(4 pack) CitriStrip Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel, Citrus Scent, 1 Quart

Citristrip worked like a charm on painted surfaces. Not so much on stain or maybe it was the varnish? To be fair the finish on the coffee table was 30 years old. But the Citristrip left behind areas that were not penetrated so either I had to apply another coat or work extra hard at sanding.

I used this on an antique dresser that had seven layers of paint. It took me several rounds of stripping to get all the paint off, but this product worked and didn't damage the dresser at all. It also smelled pleasant and didn't make me sick to my stomach or give a headache, which is a huge bonus. The only issue I had was that it did leave a stain on surrounding items if some of the peeled off paint goop landed on them; however, I was able to strip that off as well with some extra work. The photos I included show the dresser 3 layers in, the final strip before sanding, and the finished product after staining. I used this stripper, a palm sander, and about 30 hours of my sweat equity to restore this dresser.