How to clean wooden furniture. Stain removal. How to treat old wood. How to solve the problem of grease and scratches. How to use natural products for ordinary cleaning, lacquered furniture. Polishing, markers. What products not to use.
The naturalness of the wood requires the utmost respect, so as not to find, after a few months or a few years, furniture scratched, chipped or even worse infested with moths.
How to clean wooden furniture: types of stains
Wood is an always living material that absorbs liquids if not specially treated. Let’s see how to eliminate the different types of stains.
Food and nail polish stains with dish soap
Read also: Antique pink color: ancient and glamorous sensations of a fascinating color
The food stains and nail polish, can be eliminated with a simple dishwashing liquid.
It is added to hot water, in which a cloth is dipped and rubbed on the affected area.
Marker stains with soap, toothpaste or alcohol
For remove the marker stains a small amount of alcohol should be used on a rag and wiped gently.
Finally, wipe with a damp cloth to rinse.
Before proceeding, it is advisable to carry out a test on the lower part of the cabinet.
Even the toothpaste can be used to remove permanent marker stains.
Another method consists of passing a piece of Marseille soap on the dirty part.
After leaving it for a day, rinse with warm water.
Paint stains with baking soda
For remove paint stains you can use the bicarbonate, mixed with distilled vinegar or lemon juice.
- Just prepare a paste and apply it on the stain, using a sponge and rubbing gently.
- Remove the mixture by washing the surface with a rag and lukewarm water.
Black spots
It might interest you: 10 Common Problems Happening in the Kitchen That You Should Fix Quickly
To eliminate black spots it is advisable to apply a whitener containing oxalic acid, which can be purchased in any commercial establishment in the sector.
- Once you have created the paste, apply it to the stain with a rag and leave it to act until it dries.
- If the first application does not go away, try again several times.
- If the stain persists, it will probably be food or wine, and will need to be treated differently.
Food or wine stains
Food or wine stains should be treated with hydrogen peroxide or household bleach.
If these are water stains that have penetrated deep into the wood, it is difficult to remove them.
Stains left by animals with DIY antibacterial solution
Do you want design advice on how to furnish? Join the group
Several essential oils considered excellent natural disinfectants, such as:
- White thyme essential oil
- Tea Tree Essential Oil
- Lavender essential oil
- Eucalyptus essential oil
- Lemon essential oil
- Bergamot essential oil
- Essential oil of geranium
To proceed to the elimination of stains it’s at disinfect wooden furniture, with antibacterial and antifungal effect, it is recommended to add 25 drops of tea tree essential oil and 25 drops of lavender essential oil in 500ml of distilled water.
Greasy and greasy spots with white spirit or cold tea
When it comes to greasy substances, such as greasy food and oils, which fall on the wooden furniture, do not worry, there are simple remedies to solve the problem.
- Self sticky to the touch, take a woolen cloth soaked in white spirit and pass it gently on the surface, taking care to wear gloves so as not to damage the skin.
- If thegrease is more resistant, with a cloth soaked in cold tea polish the cabinet. If the stain does not want to go away, then the right solution will be to mix water and alcohol in equal parts: dipping some cotton wool and passing it on the area to be cleaned, you will get the desired final result.
How to clean antique wooden furniture
If you have a antique furniture to which we care a lot, keeping it in good condition is a duty, in order not to resort to antique dealers and experts in the field that could be very expensive for our pockets.
An antique piece of furniture should be treated in this way.
At first remove dust accurately, since it could creep into the grain, using a damp cloth.
Dust can be removed every day with a light duvet.
To make the wood more shiny, create a compound with emulsified wax, water and solvent for furniture, by spraying it directly on the furniture.
How to clean wooden furniture naturally
Respect for the environment and nature is a prerogative that has become more important in recent years.
And also for the wooden furniture you can use a method that is the most eco-friendly possible, using non-detergents and chemicals, as much as normal substances found in nature.
Ordinary cleaning
When it comes to playing the daily maintenance, first remove the dust from the surface of the cabinet. Then, create a solution consisting of:
- a glass of water,
- two tablespoons of lemon juice,
- a few drops of Marseille soap,
- half a teaspoon of olive oil.
Shake the prepared solution and insert it in a spray bottle, with which it will be sprayed on the wood, wiping it with a soft cloth.
After drying, by passing a layer of beeswax you will also have achieved a perfect polishing.
How to remove stains from lacquered wood
For lacquered wood furniture, take a potato, peel it and cut it in half, rubbing it on the part of the furniture to be cleaned. Dry with a microfiber cloth.
How to remove scratches on wood
When you have to eliminate annoying scratches unsightly, take one stick of cocoa butter and pass it on the scratched part in a delicate way, without engraving.
Wood polishing
If in addition to cleaning, you also want polish the furniture, you can prepare a composition with cooked linseed oil, turpentine and vinegar, to be mixed in equal parts. Then wipe the solution with a soft cloth on the cabinet and rub until the product has been absorbed. Then, dry well with a woolen cloth.
How to clean wooden furniture: prohibited products not to be used
If cleaning is a simple operation after all, it must be borne in mind which products absolutely must not be used to clean wooden furniture:
- hydrogen peroxide
- ammonia
- sodium hydroxide
- alcohol (to be used with caution)
Hydrogen peroxide
If useful for disinfecting the worktops and the cutting board, using hydrogen peroxide would risk whitening the furniture.
