Solid wood furniture, whether it is brand new or an old family heirloom, gives your home a sense of permanence that can be hard to achieve with less expensive pressboard pieces. Once you’ve furnished your home, you’ll want to know how to clean wood furniture, to keep it looking its best for years to come.
Cleaning Wood Furniture
If your furniture has been neglected and has developed a layer of grime, you’ll need to clean it thoroughly before bringing it into your home. Use a mixture of warm water and mild dish detergent to clean your furniture. Use a soft cotton cloth, and wring it mostly dry. You do not want to allow water to soak into the wood, or it will damage the furniture. Instead, scrub gently and dry each area thoroughly before moving on to the next.
Once your furniture is cleaned you’ll need to dust it weekly to keep it looking its best, and protect it with furniture wax or polish annually.
Protecting Wood Furniture
Paste wax can be time-consuming to apply, but it provides the best protection for your wood furniture. Apply it in thin layers to avoid streaking. If your furniture doesn’t see frequent or heavy use, you could use liquid wax instead. Liquid wax is easier and faster to apply, but will not protect against heavy use.
Restoring Wood Furniture
If you’ve found a great piece at a garage sale, or have inherited something that has been stored in an attic for years, it may need restoration. Depending on the amount of damage and the value of the piece, you may be able to do the restoration yourself, or you may need to call a professional such as Furniture Medic by Master Care.
If the damage is fairly light, and the piece does not hold significant value, you can restore it at home. Tighten any loose fittings, then remove any handles or knobs for polishing. Deep clean the wood using #0000 steel wool dipped in mild soap and water. Dry it immediately to prevent warping.
Once the piece is cleaned, you can decide whether to strip and refinish it, or simply fill in scratches and gouges in the existing finish.
If the piece is more heavily damaged or holds significant value to you, call a professional wood furniture restoration company, such as They
They have the experience and training to restore your wood furniture without risking damage to the wood.