Wood colour/care advice please

Shellsworth88

Hello

I have recently moved into a new house which has a bespoke kitchen fitted.

Whilst it is lovely, there is a lot of real wood features, such as wooden edging of cupboards and wooden columns.We have noticed that the wooden edging near the kettle, and the wooden column next to the dishwasher has lost its wooden colour and is going white.

I guess this is from the steam from both the kettle and the dishwasher.

My two questions are:
1) What would be the best way to treat and restore the wood in this areas?
2) what type of wood is it?

I don't just want to slap on some wood oil as I want it to match the rest of the wood in the kitchen without having to treat it all.

Here are two photographs - One of the column next to the dishwasher, and the second of a larger wood section.

dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43375865/Kitchen%201.JPG

dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43375865/kitchen%202.JPG

Hope this makes sense - any help or advice is much appreciated

Thanks
Shellsworth

ic

DirectDebacle

The column looks as if something (detergent?) has been spilt on it. Using a soft cloth dampened with white spirit rub a small area of the column to see what that effect that has on it to start off with.

Not sure of the wood, possibly beech.

Shellsworth88

Thanks.

Although I'm not sure that its detergent, and the wood is doing similiar (though not as bad) above where the kettle is and slightly above the hob where steam goes.

I'll give the cloth a whirl though

dodders

[QUOTE=DirectDebacle;6276178

Not sure of the wood, possibly beech.[/QUOTE]

Oak,from what I can see, all of the kitchen

Shellsworth88

Wiped the areas in question down with a damp cloth, seemed to go darker but once dried it has gone back to being white

Any ideas what I can try next? Perhaps some wax or oil? I'm just not sure which I should get

Leif

It does look like oak as said earlier.

Do you know who fitted it? If so, contact them. Did you get any documents with the sale? Maybe a care guide, or a guarantee? Is it among the pile of documents containing a copy of your house deeds, solicitors letters and so on?

The finish might be oiled, or finished with a lacquer, such as polyurethane or acrylic. If the surface feels very like wood rather than plastic, then it may well be oil. If there is a hidden area, then wipe on a little Danish oil with a white lint free cloth, and wait a day for it to fully dry. Take care the oil does not drip on carpet and other areas as it really is oil, with some resins, and volatile additives. And you apply it thinly. According to my neighbour vinegar can remove marks, and according to various sources, wiping on mayonnaise does the trick due no doubt to the oil and vinegar. I've tried neither.

Shellsworth88

Thanks Leif.

No idea who fitted the kitchen, no details were given when we moved in regarding the kitchen fittings just the oven instruction manual!

It feels like wood, i.e. not a plastic feel. I'll get the OH to give Danish oil a go - I fear using mayonnaise will only encourage the dogs to eat the units! Thank you!