To ensure its longevity and the best possible condition, wood furniture should be cleaned regularly. However, you must know how to do it correctly, otherwise, you may damage the furniture. In this article, you will find a summary of several methods used to clean different types of wooden furniture.
When we clean our house, we often neglect to clean the wooden furniture because it does not look dirty to us because of the paintwork. However, wooden furniture gets covered in dust and dirt just like any other furniture in the house. Can be difficult, as the wrong approach can damage furniture and result in costs.
Wood Furniture Care and Cleaning
Before you begin, you should have an idea of the type of wood finish, as this will determine the choice of cleaning agent you will use for cleaning. Basically, there are three types of finishes. One is oil finish, then wood polish, which includes wax and varnish. The final solution is paint.
For regular cleaning of any rattan dining sets, use a dry, soft cotton cloth to wipe the dust off the surface. Painted wood furniture can be vacuum cleaned with a brush attachment.
To clean oiled wood furniture, you’ll need to prepare a special cleaning agent. Take an equal quantity of turpentine and boiled linseed oil and mix it well. Moisten a piece of rag in the composition and wipe the surface of wooden furniture. This solution penetrates the pores of the wood and restores the shine. This process should be repeated several times a year.
Furniture Polishing Cleaning
To clean polished wood furniture, you should use a liquid furniture polish or wax paste. If you prefer to use polish for this purpose, you should know that you will have to use it frequently, as the effect does not last long. Waxing is not easy, but if there are any scratches on the surface of the wood, it will fill them in perfectly.
You can find spray polish that can be used to clean and restore polished wood, but it contains silicone that can make wood surfaces slippery. Therefore, in the future, difficulties may arise if you want to completely polish the wooden surface.
Owning antique outdoor furniture sets is like owning precious stones. Therefore, you must provide furniture with due care to maintain its value. A vacuum cleaner or a clean soft cloth is enough to get rid of the dust. You can use a wax-based cleaning solution to thoroughly wipe down the wood.
A wax paste is also a good idea as it will cover any cracks and scratches. After applying the wax, polish the surface of the wood thoroughly with a cloth until the wax coating has hardened.
Stain Removal
Like any other type of furniture, as well as decorative elements in the home, wooden furniture can suffer from a variety of stains. Mild burns from cigarettes often leave ugly black marks on the wood, which can be removed with linseed oil.
Dip a piece of clean cloth in this mixture and rub it on the stain, you will see that it has disappeared. To get rid of water stains and rings, you need a waxy wood finish, you can also mix white toothpaste and olive oil, and then apply the solution to the stain. Wipe off with a dry cloth. After removing any stains, it is necessary to restore the finishing layer of the wood, according to the specific brand and finish of the wood.
If you are trying a new cleaning agent, you should read the instruction label carefully to confirm the suitability of the furniture finishing agent. You should also test its suitability by planting it in a small, hidden area of wood furniture.
If you find that the product doesn’t harm the wood, you can use it on the rest of the furniture. This solution helps to avoid mass loss.