Sunday, August 17, 2014

TKO Orange Oil: The Most Awesome Annie Sloan Dark Wax Tip - Ever!

Disclaimer:  So many people have pinned this tip that I want to say - please test an area.  I am not an expert - this is just what is working for me and I'm super pleased with it.  The TKO oil is pricey, but it is safe to use and if you don't like the results you can use it for other things.


OK, that is just my opinion, 
but it has been so wonderful for me

I have to share this!


Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is by far one of the best things to ever hit the furniture painting world.  You don't have to sand or do much prep - you just paint with ASCP and finish it with wax.  The results are so, so pretty.  Here is an example of a china cabinet I recently finished  with it.  You can see the full post here.



The paint does take some adjusting to because its covers a little differently and it can dry out on your brush.  You will adjust to that fairly quickly, though.  The wax, however, is another story.  For me, the learning curve on waxing has been a big one - especially the dark wax.  Let me explain - when you paint a piece it will look something like this (paint color:  Old White):


For some pieces, this is great.  You just wax with 2 coats of clear, and you are finished.  However, sometimes you want to bring out the ornamentation and details of a piece, so you use a dark wax for your 2nd coat.  Supposedly you can thin the dark down with clear wax if it is too dark, or you can use clear wax on a rag to wipe off whatever dark wax you don't want.  On some furniture this seems to work fine.  Others, not so much.  Unfortunately, regardless of how many tutorials I read or watched, my china hutch was waaaay too dark and streaky for what I was after.  Even after wiping and wiping and wiping with clear wax on my rag - I still got this (This is Old White with dark wax):


Uuuugh!  After so much work - this really discouraged me.  I tried every technique  I found, but felt like my only option was to repaint over the wax (which is something you can do with chalk paint) - but then what?  Plus, I've had this issue on other pieces.  In desperation, I decided to start trying things to see if I could come up with something that worked for me and gave me more control.  

You know what?
I found something 
and it works amazing!!!


I get this oil at my local health food store.  It has many, many great uses.


I found that by using a tiny amount of TKO, an orange cleaning oil, I could greatly control my dark wax.   


I simply tipped the bottle onto my rag covered finger tip and immediately began lightly, lightly rubbing over the dark wax in long streaks.

Here you can see how easily it rubs off on the rag.


This oil is not cheap at $24.95, but you will not use very much.  In fact, it is a fraction of the cost when you compare this technique with using the clear wax (which didn't work for me anyway and it is $30 a can), plus this is a natural, nice-smelling product.

Can you see where I gently rubbed off some of the dark wax?


Bonus:  it doesn't matter if you wait weeks before you apply the oil - it still works.  Another bonus:  your piece will also have an amazing smooth feel without the tackiness you can get with waxing.  And fyi - there is still plenty of wax on the piece to protect it, but you could add another clear coat, if you like.

I removed some of the dark wax on the upper right corner in this picture.
If you have been frustrated with dark waxing, perhaps this will be the answer for you, too.  I can't even begin to tell you how pleased I am with this TKO oil.  

Lavender Tub Tip:  Pour some of the orange oil into a smaller bottle to work with.  You'll be very unhappy with yourself if you knock over a full bottle.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!








Update:  Since I posted this tip, I have since tried mixing the dark wax with the TKO oil 1:1.  I love how it smooths on and wipes off of a piece.



17 comments:

  1. I have been using ASCP for several years and mostly love it. So glad to have the tip about the dark wax. I must admit there have been a few times when it got to "dark" in places and I would add more clear wax to try and lighten it.
    I'll be looking for the orange tko you recommended to have on hand for the next time I have a little mess up.
    tina

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    1. I hope you like the results you get with this, Tina. At least the orange oil has many uses. I'd love to hear what you think when you try it.

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  2. The first time I used Annie Sloan Old White on a dresser and then wiped it with the dark wax I was horrified! It took me longer to get some of the dark wax off than it did to paint the piece in the first place. Thanks for sharing that tip about the oil.

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  3. Thank you so much for sharing your find! I love the Annie Sloan Chalk paint and use it exclusively, however I have started using the Amy Howard Dust of Ages to bring out all the details and add character to a piece instead of dark wax! Love it!! Carol

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  4. I love this tip and will be buying the oil if I can find it. I'm your newest follower, number 145. I am a wax-phobic chalk painter, so I'm a very happy to hope that this helps me get over my fear of waxing and distressing.

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    1. I think it can be ordered through amazon if you cannot find locally.

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  5. I believe this oil is similar to Goo Gone. If it is, then it is a petroleum based produce. You can achieve the same result at a much lower cost with a can of mineral spirits.

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    1. Thanks, Patty, for your tips! I did not think to try Goo Gone, but I can see it does have citrus oil in it. I like the TKO oil because it was very effective for me, it is safe to use in the house, and the amount I used was pretty minimal. I keep this on hand, so it was a great choice for me. I'm not sure I would opt for the mineral spirits - but I would have liked to have know that when I was frustrated with my project. I don't think TKO is petroleum based, but their website is www.tkoorange.com for anyone who wishes to learn more about it. Thanks again for your comment. It was helpful.

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  6. Great tip! I'd come to hate the dark wax because it was so difficult to use. Now I can start using it again!

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    1. LOL, I was afraid I was the only one having problems. The tuts out there make it look so easy, but that was not my results. I hope this works for you. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone ;)

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  7. Thanks for the tip. I use diluted orange oil as a spray in the bathroom. I once used a recipe I found on the internet to make chalk paint but I found it hard to get smooth. Annie Sloan paints have arrived in Australia now, so my next project will be using the real thing.
    Many thanks Lynne

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    1. I had worked with both homemade and AS. I like the homemade, but AS has so much pigment and is so smooth - it really is a lovely paint. I'd love to see what you do with it!

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  8. I love the look of your finished piece. I wonder if it would work with some pieces where I got too much clear wax on. You see this was the first time I used AS wax and it ended up splotchy. I felt the wax was too pricey to go all over the cabinets again.

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    1. I very much think it would work to remove some of your clear wax. I would just try an inconspicuous place first and go lightly. It will take it all the way down to the bare wood and I don't want you to be sorry you tried this. Also, I think AS wax is meant to be reapplied like once a year (I am not an expert on this at all), so maybe that will be a solution when some time has passed - to do a reapplication. I understand your concerns about the price, though. That is why I tried something different than the clear wax as a removal method - I was going through it and the dark was not diminishing enough. Best wishes on this.

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  9. The dark wax has been a nightmare for me, so this is a wonderful tip!

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    1. Me too, Tammi. I hope you have good luck with this. I've tried it on a couple of other pieces since I wrote this article, and I am pleased with how much it helps.

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