Oak panel ppolishing

Hi,

My name is Paul and I have recently bought a house in the UK which has Oak paneling on the walls in the hallway.

I would like to clean them up and polish them but as a complete novice I am looking for some help and advice on how to complete such a task.

The panels have never been varnished but are extremely dirty and they look 'tired'. The previous owner was a smoker and there seems to be a lot of yellow dirt if rubbed with clean cloth.

I can put up a picture of panels if it helps.

The panels were installed in early part of the 1930's and seem to have had a dark stain added, I think but am not sure if it is stain or natural color?!?!

Thanks,
Paul

My house has doors and frames painted with a faux woodgrain finish (probably dating from the 1920's) and were very tired and sad looking and felt very gritty.

I rubbed them down with (marketed here as) Scandanavian Wood Oil and 0000 Steel Wool which cleaned off decades of dirt and smoke from wood fires, but was gentle enough not to harm the painted finish. They look and feel like new (apart from a few dents which "add character").

I used the oil as a lubricant. If your panelling is not sealed, the oil may penetrate the timber and darken it a tad.

But hold off until you get replies from others more qualified than me.