GS

Gordon Shumway

13/06/2007 4:09 PM

Cat yak on bedroom dresser

Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes
after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and then
drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The result was
two distinct areas that are discolored and they are darker than the
surrounding area.

Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete
top that might get it looking good again?

G.S.


This topic has 12 replies

Sb

"SonomaProducts.com"

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

13/06/2007 5:06 PM

This could be moisture trapped under the finish. If this is lacquer
(probably is in production furniture), you can try rubbing it out with
alcohol. Test on inconspicious place first to be sure it isn't shellac
(highly unlikely). As the alcohol evaporates it "sometimes" pulls
moisture out along with it. This sometimes removes water rings.

For some reason mineral oil sometimes does the same thing. Sorry I
can't offer any psuedo science reason why this might work but it is an
old wives tale that does work sometimes.

If the piece is just stained and unfinished or oil finished, this
might be moisture that will eventually dry out on it's own.

A drastic solution is to use a dark gel stain wiped over the whole
surface and carefully wiped down to leave just enough to tone the
whole surface to an even (more even maybe) look. This is not very
reversable after it dries but if you keep some mineral spirits near by
you can completley remove it (except for in scratches, dents, etc.)
while it is drying. Gel stain is just poly with pigment and ploy dries
slow. I do this to tone pieces, antique them or even rejuvinate old
pieces and it is very controllable. You could do this just to the
surface of the top and leave the rest of the piece as is.


On Jun 13, 2:09 pm, Gordon Shumway <[email protected]> wrote:
> Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
> Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes
> after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and then
> drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The result was
> two distinct areas that are discolored and they are darker than the
> surrounding area.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete
> top that might get it looking good again?
>
> G.S.

Sb

"SonomaProducts.com"

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

13/06/2007 5:07 PM


Oh yeah, the cat might look good a shade or two darker too... little
bastard.

On Jun 13, 5:06 pm, "SonomaProducts.com" <[email protected]> wrote:
> This could be moisture trapped under the finish. If this is lacquer
> (probably is in production furniture), you can try rubbing it out with
> alcohol. Test on inconspicious place first to be sure it isn't shellac
> (highly unlikely). As the alcohol evaporates it "sometimes" pulls
> moisture out along with it. This sometimes removes water rings.
>
> For some reason mineral oil sometimes does the same thing. Sorry I
> can't offer any psuedo science reason why this might work but it is an
> old wives tale that does work sometimes.
>
> If the piece is just stained and unfinished or oil finished, this
> might be moisture that will eventually dry out on it's own.
>
> A drastic solution is to use a dark gel stain wiped over the whole
> surface and carefully wiped down to leave just enough to tone the
> whole surface to an even (more even maybe) look. This is not very
> reversable after it dries but if you keep some mineral spirits near by
> you can completley remove it (except for in scratches, dents, etc.)
> while it is drying. Gel stain is just poly with pigment and ploy dries
> slow. I do this to tone pieces, antique them or even rejuvinate old
> pieces and it is very controllable. You could do this just to the
> surface of the top and leave the rest of the piece as is.
>
> On Jun 13, 2:09 pm, Gordon Shumway <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
> > Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes
> > after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and then
> > drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The result was
> > two distinct areas that are discolored and they are darker than the
> > surrounding area.
>
> > Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete
> > top that might get it looking good again?
>
> > G.S.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

AS

ALF SCHUMWAY

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

14/06/2007 7:09 AM

On Jun 13, 5:09 pm, Gordon Shumway <[email protected]> wrote:
> Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
> Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes
> after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and then
> drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The result was
> two distinct areas that are discolored and they are darker than the
> surrounding area.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete
> top that might get it looking good again?
>
> G.S.

Your cat wouldn't be named "Lucky", would it?

Bp

BillinDetroit

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

17/06/2007 10:40 PM

Gordon Shumway wrote:
> There have been several good suggestions but unfortunately most of
> them involve the cat. Has anyone tried any of the Formby's products?
> Is seems like their Face Lift Kit might be what would work.
>
> G.S.
>

The cat caused the problem. It only seems fair that he should have a
share in fixing it.

