So apparently the railing was not just worn out and it was actually 20+ years of child hand dirt

I live with my in laws who live in an old farmhouse. They have seven kids, all of whom lived here for many many years. This railing was installed shortly after they moved in 25ish years ago. I’ve been visiting here for seven years, and truly thought that the railing was just worn out.

Well, I’m sick, so I decided to wipe everything down so I don’t turn around and get sick again. That’s how I discovered that all the “wear and tear” on the railing was actually just decades of dirt. I showed my husband, and he was equally horrified. I’ve been meaning to do a deep clean but I was not planning on doing it yesterday. I don’t even want to touch the other railing now. That will be dealt with later.