While many people may not realize it, different wood types actually require different cleaning techniques to allow them to extend their livelihood and maintain their beauty. Since I often receive questions about cleaning wooden furniture, I thought I would take a moment to address this topic.

Source: Denyalle Hembroff via Pinterest

First of all, you should dust your wooden furniture regularly as allowing debris to build up over time can lead to scratched surfaces. For the best results, use a slightly dampened cloth.

When selecting a cleaning solution for your wooden furniture, be sure that you never use an all-purpose spray unless the wood has a plastic coating on it. Generally, your higher-end, fine furniture will not fall into this category. While cleaning wood with water is not ideal, it will sometimes be necessary to remove sticky spots. In these scenarios, create a cleaning solution by combining a mild detergent with some water. Then dip a soft cloth into the mixture, wring it out completely, and wipe over the wood surface. Immediately follow-up this step with a dry cloth.

You may want to consider using a wax for giving your wooden furniture a good cleaning, and you will want to be sure to select a paste wax or liquid wax that is made specifically for furniture. There are a number of benefits to using wax for cleaning wooden furniture including providing additional protection and preventing smear marks. It’s important that wax is applied in thin coats and properly rubbed into the wood’s surface with the grain for the best results.

To learn more about cleaning wooden furniture, please contact me. I have been creating custom wooden furniture for my clients for many years now, and I have a number of useful tips to offer to help keep your wood looking its best.