;-)


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JJ

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

13/06/2007 11:43 PM

Wed, Jun 13, 2007, 4:09pm (EDT-1) [email protected]
(Gordon=A0Shumway) doth sayeth:
Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. <snip> Does anyone have any
suggestions other than refinishing the complete top that might get it
looking good again?

First thought is, have the cat yak on it again, then spread it over
the entire top before you wipe it off. Might not look great, but at
least then the whole top would look the same.

Next thought is paint it.

Or, you could just find something big to sit on top of the dresser. =




JOAT
If a man does his best, what else is there?
- General George S. Patton

MD

"Morris Dovey"

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

13/06/2007 8:45 PM

Gordon Shumway wrote:
| Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
| Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes
| after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and
| then drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The
| result was two distinct areas that are discolored and they are
| darker than the surrounding area.
|
| Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete
| top that might get it looking good again?

Add several drops of turpentine to a cat hide and work it in
uniformly. Polish entire dresser top vigorously with cat hide until
finish is even. Take care to avoid scratching the surface while
polishing. Don't forget to return hide to cat when finished.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

c

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

14/06/2007 3:26 PM

On Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:09:45 -0500, Gordon Shumway
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
>Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes
>after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and then
>drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The result was
>two distinct areas that are discolored and they are darker than the
>surrounding area.
>
>Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete
>top that might get it looking good again?
>
>G.S.


Personally, I'd wipe the top down with baking soda in water before
doing anything else. The stain likely contains hydrochloric acid and
it may have penetrated the surface finish and into the wood.

Then wipe the entire surface down with a solvent to peel back any
waxes that may be holding the stain.

Then the alcohol to remove the solvent residue and any moisture.

Then wait a few days to see if it all comes together.

Then kill the cat. Or kill the cat first. If you flatten it out, it
makes a nice wall hanging almost as nice as a Dali painting.

Pete


En

"EXT"

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

14/06/2007 2:51 PM

Strange, cats normally don't do this on wooden furniture, if they are going
to hack up a fur ball they usually run to the nearest carpet to do it on!
Don't ask how I am familiar with this habitual routine.


"Gordon Shumway" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
> Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes
> after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and then
> drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The result was
> two distinct areas that are discolored and they are darker than the
> surrounding area.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete
> top that might get it looking good again?
>
> G.S.

JC

"J. Clarke"

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

18/06/2007 7:42 AM

BillinDetroit wrote:
> Gordon Shumway wrote:
>> There have been several good suggestions but unfortunately most of
>> them involve the cat. Has anyone tried any of the Formby's products?
>> Is seems like their Face Lift Kit might be what would work.
>>
>> G.S.
>>
>
> The cat caused the problem. It only seems fair that he should have a
> share in fixing it.

Perhaps the cat yakked his last and has since been
buried/cremated/eaten?

Might be worthwhile calling the Hemingway house in Key West. Being a
museum with 60 cats in residence it is difficult to imagine them _not_
having some way to deal with the problem.


--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

GS

Gordon Shumway

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

14/06/2007 3:44 PM

There have been several good suggestions but unfortunately most of
them involve the cat. Has anyone tried any of the Formby's products?
Is seems like their Face Lift Kit might be what would work.

G.S.

GS

Gordon Shumway

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

14/06/2007 3:36 PM

Believe it or not, yes. He's 16 yrs old. I don't know if he'll make
it to 17.

G.S.

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:09:05 -0700, ALF SCHUMWAY
<[email protected]> wrote:


>Your cat wouldn't be named "Lucky", would it?

UC

Unquestionably Confused

in reply to Gordon Shumway on 13/06/2007 4:09 PM

13/06/2007 9:31 PM

Gordon Shumway, wrote the following at or about 6/13/2007 4:09 PM:
> Yesterday our cat hacked up something ugly on the top of our Ethan
> Allen, dark Pine, bedroom dresser. My wife caught this only minutes
> after it happened. After cleaning the area with a damp cloth and then
> drying the area she then dusted the area with Pledge. The result was
> two distinct areas that are discolored and they are darker than the
> surrounding area.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions other than refinishing the complete
> top that might get it looking good again?

Cover it up with a nice dresser scarf. Preferably a cat fur dresser
scarf<g>


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