Read these:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...light=bakelite
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...light=bakelite
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...light=bakelite
I personally clean them as-found with dishwashing soap and water. Once CLEAN, spray 8 or 10 coats of UV-stabilized high-gloss polyurethane (Minwax makes a good one). If it's not CLEAN, you'll encase the dirt forever. So I'll stress CLEAN one more time. Then I work the urethane surface as described above (sanding, compounding, waxing) instead of the original surface. No chance of burning through to the pulp that way, and minimal loss of original craftsmanship. Results are stretched mirror over original swirl, spectacular. But I've been known to spend a few weeks or a month on one cabinet that way. And I've been doing it for a hundred years. Practice on something you don't care about for a while first. Shouldn't be rocket science.