When maintained properly, good solid wood furniture can be handed down for generations. Whether you inherited beautiful wood furniture or just bought some, you need to take good care of it. Otherwise, it won't last very long.
But that doesn’t mean you need to grab a cleanser bottle full of chemicals; there are natural remedies you should try first that will protect your wood furniture just as well. Here are some of our top chemical-free tips for taking care of wooden furniture.
Why Use Natural Cleaners?
It is no secret that a lot of store-bought cleaners are made with toxins, chemicals, and abrasive detergents that not only release harmful particles into the air we breathe but also leave a residue on furniture and other surfaces. And every time you use these kinds of cleaners, you are bringing more of them into your home. You can use natural cleaners to address this problem and create a better environment in your home. They are safe, efficient, easy to make, and will offer you confidence that you are improving your living environment.
When choosing a natural cleaner, it's important to know the wood's finish. You can use our solutions as frequently as you'd like because many modern tables have a hard-surfaced wood finish.
Tables with oil and wax finishes require a gentler cleaning routine. Dust and other little particles can usually be removed with just a soft cloth; for tougher messes, moisten the cloth beforehand.
Make Your Own Cleaner
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin
20-30 drops of lemon oil
Making this cleaner is quite simple. Just put everything in a big bottle and shake it up! When using this all-natural wood cleaner, dispense a small amount of the mixture onto a soft cloth and wipe wood surfaces clean.
This wood cleaning solution focuses more on removing dirt than it does on polishing. This makes it ideal for cleaning floors, dishes, or wooden surfaces you use to cook or eat food on. Follow our next recipe if you want to create a cleaner with a little bit more polishing power!
Make Your Own Restorer/Polish
1 tablespoon White Vinegar
3 tablespoons Olive Oil (or another food-safe oil)
Mix the vinegar with the oil inside a jar. To use, shake well, then just dip a rag into the mixture and polish and restore your wood as needed. In this case, the oil hydrates the wood while the vinegar cleans it.
Generally speaking, the oil will darken the wood, bringing out the richness of the color and grain pattern, although this can vary depending on the specific wood variety. Therefore, test it on a tiny area before using it on the entire piece if you are unsure how your wood will respond or do not want it to be darker.
Lastly, if you have stubborn watermarks, try a mix of equal parts distilled white vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Use a soft cloth to rub the mixture with the wood's grain, and then wipe it off with a clean cloth.
Pro Tip: The shelf life should be around a year, provided it is kept in a suitable container and is kept in a cool, dry location. This will also depend on the age and quality of the oil you use. Any solutions that smell rancid or those you believe to be bad should be discarded.
Happy Cleaning!
Your wood furniture should appear as good as new after utilizing these natural cleansers! But if you still can't get your wooden furniture back in tip-top shape, don't stress! Come by Sav-Mart and check out what our impressive selection of quality furniture can do for your home! And if you have any questions, reach out to our experts. We are always happy to help.