How do I clean 30 years of dust off of unsealed log walls ?

Hi Krae, have you tried using Murphy's Oil on the logs? Here's a link. Are you planning to seal the logs after?

https://cabinlife.com/articles/article/cleaning-interior-logs

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-interior-log-walls-75789.html

https://www.weatherall.com/blogs/log-home-blog/how-to-care-for-interior-log-walls

Hope this helps Krae!

Hello I agree with the poster above and Murphy oil soap is a good place to start.

Heres a link that might be helpful.

https://www.weatherall.com/blogs/log-home-blog/how-to-care-for-interior-log-walls

Additionally-Our 1973 log cabin did have a lot of water damage stains particularly at the roofline. We tried to do the sanding job ourselves -it became too physically intense and slow for us to undertake. We did hire a painter and some helpers to professionally sand and seal our cedar log walls and now they look like new. Just something to keep in mind.

The problem with unsealed wood is that anything you use to clean it does have the chance of staining the logs because the wood will soak in any liquid put on it. I've used a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water before to clean wood but it DOES absolutely give the wood a different color and tone. You may want to do some test patches to see what works best with the least amount of color distortion.

Best bet, if you don't want too much color distortion is a dry cleaning and then sanding with fine grit sand paper. If you seal after that the logs will be easy to clean.

If you feel it is only dust, I would begin with microfiber dusters that you can rub and "charge" with static to help grab the dust.

If it is ingrained in the surface you could clean with TSP but it may cause a slight color variation.

Another option is fine steel wool. It won't disrupt the surface as much as sanding but might do the trick.

As a last resort, sand by hand with a fine grit.

Dust needs to be removed, not soaked in to the wood.

I would take a shop vac hose & put a bush end piece on it and vac it thoroughly.

Light Cleaning

Fortunately, other than the initial coat, you're unlikely to need to mess with the finish again for many years if you care for it properly. The best thing you can do for your walls meanwhile is keep them clean. Periodically, knock down cobwebs and dust in hard-to-reach areas with a broom or even a damp mop. Start at the highest points of your ceiling, if it is also wood, and work down the walls to prevent redepositing soil and webs.

Deep Cleaning

If you find areas of mold or mildew, spray lightly with hydrogen peroxide, wait a few minutes, then scrub with a soft-bristled brush. Follow with a sponging of distilled white vinegar. This kills mold better than bleach, which will damage your wood. To remove smoke residue, grease, dirt and grime, wash your walls down with hot, soapy water, a commercial cleanser, or a mixture of 1 cup water, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup mineral oil (do not use vegetable, olive or any other oil) and 20 drops lemon oil. Fill a bottle with the ingredients, shake vigorously, and apply like car polish. Follow with a soft, dry cloth to buff to a sheen.

Krae

Here is some info from a good source about log homes

https://cabinlife.com/articles/article/cleaning-interior-logs

I agree that vacuuming or spraying air on it will be a good way to remove the first layer. If there's any residue of the dust, you can try a cloth or duster. Then use something like Murphy's oil soap.

Is this a real log cabin or one of those fancy log homes? I lived in log cabins in the Canadian wilderness for 20 years and we took a brush and bucket with hot water with soap, and scrubbed the walls down each spring...... sorry no electricity so no vacuums, but a broom works if there is a lot of dust before washing.

Then we took whatever soap and water was left and threw it on the rough floor and swept it out the door. So there is the back woods answer.