ANSWER: You can rub down the finish with 0000 steel wool and
Our recommendation to fix white cabinets that have yellowed is to do a thorough sanding and precleaning and recoat with the following products:
Rub down the finish with 0000 steel wool and General Finishes Orange Oil to lower the sheen.
Liberon 0000 Steel Wool is a good choice for steel wool, as it does not shred as easily as the hardware store brands.
ANSWER:
It depends! Read on, or watch this GF video demonstration: http://youtu.be/torOAQy91q4
*Here are the main questions to ask yourself:
The popular flat sheens are lovely but they have different attributes than glossy finishes. The flatting agents required to reduce sheen in flat or matte topcoats also slightly reduce clarity, water resistance, durability and resistance to chemicals such as ketchup, soap, chemical cleaners, or ammonia. This is not much of a concern in low use areas but is important for table tops or kitchen cabinets.
You can rub down the finish with 0000 steel wool and General Finishes Orange Oil to lower the sheen.
Pro Tip: GF does not recommend using steel wool with water-based finishes because the particles can become embedded and rust.
You can reduce the glossiness of a sheen several ways.
While Gel Stain can be applied over an existing finish, it was originally engineered for raw wood surfaces. We prefer applying the Gel Stain over a slip coat of mineral spirits instead of topcoat as shown in this video, "How to Apply Gel Stain to Raw Wood"