Like all things in a house your wooden furniture too is subject to wear and tear over a period of time. Therefore you must take care of your wooden furniture regularly and in a proper manner. Most of the times we are careless with the way we use our furniture at home, we do not pay that much attention to the way we handle it. The stains and scratches on the furniture should be removed properly and regularly before it spoils the whole set of furniture. Many times wax builds up on furniture and it becomes taxing to get it 'out of the way'. We should be careful while using any chemical on furniture. Even when you use detergents or stain removers, be cautious about the kind of furniture you have; use cleaning products accordingly. There are ways in which stains, waxes and scratches can be removed and prevented, here are a few tips on how to do the same.
Home Furniture Care
Read about wooden furniture care, furniture care and home furniture care.
Furniture Care
- The oil from our skin and the food we eat accumulates on the furniture. This oil attracts dirt, especially on parts of the furniture that we frequently touch. Using a detergent to wash of the oil and dirt can help better the finish of the furniture.
- To get rid of wax stains and oil, use mineral spirits or naphtha. Dip a soft rag or very soft steel wool in mineral spirit and rub gently on the affected area.
- Sometimes the wax on the furniture can soften the wood. If this has happened then cleaning it with spirit can leave you with bare wood. So check thoroughly before applying anything on your furniture.
- If you find the finish of your furniture eroding, it means that it has already been damaged. In this case the best thing to do would be to strip the wood and refurnish it.
- To hide a light scratch on the furniture, use padding lacquer. Take a soft cloth and fold the corners so that the center becomes a ball. Spread padding lacquer onto the pad and tap it onto your palm to spread the lacquer through the pad. Apply the pad on the furniture in the direction of the grain. Use one smooth, gentle movement while applying lacquer. Allow the lacquer to dry and reapply if needed. Do not overdo it, as you may have to redo the whole piece.
- You can use polishing compounds to remove light scratches. These compounds are best used on furniture that has high gloss sheen.
- If furniture with satin or dull sheen has a scratch, take a soft steel wool pad and dip it in lemon oil or wool lubricants. Rub the pad on the scratch in the direction of the grain. This will work on minor scratches. You may have to rub the rest of the surface to make the sheen even. Wipe off the extra oil and apply polish you like.
- If there is a white water mark on your furniture and it isn't going, use mayonnaise! Use a soft cloth and put some mayonnaise on it and leave it on the stain for fifteen minutes. Rub it gently and remove the stain!
- Sometimes little scraps of paper get stuck in your wooden furniture. Do not try to scrape it off as it will spoil the surface of your furniture. Instead apply linseed or sweet oil and let it soak into the paper. Remove it after a while by rubbing it with your fingers. It will come off easily.
- If you accidently drop alcohol or perfume on your furniture it might destroy the varnish. Take a soft tissue paper or cloth and use lemon oil to rub it off immediately.