How to Keep Wood Furniture From Drying Out

Classic wood furniture never goes out of style and is ofttimes featured in farmhouse, vintage, and mid-century modern styles every bit family heirlooms and flea market finds. However, forest furniture tin can also exist frustrating to clean. Over time, it tends to bear witness grime or dirt that can't be removed with a duster. And sometimes, even if you try to clean forest article of furniture, shiny streaks are left behind.

When it comes to wood piece of furniture maintenance, there are a number of terms that become tossed effectually, such as dusting, cleaning, waxing, and polishing. To proceed forest furniture looking its best, you'll likely take to tackle all 4 of these cleaning tasks every now then. While experts have varying opinions on woods furniture care, the technique you use will depend on the finish of the piece. You should e'er seek out specific care and cleaning guidelines when purchasing new or old furnishings. Proceed reading to larn how to clean grime off wood furniture plus care tips to continue decades-old forest furniture pieces looking new.

Cleaning supplies stored under shelf

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul

How to Grit Wood Furniture

To keep woods piece of furniture in its best shape, maintain frequent dusting. Dust can crusade airborne deposits that somewhen build up in a filmy layer and scratch the surface of wood piece of furniture. Leaving dust on your furniture can also trigger allergies or be harmful to those with asthma. Most dust lives in fabric, and then effort to regularly vacuum carpets or upholstery also.

To properly dust furniture, capture and remove dust equally opposed to spreading it around the surface. To avert scattering the grit into the air, where it'll float until landing dorsum on furniture surfaces, very lightly dampen a microfiber textile before wiping down. Remove backlog moisture with a dry terry towel.

Best Dusting Tools

When searching for a dusting tool for forest piece of furniture, choose something that dust volition cling to, rather than something that will pick it upward only to spew information technology out into the air. Dry, soft cloths and feather dusters volition effectively remove dust from wood piece of furniture.

• Archetype feather duster: An ostrich-feather duster ($11, Target) removes grit from easily damaged, delicate surfaces. In addition to wood furniture, plumage dusters tin be used on items such as silk lampshades, mirrors, picture show frames, art, and fragile collectibles.
• Treated cloths: Lint-costless treated not-scratching cloths ($6, Walmart) choice up and concur dirt. Use them in place of silicon sprays, which are not recommended for fine wood furniture.
• Lamb's-wool duster: These contain lanolin, which attracts dust and makes it cling to the cleaning tool. Lambs-wool dusters ($23, The Home Depot) are also constructive for dusting carved or turned areas that cloths can't achieve. A long handle makes them ideal for hard-to-reach areas, including loftier shelves, the top of alpine furniture pieces, light fixtures, and ceiling fans.
• Lint-gratis cloths: Make clean cotton T-shirts or reusable diapers are ordinarily used as dusters. Microfiber cloths ($20 for 3, Bed Bath & Beyond) are some other lint-costless dusting tool. Dampen them slightly to help trap dust.

cleaning wood furniture

How to Clean Wood Article of furniture

When cleaning wood furnishings, never utilize all-purpose cleaning sprays, such as the kind used on kitchen tables, unless your furniture has a plastic coating. Y'all'll ordinarily want to avoid cleaning wood with water equally well. However, sticky spots may need to exist treated with soap and water. To practise this, dip a lint-free cloth in mild soap or detergent dissolved in water, wring the fabric virtually dry, and wipe the area. Rinse and immediately dry with a clean, soft cloth.

Oil polishes, cleaners, and piece of furniture oils protect wood by making the surface more slippery. Nevertheless, they do non offer a hard protective layer. Most commercial spray and liquid article of furniture polishes contain silicone oil, which can provide some protection. Keep in mind that products that contain a high percentage of oil volition show fingerprints. If you have used wood sprays and polishes in the past or suspect that furniture has been polished with them, exist aware that these residues can interfere with refinishing and may need professional attention.

Avoid polishing wood furniture with pure olive oil, which smears and attracts grit. Instead, try this homemade recipe for cleaning wood.

1. To revive grimy forest furniture, mix equal parts olive oil, denatured alcohol, gum turpentine, and strained lemon juice.
2. Apply with a soft material and buff with a clean cloth.

How to Apply Furniture Paste Wax

Typically during manufacture, varnish, polyurethane, or shellac is applied to wood to protect the surface. Applying wax or polish protects the manufacturer'south finish and helps to reduce surface scratches. Wax provides a hard stop and long-lasting protection, doesn't smear, and is more durable than sprays or polishes. Use paste wax or liquid wax made specifically for furniture. Depending on use, paste wax finishes may last as long as two years. Liquid wax is easier to apply but leaves a thinner blanket; it may need to be applied more oftentimes than paste wax.

