This has always driven me crazy about how certain paint companies make it seem like you just open the tin, get your brush and off you go. The first picture is after I washed down the piece with methylated spirits to get the surface dirt off. The second picture is after I scrubbed thoroughly with sugar soap (pic 3 is just from that small area). Very old pieces like these most often will have come from houses where people smoked but because it’s a progressive ingrained stain over many years, it can look to people that it is just now the colour of the wood. Always double check old furniture when cleaning otherwise you are wasting your time painting it 🙂
