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After seeing several examples of turning projects that had been bleached, I decided to try bleaching wood myself. I researched on the internet and found some great resources especially from AAW.

I also checked for commercial wood bleach products. Most of these turned out to be wood cleaners based on oxalic acid.

The solution I settled on is a two part solution. One part is a lye (sodium hydroxide) solution. The second part is hydrogen peroxide, a pool sanitizer. The tricky part was finding sources for both chemicals. For the lye, Amazon has pure lye crystals in their soap making section. For the hydrogen peroxide, a 27% solution is sold at swimming pool suppliers. Drug store hydrogen peroxide may say 27% but is actually more dilute.

Preparation

The 1.5 teaspoons lye crystals are added to 1/2 cup water and stored in a well marked plastic container with a good plastic lid. Safety Note: Always add the crystals to water not vice versa. The vice versa is likely to spatter lye.

The 27% hydrogen peroxide is used as is.

Since both of these chemicals are potentially dangerous, pay attention to personal and property protection. Working outdoors with gloves, goggles, and protected surfaces is recommended.

Application

Mix equal parts of the lye solution and hydrogen peroxide in a plastic or glass container and apply to the wood to be bleached with either a cheap brush or dipping. Allow to dry. The solution will likely bubble.

For these items, I applied the mixed solution four times. Results vary with the wood species, wood preparation, and grain orientation.

When bleached, I applied household cleaning vinegar(acid) to neutralize the lye, a base. From the research, this step is optional.

My thin cross-grain disks from pear wood warped and cracked when the solution was applied.

Enjoy!