Wax needs to exist applied to piece of furniture correctly, or it can cause streaks and a cloudy appearance. To properly apply piece of furniture wax ($7, The Home Depot) to restore smoothen in your forest furnishings, remember to always apply wax in lite coats, rubbing into the surface with the grain.

1. Put a spoonful of wood furniture wax, about the size of a golf game brawl, in a square of 100% cotton fabric. Wrap the cloth effectually the wax ball and knead it until soft.
2. Rub the wax-saturated fabric on the surface of the furniture, one modest area at a time, until the surface dulls.
3. Wipe off the excess wax with a clean, soft cotton cloth.
4. Repeat waxing and wiping until the entire piece of forest furniture is waxed. If you find a streak, keep wiping to remove excess wax.
5. Polish wood furniture with a soft cloth or lamb's-wool pad attached to an electric drill or power buffer. If the wax smears, wipe with a soft cloth and continue buffing.
6. For a deep shine, apply a 2d coat of wax in the same mode.

To maintain waxed furniture, grit with a lamb's-wool duster. Never utilise liquid or aerosol furniture polishes considering they can deliquesce the wax and leave a hazy pic.

dining room chair dresser and art decor

Credit: Laurey Glenn Photography

How to Clean Old Wood Article of furniture

If you have an older slice of fine woods furniture or a delicate family heirloom, you lot'll likely want to care for it a fiddling more carefully. This three-step cleaning and care routine is the best way to clean quondam wood piece of furniture over time.

1. Clean furniture approximately every year with a commercial cleaning product using #0000 steel wool ($iv, Walmart). Work with the grain and follow product directions carefully.
2. Restore as needed, especially from sun fading, using a commercial stop restoring product ($9, Walmart). Choose a shade closest to the wood stain y'all're working with and utilize with #0000 steel wool to a small section at a time. Work with the grain of the woods and use light to moderate pressure. Immediately wipe clean with a lint-complimentary fabric or cheesecloth.
3. Apply an orangish oil or wax-based conditioner ($9, The Home Depot) monthly to prevent drying and cracking.

How to Clean Mold Off Woods Piece of furniture

If you lot spot a yucky patch of fungi, here's how to clean mildew and how to clean mold from wood furniture. Begin past using a vacuum with a soft brush attachment to pick upward loose spores. And so, wipe the surface area with a fabric dipped in mild lather or detergent dissolved in water and wrung virtually dry. Rinse and immediately dry with a clean, soft cloth. To protect the finish, apply furniture paste wax using the steps above.

How to Deep-Clean Wood Furniture

So you've found that perfect piece at a garage auction—now, how tin can y'all bring out its best? As a first pace to removing layers of grime from old wood furniture, use an oil soap (Potato Oil Lather Forest Cleaner, $iv, Target) and water. Rinse and dry well. If the end still seems muddy, make clean lightly with #0000 steel wool dipped in a cleaning product. Some products with a milky advent are formulated to dissolve both solvent-based and oil-based residues. Do not use mixtures containing boiled linseed oil, turpentine, or white vinegars. These can darken the wood and attract dust and lint. Instead, employ clear paste wax.

bedroom taxidermy

Wood Furniture Intendance Tips

Even the highest-quality forest effects tin can exist susceptible to odors and kinks. Luckily, there are a few like shooting fish in a barrel means to intendance for your wood furniture.

• If a vintage piece has a lingering smell, air it exterior on a warm, dry day. Shade from direct sunlight.
• Pour talcum powder or baking soda over the surface to absorb odors.
• Place a shallow pan of charcoal briquettes inside drawers.
• For drawers that stick, rub the upper edge with a white candle.

How to Polish Hardware

You'll know it's time to polish hardware when it begins to tarnish or become cloudy or discolored. If possible, remove hardware from the wood furniture piece and determine what kind of metallic it is by testing a magnet against the hardware. If the magnet doesn't stick, it's solid brass. If it does, it's nigh likely a brass plate with metallic underneath. Clean with a metal or brass cleaner ($3, Walmart). Buff using a towel and reattach to furniture when completely dry.

How to Repair Surface Scratches on Wood Furniture

Scratching is nearly inevitable with forest furniture. If the top of your piece is slightly scratched, employ paste wax or employ a felt-tip touch-upwards pen ($6, The Home Depot). To care for deeper scratches that gouge into the woods, use wood filler ($iv, Target) or a colored filler wax stick available at hardware and home improvement stores. Lucifer as closely equally possible to the colour of your slice, applying in several thin layers rather than in one thick layer.

Share this post