How Best to Revitalize Painted Black Ebony Furniture

Wash it thoroughly. Mix 4 tbsp. vinegar, 2 tbsp. olive oil and 2 cups water. Shake well. Apply to the wood finish with a soft cloth. Allow the mixture to sit on the wood and soak in for a few minutes, and then wipe off the excess with a clean, dry, soft cloth.

Repaint directly over the existing finish. Lightly sand the surface, just enough to rough it up a bit, so the new coat of paint adheres to it. Wipe off the sanding dust with a tack cloth. Apply one or two coats, depending on the finished look you desire. After the paint dries, apply a protective top coat of clear vanish or polyurethane.

Apply a coat of paste wax. First, thoroughly clean the surface, as in Step 1. Apply paste wax with a soft cloth. Wipe the cloth over the surface of the cake of wax and wipe it onto the surface of the wood using a circular motion. Continue adding more wax to the cloth and applying it to the piece until the entire surface is covered. Allow it to dry for 30 to 60 minutes, and buff the entire piece with a clean, soft, dry cloth.

Use a commercially available painted wood-restoring product, available at home improvement and woodworking stores. Because each product different, follow the manufacturer's application instructions.

Remove the existing finish with a chemical stripper. Thoroughly sand the piece and repaint or apply a different type of finish, ending with a protective top coat of varnish or polyurethane.