Staining wood isn’t difficult, but you do have to take care to stay safe. Avoid getting stain on you or clothing. Take care to keep the stain away from fire, and properly dispose of any rags used.

Protect Yourself

Wood stain doesn’t just stain wood; it can stain you, too, and cause allergic reactions. Make sure to be careful and avoid getting stain on you.

• Wearing old clothing or .
• Make sure to wear safety glasses or to keep stain out of your eyes.
• Use nitrile or and not latex ones, as they don’t dissolve when exposed to solvents while latex does.

These precautions will prevent the stain from causing any damage. Children should also be kept away from stains as well.

If the stain does get on you or your clothing, consider the type of stain you are using. Most oil-based stains will respond to Dawn® and flushing with water for at least fifteen minutes. Consider the garment a rag and immerse in water to prevent the risk of fire.

Water-based stains can usually be removed with soap and water if you take quick action and soak the garment in water immediately.

Keep Flames Away

Wood stain is highly flammable, and the fumes can be very dangerous as well. Make sure that you stain wood outside or in a well-ventilated room. In addition, make sure that open flames remain far away from the stain. Don’t have a pilot light going near where you are staining, and avoid smoking while nearby. Otherwise, you run the risk of the stain and wood catching on fire.

Ensure Adequate Ventilation

If the room isn’t ventilated enough, you may begin to feel lightheaded. If that happens, get some fresh air outside.

Dispose of Rags

If you are wiping the stain, you are likely to have rags soaked in the stain. Since the stain is so flammable, these rags can easily combust and catch fire. To combat that, used rags should be immersed in a water-filled bucket before being put in the trash. This will prevent the rags from catching fire.

By properly taking care during wood staining, you can avoid any catastrophes. Make sure to protect yourself by wearing protective clothing and gloves. Avoid smoking and other open flames away from the staining area. Finally, soak any rags in water to prevent fires before you dispose of them. These actions will keep you safe during your wood staining project.