Cleaning wooden furniture can be tricky. You have to worry about grain, chemicals eating away at the finish, things that contain both wood and fabric, etc. There are ways to make it easier. Be sure to use a very clean damp cloth. Apply lemon oil to prevent the wood from drying out. And avoid furniture polish because it leaves a dull coating on the wood.
Water and wood don’t always get along. Standing water can ruin hardwood floors. Wet, dirty rags can leave marks on the wood. And many chemicals, even those diluted with water, can ruin the finish on wooden furniture. Cleaning furniture should be part of regular maintenance when it comes time to clean the room they are in. Make sure you do it often and be careful how you do it. Use a very clean cloth. A reusable rag can work, but sometimes the best option is to use a thick paper towel to make sure it’s clean enough. If there is dirt on the cloth, it can leave streaks that will make even clean wooden furniture look dirty.
From time to time, use a little lemon oil on wooden furniture to prevent it from drying out. Wood looks best immediately after being oiled. Do this with all wood, including cabinets, china cabinets, wood coffee tables, everything. Simply moisten the rag or paper towel with the oil and apply it to all wooden surfaces. Even if it does get on fabric, a little lemon oil won’t ruin furniture. Do this every few months and the wood will look new and the lemon has the added benefit of making the house smell clean.
Oil may be good for furniture, but regular use of wax is not. Furniture polish leaves a dull coating on the wood. Over time, this will make the wood look more discolored. It will just look older and more worn. Wood furniture can be expensive, especially rarer woods like mahogany, cherry, and teak. Don’t let thousands of dollars go to waste using polishes when all they need is a little oil. Old English and other oils are great, but polishes are best left for the bowling alleys.
Wood furniture looks great and can be very expensive. Keep it looking like new for years so you don’t have to professionally clean it or, worse yet, replace it. Remember to clean wooden furniture regularly with a clean, damp cloth. Use lemon oils like Old English on any wood, not furniture polish. Enamels can look good in the short term. But over time they will leave a dull layer that the oil does not leave. If you take care of your wooden furniture, it can look great for years, even generations.
