was treated. BUT sometimes the green isn't visible even though it was treated so just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it wasn't treated. Aside from doing a chemical test at a lab, there is no sure fire way to know if it was treated if there is no green. I have only ever used wood from old barns (pre 1970), wood I bought but it got left outside for several years without being used, and fences being torn down by people I know. I asked if it was pressure treated and they said they were pretty sure it wasn't. Obviously there is still a risk since they weren't 100% but I decided to chance it.
I don't believe the steaming process will remove any chemicals. Unfortunately if they are there, they are there to stay.
Either way, I never use reclaimed wood for items that would come in contact with food. I use them for outdoor projects and shelving for books and baskets.
I hope that helped!
Luanne Janzen
Will a steamer such as yours also kill parisites? I have recently contracted a parisite called giardia . i believe it had to have been from an old shed that i got some old boards out of. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. I am on antibiotics now, but it has been aweful. People need to be aware of the risks of using old wood.
Tom Sizemore
Anything that comes into contact with feces (poop) from infected humans or animals can become contaminated with the Giardia parasite. People become infected when they swallow the parasite. It is not possible to become infected through contact with blood.
I had asked (below) why one might steam the wood. I don't know if steaming would 'sterilize' the wood - but it likely would clean fecal material from the wood!!
Tom Sizemore
Why do you steam the wood?
Mike
I don't have a steamer, what is another way of sanitizing re-claimed lumber, that is as effective as the steamer,("germ-wise")?
lk
I take old stockade fence to the car wash. Easy process. I Then pour or spray part water and part bleach over the wood for a couple of minutes then rinse. Just an easier way since I own a truck and can do the whole process in the bed of the truck
Daniele
A couple questions here, I hope you don't mind. 1. Can steaming the wood sanitize enough to make a cutting board? 2. I have a house that instead of subflooring has mixed wood floors they need the nails rest and was wondering when I go to sand and restain could I steam them to sanitze this way as well because it is a fixer upper and I am trying to combat the old house smell.
Gini Bossenbroek
Hi! Wondering if you seal the reclaimed wood at all?
Jim
After washing the wood so much doesn't it warp?
Woodworking nurse
Enjoyed the article, I’m a nurse and woodworker who is germaphobic on infinite levels. My time is valuable, fast paced with over whelming detail, and while juggling my OCD the innovation of fun is a must! So spending a lot of time sanding, scrubbing, and steaming are proper sanitation techniques the system can be discouraging. Time is critical for anyone and I’m no exception, to be innovative I’ve develop a fun way for anyone with limited time to sanitize like this article.
I went to a local autozone searching for a brush when I stumbled across a self propelled water hoes brush with a chemical container attached. I washed down the old barn wood first, then using the water hoes brush and adding 1 part bleach and 2 part water in the attached container I went to work. Within minutes the wood was looking much cleaner and I had lots of fun scrubbing that old nasty barn wood.
Next once the wood was dry I took it to the planer, this cut the sanding process down 75%. When I finished sanding the Hoover floor steamer came out which not only steamed the wood but gave it another scrub down making the barn wood grain pop out.
Once the sanitation was complete I went to my local hardware store buying a can of polyeruthane satin flat. This kept the wood in its original look and sealed.
Thanks and hope this will help others too.
Timmy M
I'm wondering if in the case that you don't have access to a steamer, would pouring boiling water over the word sanitize it just as well as steam?
Terry
Thanks for the tips.
Diane
Thanks for the input. Love that it was simple and to the point.
Barb
How do I sanitize if I don't have a steamer.
Michael Gill
Don't hate on me but I think that's a waste of time. All one needs to do is pressure wash it one good time, I have a low electric powered pressure washer that I use around the house, on my car, roof, sidewalks & driveway etc, etc. And yes my reclaimed wood. If you don't have washer just take wood to your local car wash and clean car & wood now that's efficiency.
Troy Todd
I am deconstructing a small home and garage built in 1930. I want to keep all the wood to repurpose for the tiny home I'm going to build on the property. What suggestions do you have for me? Thank you, Troy
rachel beaver
Do you steam with just water or a mixture of vinegar and water?
Stacy
Just water :)