Don’t you just love the look of driftwood in home decor? Each curve, each knot, and each groove has an unexpected charm with no one piece exactly like the other. If you’ve ever brought home some beautiful driftwood, but weren’t sure how to prepare it for crafting or decorating, it’s actually quite simple. With just a few common household products, you can easily clean and disinfect driftwood for all those unique craft and decor projects you’ve been dreaming up!
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SUPPLIES NEEDED
- Small brush
- Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (or similar detergent)
- Bleach
- Water
- Container or Tub
HOW TO CLEAN & DISINFECT DRIFTWOOD
STEP 1: Dry Brush Freshly-Picked Driftwood
Before doing anything to your driftwood, take a small brush and brush off any debris.
STEP 2: Super Wash Driftwood
Super washing soda is a great way to:
- Clean freshly-picked driftwood, and
- Lighten or brighten your driftwood (freshly-picked or purchased)
In a bucket of water or tub, wash your driftwood in a soaking solution of water and Super Washing Soda. Follow the solution instructions on the container (typically 1 cup per gallon).
Let soak for 12-24 hours.
This step will further remove colour (i.e. tannins) still hanging onto that driftwood. The water should be a reddish colour.
Drain the water, run each piece of driftwood under fresh water to remove any soda, and let dry outside (12-24 hours, depending on the size).
(NOTE: If you’re impatient, you can place your driftwood on a tray lined with parchment paper and dry in your oven).
I like to leave the driftwood outside to allow the sun to lighten and brighten it further.
STEP 3: Disinfect (& Brighten) with Bleach Solution
Using a bleach solution (approximately 1-2 cups per gallon of water), soak your driftwood 12-24 hours.
Drain the solution, run each piece under water to remove residue, and place outside for 12-24 hours to dry.
Leave out for a week – in a sunny spot – to further lighten and brighten.
OPTIONAL: Smooth out any jagged edges using fine-grit sandpaper.
THE RESULTS:
While this method of cleaning and disinfecting driftwood is easy, it does take time. A little patience definitely goes a long way!
BONUS TIP:
If you find that some of your driftwood continues to leach a reddish colour – i.e., the ‘tannins’ – you may want to try the following.
Using sandpaper, remove the tannins that have leached out and stuck to the surface of the driftwood, as I did to this piece.
I hope today’s tutorial removes some of the mystery surrounding how to clean and disinfect driftwood. In just a few easy steps, you’ll have some beautiful driftwood to use in any of your craft or decor projects.
Happy crafting!
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