When staining unfinished furniture, what type of a lint free cloth should be used?
tack cloths are used for removing dust, etc off of sanded items – NOT for applying stain. Just use an old t-shirt. Like the other guy said, cotton is better and be sure to let it dry before discarding. DO NOT sand the item after staining. You may remove some of the stained wood. You lightly sand in between coats of polyurethane or varnish so one coat will adhere to the other that is already in place. If you are using water based stain or dye, you will need to lightly (I stress lightly) wet the item with a spray bottle after the final finish sanding and BEFORE applying the stain or dye. Suggest you use distilled water. Let the item fully dry, then lightly sand it to remove the raised grain. Use 340 (or so) grit sand paper. Apply your stain or dye, let it dry fully then apply a topcoat if desired (suggested).
