How to Clean and Protect Wood Furniture

Whether you have spent a pretty penny on a particular piece of wood furniture or it is a sacred family heirloom, taking care of your wooden pieces is very important. They can last a lifetime if properly cared for, and clean wood furniture will always do wonders for the atmosphere of your home. To begin having clean wood furniture, always start with soft lint-free cloth to wipe the furniture with all over. Do this once or twice a week to keep dust, hair, and other build-up from accumulating. It's also a good idea to add a bit of furniture polish to the cloth, about every other time you wipe your furniture down. This will add a brilliant shine to your clean wood furniture and prevent dryness.
Always be sure to stick to one kind of furniture polish. Polishes come usually in two types: either based from oil or a wax. If you mix up products and use one kind the first time and then the other another time, you will most likely be faced with a lot of smudging and yucky build up. Knowing this, it is best to pick one type and stick with it. Also be sure to polish in the direction of the grain, not against it.

Another thing to remember when you are ready to achieve clean wood furniture, is that you need to know what kind of wood finish is on your piece of furniture. If you don't know what kind of finish your wood has, put a drop of boiled linseed oil onto a hidden area of the furniture. Generally, you will notice one of two things. The furniture will either absorb the linseed oil, which tells you that you have an oil finish on your piece. Otherwise, the linseed oil will bead up and not absorb, telling you that your furniture has a hard finish. You will want to use an appropriate finish protection product to protect your piece.

In order to protect your clean wood furniture, temperature needs to remain neutral and constant. This means that it is very important to keep wood furniture away from air conditioners, heaters, fireplaces, and direct sunlight. Wood furniture should also not get very wet. It is alright to occasionally use a damp cloth to wipe it down, followed with a dry one to remove moisture, however excess water can cause rot, warping, and discoloration.

Always use soft cloths and a high quality furniture polish to best care for your clean wood furniture. Avoid highs and lows in temperature do not dry dust, as the dust will only re-settle on the furniture. Remember that if your piece has a specific hard finish such as shellac, varnish, lacquer, a polyurethane finish, it will be necessary to buy a wax or polish that is made for that specific coating.