Trying a vinegar and steel wool stain was a smelly disaster

I read that vinegar and steel wool make a good earth-friendly stain for wood. I mixed a big jar in my garage last week. The fumes were so strong, my dog ran out and hid. The finish came out all splotchy and now my table looks like a bad paint job. I had to air out the whole house for a long time.

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marknelson7mo ago

Did yours also turn the wood a weird gray and stay sticky?

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laura_lee7mo ago

Ugh, that's the worst, @marknelson. I had the same sticky gray mess on my fence.

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phoenixcampbell7mo ago

Tried a different brand on my deck last year and it did the same thing. Left these patchy gray streaks that never fully dried. Felt tacky for months even after two coats. Ended up power washing the whole thing off by June.

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