How To Clean Old Wood Furniture Naturally?

How to clean old wood furniture naturally without using synthetic materials, which could sometimes cause more damage than good. Maintaining old wood furniture is a pretty easy job. Still, because we’re dealing with old wood furniture, the question is to clean the old wood furniture wisely using natural solutions products and maintain it in the best possible way.

In this article, I’ll share my homemade wood furniture cleaning secrets, which contain natural wood cleaners because store-bought chemicals tend to be aggressive.

How to clean old wood furniture naturally?

We’ll follow some natural homemade recipes that will revive your favorite staple wood pieces and are also very eco-friendly, safer alternatives that do not harm your staple pieces because there aren’t any harsh chemicals in them.

So, we know that purchasing high-quality wood can sometimes be an investment that most people would avoid because they feel it isn’t worth the price point. Still, wood furniture has many advantages. For example, the entire piece of wood furniture can be used as a decor staple and set the tone for the rest, bringing an entirely new feel to your living space.

Not only can wood furniture be used as a decor staple, they require low maintenance due to their durability and strength, which is why certain old wood furniture staples are even passed down as antiques or heirlooms in the family.

Prepping The Old Wood Furniture

Everything requires some care or some cleaning to do before we get to the actual task. The same goes for our wooden furniture. So let us have a look at what preparations we need to take into consideration.

Step 1: Removing Hardware

Before starting the cleaning process, we have to prep the old wood furniture by removing any removable, non-wood pieces, which could be any non-structural hardware, etc.

* Do not take apart the furniture from the hardware holding it together

* Take off any hardware you’ll be able to put back easily, such as knobs or handles which help to decorate the furniture

* Remove any decorative items on the wood furniture, such as pillows, cushions, or drapes.

Step 2: Vacuuming or dusting off the dirt

• Vacuum or dust off any accumulated dirt that is apparent on furniture.
• And carefully take a rag to remove any dirt that may remain in the small crevices of the old wood furniture.
• Remember to be gentle, do this process very carefully, and use a stationary brush to avoid unnecessary damage.

Things that you’ll need

You can even use essential oils such as lavender oil if you want to add a fragrance.

Natural homemade old wood furniture cleaner recipes.

The following recipes are customizable, so don’t worry if you don’t have a specific oil lying around somewhere. The primary purpose of homemade wood furniture cleaners is that you can find these items easily in your house, so it’s a fun DIY project with minimal hassle.

Basic wood cleaner recipe

Wood cleaning does not have to be a burden or a very complex thing to begin with. However, wood requires extra care because of its nature, as it absorbs moisture quickly and can get destroyed easily. Nevertheless, with basic ingredients on your kitchen shelf, you can easily maintain your wooden furniture and flooring.

For everyday use

It is a straightforward DIY remedy for daily home or office use.

Ingredients:

1. Water 1 cup
2. Vinegar 1 cup
3. Olive oil 1 tablespoon
4. Spray bottle

Method

One of the most basic recipes to restore your old wood furniture is having a mixture of White vinegar, olive oil, and water.

Step 1: Mix 1 cup water and 1 cup vinegar in a spray bottle/jar

Step 2: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Step 3: Spray it directly on the surface and gently wipe the entire surface or area of the solid wood you’re cleaning.

Since we are dealing with old pieces of wood, having a gentle hand on it is important. It removes any tough grime off wood furniture and even comes in handy as a stain remover.

For heavy-duty use

Some wooden furniture needs more attention when cleaning due to more damage.

Ingredients:

1. Vinegar 1 tablespoon
2. Olive oil 2 tablespoons
3. Spray bottle/ jar

Method:

Step 1: Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar with 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a jar.

Step 2: Mix well.

Step 3: While doing it for occasional heavy-duty purposes while dealing with ancient furniture, we will do it in patches one at a time

Step 4: Increase it when required since we focus on specific areas that require restoration in these cases.

I have noticed that this is one of the best recipes for keeping your old or even new wood furniture looking polished and clean.

DIY dusting spray for wooden furniture recipe

Ingredients:

Method:

Step 1: Mix water, white vinegar, mineral oil, and lemon in a spray bottle.

Step 2: Shake well.

Step 3: Spray directly onto the surface where you need it

Step 4: Wipe it off with a dry cloth

Note: Shake well before every time you use it; oil and water are heterogeneous and do not mix well together.

Homemade wood cleaner and polish recipe

Method

Step 1: Mix all the above-given list of ingredients in a spray bottle

Step 2: Shake vigorously

Step 3: Spray directly onto the wooden surface you want to clean or polish (wooden chairs or antique table)

Step 4: Wipe it clean with a clean cloth

Once again, do not forget to shake vigorously before every use.

Homemade wooden floor cleaner recipe

Step 1: Make a solution using the items listed in the table above

Step 2: Apply over or pour gently over the wooden flooring a little at a time

Step 3: Using a mop with a soft head, spread the solution evenly

Note: It is always advised to remove dust before applying any cleaning solution or polish.

