How to Clean an Oil-Based Painted White Trim When It Turns Yellow

Oil paint typically darkens over time, and this is most noticeable in white paints. If the paint is not exposed to regular sunlight, white oil paint often yellows as it ages, giving a previously clean-looking paint job a stained appearance. Heat from appliances, moisture and tobacco smoke residue can also cause yellowing of painted surfaces. Cleaning surfaces regularly helps eliminate the yellowing, but the yellowing will recur unless you change either the paint you're using or the conditions of the room you're using the paint in. Cleaning yellowing white trim that has been painted with oil paint is the first step in restoring its appearance.

Chemical sponge or rag
Paint thinner
Rubber gloves
White oil paint
Paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Give the yellowed area a swipe with a dry rag, then a lukewarm wet one, scrubbing lightly to make sure the yellowing isn't some substance that you can clean off. Take this step before you go about attempting to remove what otherwise is likely chemical yellowing caused by oxidation over time.
- 2
  Wipe at the yellowed areas of the trim with a rag or chemical sponge treated with paint thinner. Yellowed paint requires removal to fully restore the trim to its previous white coloring. Wear rubber gloves and ventilate the room because paint thinner has strong fumes and can irritate or burn the skin.
- 3
  Apply a small amount of water to a clean rag to rinse away any remaining paint thinner from the trim once you have stripped away the yellowed paint.
- 4
  Apply a fresh coat of white oil paint to the trim, using a paintbrush, to renew its appearance. Paint the entire trim so the paint job matches throughout. If you paint over only the yellowed area, you'll see where the old paint ends and the new paint begins.

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