Bleaching Wood to Fix a Stain

Place the wood piece, if it is not attached to a wall or other structure, on a plastic drop cloth to protect the working surface. Brush wood stripper solution on the wood and wait for the paint or finish to bubble up. Scrape off the paint or finish with a putty knife.

Sand the wood in the direction of the grain, removing any leftover finish or paint, as well as oils from the wood stripping solution. Dust the wood's surface with a clean and dry paint brush, removing all of the sawdust from sanding.

Mix the bleach with water as directed on the bleach bottle’s label, and then apply the bleach to the wood using a sponge. Neutralize the bleach after applying it by rinsing the wood thoroughly with distilled water. Sponge a light amount of vinegar on the wood’s surface to neutralize any leftover bleach, and then sponge a light amount of water on the chair to remove the vinegar.

Sand the wood with fine grit sandpaper after the wood has dried for a full 48 hours or more. Dust the sawdust off the wood with a clean and dry paintbrush, and then rub all of the wood surfaces down with a microfiber cloth.

Brush stain onto the portion of the wood you fixed, applying enough layers of stain so it matches the surrounding wood.