What to do with Mouldy Old Wooden Furniture

Earlier this year I inherited some old furniture from my Aunts house after she passed away, with the intention of using it in my first house.

Massive wardrobe, chest of draws and some semi upholstered arm chairs.

They have been in my garage since then and now unfortunately due to it being winter have suffered quite badly from white mould on the woodwork.

The massive wardrobe is just too big to feasibly use in my house.

The chest of draws I don’t really have a use for now in the house, but could re purpose as a tool chest in the garage.

I would like to use the chairs in my lounge, although they are suffering from a bit of historic mould on the fabric, which I’m hoping an upholstery cleaner can sort out.

I’m a little bit annoyed that I didn’t get rid to a second hand shop in the summer and that they are in too bad a state now to donate to a shop.

In all honesty they are now a burden, particularly the wardrobe and not sure what to do with them.

Advice greatly appreciated

Oh yeah and the chest of draws also has some wood worm problem

The mould on the woidwork will wipe off. It will be growing on the thick layer of grime and wax not the underlying shellac etc.

You need to work out what the finish is before you clean it. If its not shellac meths on some super fine wire wool will take all the junk off, you might be surprised with how much nicer the wood looks. Test a hidden bit.

What sort of furniture are we talking? Some has value. So is just “old” it might be quality but of no real interest… Except…. I have stacks of wood taken from old furniture. Wood types and quality you literally cannot get any more, mahogany, fine grained slow grown old pine etc.

Oh yeah and the chest of draws also has some wood worm problem

If you keep, treat that, permethrin is cheap and easy to handle (and from memory safe once dry).

Someone like Shelter will take them for free if they’re to standard https://england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/shops/house_clearance

You’ll probably find a local charity offering a similar service and who’ll take them for resto as work experience and then either donation to a family or shop sale

chest of drawERS

Thanks for the tips Josh.

They look like nice bits of furniture, but not really an expert so unsure of what wood it is.

Again not sure how to determine the finish, how do you do this?

Is it worth putting up an advert on Gumtree or similar, for someone to take them if they are willing to put the effort in?

Are there companies/ services that take on old furniture for free with the aim of restoring them?

My biggest issue particularly with the wardrobe due to it’s size is that I don’t really have the space within the garage to do go a good job of getting to all the areas to remove the mould.

Is it worth putting up an advert on Gumtree or similar, for someone to take them if they are willing to put the effort in?

Are there companies/ services that take on old furniture for free with the aim of restoring them?

See my post ^^. Yes, where are you?

Cheers Timba.

I will call a couple of local charity shops to see if they are interested and have listed on Freecycle/ Freegle.

I’m in the Halifax area.

Give Project Colt a call and ask them if they are interested.

Yeah was going to contact Project Colt, as bought some stuff from them before

With the upholstered furniture, particularly if it’s older … whether or not it’s up to standard in fire safety terms should influence what you do with them (beyond cleaning). If you want them in your home I’d check that before expending any elbow grease on cleaning them. But also a charity shop won’t accept them off you if they’re not correctly labelled as it’s illegal for them to then sell them without correct labelling.

If they’re not up to current standard but you want to use them (or if they worth something) then it might be worthwhile getting them re-upholstered.

https://reuse-network.org.uk/

Yep, Project Colt Mill is the local re-use centre for you

They look like nice bits of furniture, but not really an expert so unsure of what wood it is.

Well it depends what they are. Post a photo.

If its mid century modern sell them. If its gross old dark brown stuff its worth peaking inside the carcass, worth looking up oak, ash pine and mahogany teak that will cover the likley culprits.

Also with woodworm, old furniture was built efficiently so nice stuff on the outside cheaper stuff where you can’t see it. Its quite possible for a piece to have been devoured at all the connections where pine blocking is used but all the good stuff to be totally clear.

Old dark wood furniture is currently not at all popular and difficult to shift.

I have lots of it, I live in an old house so it’s right for the property and I like it – the caveat being I like nice pieces of dark wood furniture, not all dark wood furniture. Some of it is gopping, as is some furniture from most eras.

I accept I’m out on a limb, other people like it too but it’s a limited market. Not many people want a between the wars austerity aesthetic, but often the pieces are beautifully made or perhaps in an attractive utilitarian style that is no longer seen.

Re mould I would just wipe down and remove from a damp environment. It’ll be ok. From time to time I go over mine with a furniture polish and cloth. Makes a big difference

I accept I’m out on a limb, other people like it too but it’s a limited market. Not many people want a between the wars austerity aesthetic, but often the pieces are beautifully made or perhaps in an attractive utilitarian style that is no longer seen.

Quite often they weren’t even that dark originally.

Build up of wax, dirt an polish plus oxidization of the finish have created generic dark brown with very little of the grain popping through.

Quite often they weren’t even that dark originally.

Build up of wax, dirt an polish plus oxidization of the finish have created generic dark brown with very little of the grain popping through.

Interesting, every day is a school day

I wish i had a photo to illustrate.

But if you see a half drop leaf or extending table that looks old and brown and gross,cits often worth opening them to see.

The most spectacular i saw was at my grans when we cleared it. Opening it exposed a deep ruby red mahogany top that looked like staring into a galaxy. Unfortunately my uncle tagged it first so its doomed to slowly rot away in a pile of junk.