Forget fancy brushes and foam pads for a second. A rag is just a piece of an old t-shirt that finally found its purpose after years of being a dust-bunny victim. You’re basically recycling your laundry into art supplies. Grab a lint-free cotton rag—an old t-shirt or a cut-up flannel sheet works perfectly. Do not use paper towels. They will disintegrate into your stain like a sad tissue in a rainstorm, leaving you with a fuzzy mess.
Before you even open the can, take a deep breath. Stain smells like a chemical daydream mixed with the ghost of a paint thinner. Open a window. Seriously, crack it wide open. You don’t want to stain your lungs while you’re staining your coffee table. Your future self, who enjoys breathing, will thank you.
Step One: The Dip and the Drip
Fold your rag into a nice, fat pad. Dip a corner into the stain, but do not soak it like it’s a sponge in a bathtub. You want it damp, not drowning. If it’s dripping, you’ve gone too far, my friend. Wring it out a little. You’re going for a “just-had-a-glass-of-water” level of wetness, not a “whoops-I-fell-in-the-pool” situation.
Now, start rubbing the stain onto the wood in long, even strokes. Follow the grain of the wood like you’re petting a cat’s fur from head to tail. Going against it is like rubbing a cat backwards—it looks angry and messy. The rag gives you incredible control; you can really push the stain into the nooks and crannies where a brush would just skate over the top.
How To Use A Rag To Stain Wood at Hudson Aiston blog
