Caring for your delicate wood furniture will extend its life and it is not as difficult as it may seem. You can keep your furniture looking like new by following our simple rules and advices on how to treat unfortunate marks, spots or scratches.
The best way to clean wood furniture is with a wood cleaner and a wood polish. You don’t want to use water and soap to clean any of your wood furniture because it will quickly take off the finish.
Every week you should wipe over with a soft (preferably microfibre) cloth to remove dust. Use a small paint brush or vacuum cleaner attachment to winkle dust out of carvings.
If your wooden chairs are located in a room with a waxed floor, wax the bottoms of the chairs’ feet so that they slide easily along the floor. This will prevent chairs from scratching the floor.
Applying wax polish isn’t essential, but it will protect the wood to some extent. Clean down the wood furniture with a damp cloth before you apply polish to avoid trapping dirt in the wax. You need to apply polish once or twice a year and it’s important to use the same product.
Freshly brewed tea is great for cleaning wood furniture and floors. Just boil a couple of tea bags in a quart (liter) of water and let it cool. Afterward, wipe it on with a soft cloth, and then off with another dry cloth. You can also use some beer for the same purpose.
For even the most difficult marks such as crayon marks, water or heat marks, mayonnaise is still the way to go. Rub mayonnaise into the affected area. Let it soak in for an hour, then wipe it off with a damp cloth in the direction of the wood grain. If needed, polish the entire piece of furniture to restore its shine.
Alcohol spots and watermarks can be removed with a cream metal polish (test on an inconspicuous area first), then faded areas can be disguised with ash or shoe polish.
Grease marks on unsealed wood can be sprinkled with old talc, which you then cover with kitchen paper and press with a warm iron to absorb the grease.
Use matching coloured wax crayon or shoe polish to fill small scratches into your wooden table or bureau.
Candle wax can be removed by melting it with a blow-dryer on its slowest, hottest setting. The blow-dryer will soften the wax, so you can remove it with a paper towel and then wipe the area with a cloth dipped in equal parts vinegar and water. Repeat if necessary.
If you are unsure as to whether the piece of furniture you are cleaning is suitable for our instructions, take professional cleaning advice first.
