Step-by-Step Instructions and Pictures of How to Refresh Your Kitchen Cabinets

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1. Clean the dirty doors, drawer faces and cabinets by lightly rubbing them with mineral spirits and No. 0000 steel wool or synthetic steel wool. Work in a well-ventilated area. Too much rubbing will create lightened areas. If you have stubborn black stains left by hardware, apply oxalic acid (available at home centers) with a cotton swab (follow manufacturer’s directions). Rinse off the acid as soon as the stain disappears. If you accidentally lighten an area too much, apply a matching gel stain to the spot and let it dry before proceeding.