I finally figured out why my stain kept looking muddy on oak
For about two years, I was getting so mad at myself because every time I stained a piece of oak, especially red oak, it would come out looking kind of gray and dirty, not rich and warm. I thought it was the stain brand, so I tried a bunch, from Minwax to General Finishes. The real problem hit me last month when I was cleaning my shop. I grabbed a clean, dry rag to wipe some dust off a sanded board and saw a tiny bit of blue fuzz left behind. That's when it clicked. I was always using those cheap blue shop towels for wiping stain, and the lint was getting stuck in the open grain. The stain was grabbing onto the tiny fibers instead of the wood. I switched to old, soft t-shirts and the difference was night and day. Has anyone else had a 'eureka' moment with something as simple as a rag?