How the flipping heck do I sand down a wooden work top, it's driving me up the wall?!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Arghh,I need some advice please

Wooden work tops in the kitchen, were originally varnished with really hi gloss varnish which I hated so tried to sand back.

I have been using mineral oil which was ok.

I bought some Osma work to oil as recommended on here and I think if I could sand back the wood nicely it would be ok, at the moment it's sticky,I think I put too much on.

HOW do you take the wood right back ,I mean really strip it back? Atm it's ok until the sun shines on it and it's obvious where I've sanded some parts better than others

I have an electric sander which just seems a waste of time, it's really noisy and doesn't seem to do much. I used sand paper in the direction of the grain-is that right, or should I go in circles? The sand paper doesn't seem to take enough top layer off iykwim?

Any advice welcome

[PigletJohn]

if it has been excessively oiled, you can try moistening it with white spirit to soften the oil, then a broad metal scraper, unless it is soft enough for a stiff nylon brush.

Oil which is allowed to lie on the surface oxidises and becomes gummy, it is difficult to remove. You are supposed to rub on the oil with a rag, and polish off any excess that has not been absorbed after half an hour or so.

Sandpaper will be ineffective on gummy oil.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

That sounds like it will work, great, thank you!

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I did polish off the excess, I'm not sure why it went gummy. One of the work tops is fine.