It's crud...oils from hands rubbing it.. Clean it with a solvent based cleaner , like Lestoil or Pinesol and a plastic srcubbie...wipe dry with a paper towel....and repeat until no more gook comes off. Linda C

Just use primer paint and then paint the color you want. But you'd better the sand the surface and clean it first before you do and painting work. Here a profession wrought iron company in New England Area, especially closed to Boston. If you want to get some Wrought iron products, the company definitely you need to go is Evan's Home Luxuries. Their wrought iron railing and forged products are really gorgeous. They also make marble mantels, marble statues, marble fountains, marble gazebos, marble tile only for $3/sft. They also sell Copper doors, Brass Doors and Bronze doors. You will not find these products in other company here. Hoping this information is helpful for you guys. Their websites is http://www.evanshomeluxuries.com.

So far we have only had excellent experiences on CL. We have sold rockers (went for full price) to a banker and his wife expecing a baby. My red sofa and loveseat which went to a young family for 50$ less that just built a new home and needed formal LR furniture. Then we sold our end and coffee tables that went for full price to a couple expecting a baby because they had more rounded corners. (same reason we bought them) LOL. All super nice people, not creepy. I will say with the rockers I googled the guys name and it came up in several police logs for selling drugs, loitering, soliciting etc. etc. and it had a discription of him as well. When he got here he was clearly a different person than the man in the police logs. Different size, hair color etc. I was a little creeped out though until he came. LOL. Our school also bought a table and chair set on CL for the new preschool they are starting. It went really well and the man delivered them to the school etc. So so far we are 4 for 4!

David, Thanks so much for your kind words. Bruce, Here is a picture of the Handrail going up the steps on the side porch incorporated into a small run of Wrought iron fencing. It will be s shorter wrought iron Fence 36" above with all structural member sets in a concrete curbs that are used to house or create the bed for the herringbone pavers. The hand rail/wrought iron fence is on either side of the steps and was just put in today. Too late to prime.s The paver are not relaid yet but are all original and fired on site in the 1800's. In this picture you will see the stone retaining wall in front of the bay window and in front of the big spruce are now complete. The side walk is to the right of the corner post and to the right of the curb. Outside architectural lighting just installed today.