[Feen]

I have been asked to clean a new house for the first time, The window cleaning is straight forward, but she also asked me if I could clean the plaster off her window frames inside. They are stained wooden frames. The rough plaster comes off fine with a scraper, however it leaves a stain. If I rub it with a damp cloth or windolene type stuff, it disappears briefly but comes back when it dries. Any ideas? I am tempted to tell her to get the painter to sand the frames and re-stain them as I don't really want to be bothered with it, but if there's an easy solution I'll give it a go. I've attached a picture (I hope !).

[East coast window cleaning Services]

warm water with a green washing up sponage (THEONE WITH A SPONAGE ONE SIDE AND SOFT GREEN ABBRASIVE SIDE THE OTHER)

[DaveG]

maybe some white spirit?

[AJ]

If its just plaster getting in the grain, a nail brush with fairy and water should do it.

[Feen]

Thanks guys. I think she's tried the scouring sponge. Maybe the nailbrush would be better. Would be worried white spirit would change the colour of the wood stain. I feel a bit sorry for her as she has has chosen these windows specifically and the plasterer has made an ar*e of them. Still don't fancy cleaning them, but I did tell her my hourly rate

[macmac]

Would it not be better to trim them up with a narrow piece of architrave? This would bridge the gap & leave a clean line at either side.

Tony

[craig b]

you could get them rubbed down a re-stained...
when you go back take a bottle of baby oil with you..after you try cleaning  again and they come up white again try rubbing a bit of baby oil on with a dry cloth..
also try a micro fibre cloth

[craig b]

having looked again at pics again macmac would be right trim looks like the only good option..or sealing with silacone would tidy it up

[David Slater]

Are they new frames? Or newly stained?

If so, then the decorator will need to come back to rub down woodwork and touch up stain.

The decorator should have done this in the first place....pretty shoddy work on his part.

New timber is porous (it will 'suck' the wet plaster into the grain) Yo wont remove it with cleaning solutiuons.

A tidy line can be created using a stanley knife (to remove excess paster from frame) and gently sanding the plaster around the window frame to give a 'smooth' appearance....its called 'rounding' or 'blending' depending on who you speak to!