Remove old polish

This is a simple one-ingredient DIY to maintain your wooden furniture. It does absolutely wonders and removes all that dull old polish on your wooden furniture that has been lying over it. It is a shame for your precious coffee table or wooden patio chairs. Let us get straight to what you’ll need.

Things You will need:

• 4 tea bags
• Boiling water
• A soft piece of cloth

Instructions:

Step 1: In hot boiling warm water, soak your tea bags.

Step 2: Let it sit in it for a while, as this is the step where we are trying to extract the tannic acid present in tea.

Step 3: Cool the tea and let it come to room temperature before using it on your furniture.

Step 4: Take a soft cotton cloth and soak it with the tea water. Remove the excess water by squeezing the cloth. It should be damp, not dripping tea water.

Step 5: Now, you can wash the wood.

Tip: Do not throw away those tea bags; let them cool down naturally or keep them in the refrigerator. The tannins in the tea help eliminate all that puffiness/ eye bags. Poof Poof 💨

Remove water stains

Trust me, and this is the most straightforward DIY you will ever find; it’s available at every house (unless you don’t care about your basic dental hygiene). LOL, yes, you have guessed it right! All you need is non-gel toothpaste.

Things need:

• Non-gel toothpaste
• A soft piece of cloth

Method:

• On an area where maybe someone had put a hot or cold glass of tea or water, put some of the non-gel toothpaste.
• With the help of a soft cloth, rub the toothpaste until the ring mark is completely gone.

Method 2: (for stubborn stains)

• Take equal ratios of the toothpaste and baking soda.
• Apply them where needed.
• Clean them off with a slightly damp piece of cloth.
• Keep that airflow coming, and make sure to dry thoroughly.

INK marks and other such tough stains

Be it, adults or kids, we all love our ink pens. And at times, they do get on our precious wooden furniture. So let us find out how to remove them.

Checklist:

• 2 tablespoons Baking soda
• 2 teaspoons Water

Method:

Step 1: Mix baking soda and water together to make a smooth paste.

Step 2: With a light hand using a soft piece of cloth, rub gently.

Step 3: Once the stain mark is removed completely. Using a clean, slightly damp cloth, remove the paste and let it dry.

Polish:

A layer of fresh polish always helps to protect your furniture. It revives it for a longer, healthier life and adds a beautiful shiny finish.

• You can either use ready-made lemon oil or make one yourself.

Things:

• 1 cup Olive oil
• 1/4 cup white vinegar

Method:

1. Mix them well together
2. Take a soft cloth and pour over it
3. Make sure that you work it into the wood in the direction of its grain
4. Do this until you achieve that shiny look

Guidelines for cleaning old wood furniture the right way

• If you’re going to be using it, remember that we are dealing with old furniture so take it one step at a time without saturating your old wood furniture with your homemade cleaners.
• Be gentle and use swiping motions to avoid putting unnecessary strain on the furniture; this will help us avoid accidental scratches or indents that may be caused due to excessive force that we might exert on it.
• In case you are dealing with antique pieces that do require a gentle hand to deal with them.
• But most other old wood pieces are pretty sturdy, so applying some pressure won’t do any harm, especially if you’re dealing with some dirt and grime that has accumulated on that surface for far too long; using a toothbrush also helps because it’s a lot gentler than the pressure we apply by our own hands remember this tip while dealing with tricky areas it makes the job easier.
• Try to use a damp cloth, and once done cleaning the furniture with that, Remember to go over the area with a dry microfiber cloth to remove any moisture. This will leave your furniture polished, and you’ll see a pretty sheen when the light strikes.

FAQ

How do you properly dust furniture?

Rather than spreading dust around the furniture’s wood surface, capturing and removing it is the best way to dust it properly.

What do I need to protect my furniture?

There are many types of oil polishes, cleaners, and furniture oils that protect the wood by providing a slippery surface to the wood.

What is the difference between wax and polish?

Compared to sprays or polishes, the wax provides a smooth wood finish, long-lasting protection, doesn’t smear, and is much more durable than sprays and polishes.

How do I apply furniture wax?

The best way to restore shine to your wood furniture is to apply furniture wax in light original coats, rubbing it along the grain as you go.

How do I Polish Wood Furniture?

The best way to polish wood furniture is to use an electric driller power buffer attached to a clean cloth or lambswool pad.

Conclusion

Following these quick and easy steps, you’ll end up with your old wood furniture finish looking as good as new. Any old wood furniture surface can be transformed, even if it’s a simple piece that’s gotten a little old or an antique or heirloom that’s been passed down for generations. So please give it a go and try it out for yourselves 😊

Hopefully, this article was helpful to you. It could answer all your questions about how to clean old wood furniture naturally and answer your questions.

• Read more: How to Fix Water Damaged Swollen Wood Furniture?