How to Clean Wood Furniture: 4 Safe and Effective Tips
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Keep your wood furniture looking brilliant with these safe and effective cleaning tips.
Key Takeaways:
- How to Clean Wood Furniture on a Regular Basis
- How to Remove Stains from Your Wood Furniture
- How to Polish Your Wood
- Avoid the Stains and Stock Up on Coasters
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Wood furniture brings warmth to your space. Whether you opt for pieces with a raw wood finish or with a painted coating, caring for your wood pieces is an absolute must. All you need to keep your pieces looking fantastic is to use our foolproof, effective (and safe!) cleaning tips.
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How to Clean Wood Furniture on a Regular Basis
When it comes to regularly cleaning your wood furniture, think soft. Harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners (or even wipes) are a big no-no when it comes to cleaning your wood furniture. That’s why, to keep your furniture clean, you’ll want to adopt these regular cleaning habits:
- Use Water and Soap: Yes, you heard that right. Cleaning finished wood or even painted wood like our clover shaped spindle leg accent table can and should be cleaned with a simple wipe down of soapy water and a soft cloth. The soap and water method is also safe on cane, so you can wipe down mixed-material pieces like our cane back bistro-style counter stools just as easily.
- Wring Out the Cloth So It’s Damp: Take a microfiber cloth, dip it into your soapy water, and then wring it out. You want it lightly damp, not soaking wet.
Dry with a Lint-Free Cloth: You will want to follow up with a lint-free cloth to dry your furniture. This removes any water droplets, fingerprints, or other smudges you might have made while wiping down your pieces, especially if they have a glossy finish like our stunning carved mango wood side table.
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How to Remove Stains from Your Wood Furniture
Life happens, which means stains aren’t far behind. These tips will help you keep your wooden tables, coffee tables, and side tables spotless, even if a water ring or two emerges.
- Use Heat: You can easily remove new water stains on wood surfaces like our reclaimed elm drum side table caused by glasses with an iron and a cloth. Simply place a microfiber cloth over the stain and iron it on the low setting. Keep checking as you go. This method will get rid of fresh water stains like magic.
- Use Oils: Oil is a great way to remove stains, since it essentially works to absorb the stain and helps to lift it off the wood. You can use wood-friendly oils like teak or Danish oil, or even try mayonnaise or walnuts, if you don’t have those wood-specific oils on hand.
- Use Vinegar: First and most importantly, always dilute your vinegar with water (1 part water, 1 part vinegar), then use a cloth to wipe at the stain. If that doesn’t work, let the wet cloth sit on the stain for an hour, then use a small amount of baking soda and vinegar and rub at the stain with a soft bristle brush while the ingredients are still reacting together.
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How to Polish Your Wood
Exposed wood (so wood that isn’t painted) should be polished. Polishing wood helps return its shine and glamor, and can also help reduce the appearance of minor stains and scratches.
- Finished Wood: Wood that’s been finished with a lacquer or varnish, like our stunningly glossy wood hourglass accent table, only needs to be polished when it’s starting to look dull. You can polish it with products like Guardsman Anytime Clean & Polish, which is designed for finished, sealed wood or other similar furniture polishes.
- Raw Wood: Raw wood means wood without a seal, or that it’s weathered wood, like the tabletop on our distressed raw wood dining table. To keep this wood nice and hydrated, use a wood oil that works with the material. For most materials, using a Danish or teak oil will help keep the piece looking its best.
Avoid the Stains and Stock Up on Coasters
Of course, the easiest stain is the one that doesn’t exist at all. Avoid water stains, food stains, and a whole host of other stains with a collection of stunning coasters, trays, and trivets.
You can keep things minimal with the marble and mango-wood hexagonal coasters or our handsome home coaster set. You could add a pop of colour with the wool felt ball square coasters set, or even go seasonal. We offer harvest pumpkin coasters, perfect to bring out during the spooky season.
For larger items, think trays or trivets. We offer simple matts like our farmhouse blues braided jute. Or, if you want something that keeps the heat away just a bit more, consider adding a touch of whimsy to your home with the metal honey bee trivet.
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