You want to make sure the paint will adhere to the wood (which is harder when it's watered down), so get any trace of sealant or previous paint off with sandpaper. Then wipe the item down with a rag.

How To Build Your Own DIY Kitchen Shelf To Eliminate Clutter To tackle this hack, grab three Dollar Tree wood trays. These cost about $1.25 each. You'll also need to pick up two craft wood planks ...

Also, the wood you intend to whitewash should be unfinished--not sealed, stained or painted. Whitewashing can still be applied to treated wood, but different methods and materials will be required ...