Citristrip Spray – My Honest Thoughts
I recently used Citristrip Aerosol Spray on a small side table of mine, and once I saw the results I knew I had to share a review of it here on the blog!
This post contains affiliate links. To read our full disclosure, please click here.
This is not a sponsored post, nor am I being paid to give this review. These are just my honest thoughts about a product we tried call Citristrip.
A few months ago my Mom gave me a little side table to try out in my living room. I loved the table, but I didn’t care for the finish. It was much too dark and I knew I wanted something lighter and more weathered. (Please forgive me for these awful cell phone shots you’re about to see. )
I have stripped furniture in the past, and if I’m being completely honest, I hated it. The whole process is messy, the fumes are strong, and it’s just a lot of work. For a busy mom of three, I was NOT looking forward to tackling this project, especially since this particular table had so many curves, crevices and angles.
Fortunately for me, a close friend told me months before about a spray on stripper call Citristrip that she absolutely loved and had great results with. I was intrigued but didn’t have anything to strip at the time, so I filed it away and kept it in the back of my mind for future projects.
When my husband and I went to pick up the stripper for this table, I saw this Citristrip Spray and remembered what my friend had told me. I showed it to my husband and he agreed that we should give it a try.
Citristrip Spray Review – Step 1
First, my husband took the table into our basement and placed it on a piece of plywood. You will have overspray so you want to be sure the surrounding area is protected. He then held the can about a foot away and covered the entire table with a generous coat of stripper.
After spraying the whole table, my husband wrapped it in plastic wrap to prevent the stripper from drying too quickly. You don’t have to do this, this step just seemed to help in past projects.
Citristrip Spray Review – Step 2
The directions on the can say that you can wait 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. I believe I waited about 6 before I began removing the stripper. But this was the interesting part…rather than removing the stripper with a putty knife like I have in past projects, the directions say to “scrub with a clean plastic stripping pad dipped in soapy water.”
Honestly, I just used the scratchy side of a sponge. It worked perfectly and really allowed me to get into those cracks and crevices. I was tempted to use steel wool since it’s worked great for stripping in the past, but the directions specifically say not to as it can cause rust spots. Afterward, I wiped the whole table down with a clean cloth.
When I finished wiping all of the stripper off, I was so discouraged. Because the table was wet, it made the finish appear dark. I went to bed that night thinking the stripper did nothing at all.
The next morning when I woke up I went downstairs to check on the table, and I couldn’t believe it. The table was SO much lighter after drying! Here’s a picture of what it looked like –
There were a few dark spots on the table that I decided to spray one more time, but overall I was soooo happy with the finish!
Citristrip Spray Review – Step 3
Finally, be sure to use Mineral Spirits to remove any left over residue. I decided to sand my table to see if it would lighten up a bit more, but I didn’t really notice a significant difference.
If I wanted to lighten the table up even more I could wipe it down with bleach, but for now I am loving the result and living with it for a while.
Overall, I think this product is amazing. I LOVED the fact that it’s safe for indoor use, there are no harsh fumes that burn your nostrils as you apply it, and it was literally so simple to remove!!
Didn’t the table turn out so beautiful? Have you guys ever tried Citristrip Aerosol Spray? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
PIN IT FOR LATER!
Hi Andrea! Wow your table turned out great. That citri strip is awesome stuff! I love that little table and that bleached wood look. I’ve priced tables like that and have seen them for a little over $200.00 and you got yours for free. Just put some tung oil on it to bring out the natural color of the wood and to protect it. You’ll find you’ll use that table everywhere. Great job you and your hubby did. Id heard of the citri strip before and they loved it, so I guess if I ever need to strip another piece of furniture, I’ll use it. Thanks for letting us know about it and your opinion. Have a great weekend! 😄
Oh Sheila thank you so much! Yes you are definitely right, I do need to seal it! I’m still unsure as to whether or not I should lighten, so I was waiting until I made my mind up! Thanks again for your kind words, hope you have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Hi Andrea, I’m glad I stumbled on to your website. I bought a very old, tall dresser some time ago. It’s really solid but ratty looking, and I’d rather refinish it than go looking for something else. The old varnish is just worn off in spots. It’s got lots of raised embellishments, so sanding it would be a drag. I live in an apartment in Brooklyn, so there’s nowhere to do the job except in the livingroom to keep the smell and the mess away from my bedroom. I found a review for Citri-strip that sounded good and then found yours. Can you tell me what the fumes are like and anything else I might need to know?
Thanks!
Hi Naomi!! Thank you so much for your comment 🙂 How neat that you live in Brooklyn! Honestly, the citri-strip isn’t strong at all! I would say it’s your best option for sure. It has a smell but it truly is a citrus type scent, NOTHING like the strippers I’ve used in the past. If you’re able to crack a window, even better! I think the label actually says it’s safe for indoor use. 🙂
I just bought this today and am encouraged by your post. My table is similar in design and hope my results are as great as yours.
Aww I hope so, too! You’ll have to let me know. It seems like every surface reacts differently to it!
I have used the regular brush-on Citristrip for years. In the Midwest you don’t necessarily have a lot of days to work on projects outdoors or even in the garage. I have found that the longer you can leave the product on your wood, the better it will remove the paint. It’s true that you can leave Citristrip.on for 24 hrs. without it drying up. I bought the Citristrip aerosol spray but have not used it yet. I bought it to use on two, large corbels that have a lot of “nooks and crannies” so I thought the spray would get into all of those spots more easily. Your table is lovely. I hope the spray works as well on my corbels.
Hi Holly!! Oh I hope it works for you!! it seems to be different for every piece I try honestly. Sometimes it works so amazing and other times the stain or finish is just so stubborn!
Andrea, I love everything about your website and your house! You give me inspiration, motivation and new perspectives! Thank you! Happy Easter from Greece, we are celebrating the orthodox Easter on April 19!
Oh my goodness Erin!! How neat!! I would love to visit Greece one day 🙂 Thank you SO much for reading and leaving such a kind comment, it means so so much to me!! 🙂
Can you share what you did if anything after i9t was stripped. I love the look but I am thinking of doing a kitchen table and want to keep that look but seal it, any recommendations? Thanks
I didn’t seal it, but you could do something with a matte finish and it would keep the same look I believe! I hope your table turns out beautifully!