Pro tip: My glue-ups got way cleaner after I started using a cheap spray bottle for water

I used to wipe excess glue with a damp rag, but it always left a bit of a smear. Switched to a light mist from a dollar store spray bottle, let it sit for 90 seconds, and the glue scrapes off clean with a chisel. Anyone else have a better method for cleanup?

4 comments

4 Comments

julia_carter618h agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, charles720 that alcohol mix is something I've been messing with too. I do a 3 to 1 water to alcohol ratio on raw wood projects, and it dries so fast I don't even have to wait for that rubbery stage. The trick for me is to use a sharp cabinet scraper instead of a chisel after the mist sits about 60 seconds. The alcohol cuts the water tension and lets the glue wick under the edge of the glue line way better than straight water. But I've burned myself too - on a walnut table with a thin veneer, the alcohol mix sucked the moisture out too fast and the veneer started curling up at the joints. Have you tried it on any oily woods like teak or ipe yet?

amy_coleman2mo ago

Oh man, that's such a good tip! I had the exact same problem with the rag leaving a smeary mess. My game changer was using a plastic putty knife right as the glue gets rubbery, maybe two minutes after I wipe it. The spray bottle idea is smarter though, because it gets into corners. I'm totally trying that next time.

thomas8152mo ago

Careful with the alcohol mix on pre-finished floors though. The solvents can sometimes mess with the factory finish. I learned that the hard way on some engineered maple. For raw wood it's fine, but test it in a closet first if the floor already has a top coat.

charles7202mo ago

My old foreman swore by mixing a little denatured alcohol in the spray bottle with the water. He said maybe one part alcohol to four parts water. It makes the water evaporate faster so you don't get that cloudy film in the seams. I tried it on some oak flooring last year and it really did leave a cleaner line.