Preparation
If you are staining on top of a previously stained surface, make sure the stain will penetrate before using. To test, splash a couple drops of water on the surface. If the water penetrates, then so will the stain. If not, sand the entire wood surface by following these steps:
Lightly sand wood surface with the grain of the wood
Clean surface with a damp rag to remove any dust
Rinse the rag periodically to avoid dust build up