Ammonia
It is a product that tends to darken the wood, as well as remove the paint. It is therefore an element to be used if you want to change the original color of the furniture.
Alcohol
Other harmful element if not used correctly; in fact it can be used only minimally to disinfect some furnishing accessories.
It is always advisable to do a test on a small part of the wood that is not visible.
sodium hydroxide
Highly corrosive, caustic soda is used only if you want to remove paint from a door or a piece of furniture.
How to clean wooden furniture. Stain removal. How to treat old wood. How to solve the problem of grease and scratches. How to use natural products for ordinary cleaning, lacquered furniture. Polishing, markers. What products not to use.
The naturalness of the wood requires the utmost respect, so as not to find, after a few months or a few years, furniture scratched, chipped or even worse infested with moths.
How to clean wooden furniture: types of stains
Wood is an always living material that absorbs liquids if not specially treated. Let’s see how to eliminate the different types of stains.
Food and nail polish stains with dish soap
Read also: Antique pink color: ancient and glamorous sensations of a fascinating color
The food stains and nail polish, can be eliminated with a simple dishwashing liquid.
It is added to hot water, in which a cloth is dipped and rubbed on the affected area.
Marker stains with soap, toothpaste or alcohol
For remove the marker stains a small amount of alcohol should be used on a rag and wiped gently.
Finally, wipe with a damp cloth to rinse.
Before proceeding, it is advisable to carry out a test on the lower part of the cabinet.
Even the toothpaste can be used to remove permanent marker stains.
Another method consists of passing a piece of Marseille soap on the dirty part.
After leaving it for a day, rinse with warm water.
Paint stains with baking soda
For remove paint stains you can use the bicarbonate, mixed with distilled vinegar or lemon juice.
- Just prepare a paste and apply it on the stain, using a sponge and rubbing gently.
- Remove the mixture by washing the surface with a rag and lukewarm water.
Black spots
It might interest you: 10 Common Problems Happening in the Kitchen That You Should Fix Quickly
To eliminate black spots it is advisable to apply a whitener containing oxalic acid, which can be purchased in any commercial establishment in the sector.
- Once you have created the paste, apply it to the stain with a rag and leave it to act until it dries.
- If the first application does not go away, try again several times.
- If the stain persists, it will probably be food or wine, and will need to be treated differently.
Food or wine stains
Food or wine stains should be treated with hydrogen peroxide or household bleach.
If these are water stains that have penetrated deep into the wood, it is difficult to remove them.
Stains left by animals with DIY antibacterial solution
Do you want design advice on how to furnish? Join the group
Several essential oils considered excellent natural disinfectants, such as:
- White thyme essential oil
- Tea Tree Essential Oil
- Lavender essential oil
- Eucalyptus essential oil
- Lemon essential oil
- Bergamot essential oil
- Essential oil of geranium
To proceed to the elimination of stains it’s at disinfect wooden furniture, with antibacterial and antifungal effect, it is recommended to add 25 drops of tea tree essential oil and 25 drops of lavender essential oil in 500ml of distilled water.
Greasy and greasy spots with white spirit or cold tea
When it comes to greasy substances, such as greasy food and oils, which fall on the wooden furniture, do not worry, there are simple remedies to solve the problem.
- Self sticky to the touch, take a woolen cloth soaked in white spirit and pass it gently on the surface, taking care to wear gloves so as not to damage the skin.
- If thegrease is more resistant, with a cloth soaked in cold tea polish the cabinet. If the stain does not want to go away, then the right solution will be to mix water and alcohol in equal parts: dipping some cotton wool and passing it on the area to be cleaned, you will get the desired final result.
How to clean antique wooden furniture
If you have a antique furniture to which we care a lot, keeping it in good condition is a duty, in order not to resort to antique dealers and experts in the field that could be very expensive for our pockets.
An antique piece of furniture should be treated in this way.
At first remove dust accurately, since it could creep into the grain, using a damp cloth.
Dust can be removed every day with a light duvet.
To make the wood more shiny, create a compound with emulsified wax, water and solvent for furniture, by spraying it directly on the furniture.
How to clean wooden furniture naturally
Respect for the environment and nature is a prerogative that has become more important in recent years.
And also for the wooden furniture you can use a method that is the most eco-friendly possible, using non-detergents and chemicals, as much as normal substances found in nature.
Ordinary cleaning
When it comes to playing the daily maintenance, first remove the dust from the surface of the cabinet. Then, create a solution consisting of:
- a glass of water,
- two tablespoons of lemon juice,
- a few drops of Marseille soap,
- half a teaspoon of olive oil.
Shake the prepared solution and insert it in a spray bottle, with which it will be sprayed on the wood, wiping it with a soft cloth.
After drying, by passing a layer of beeswax you will also have achieved a perfect polishing.
How to remove stains from lacquered wood
For lacquered wood furniture, take a potato, peel it and cut it in half, rubbing it on the part of the furniture to be cleaned. Dry with a microfiber cloth.
How to remove scratches on wood
When you have to eliminate annoying scratches unsightly, take one stick of cocoa butter and pass it on the scratched part in a delicate way, without engraving.
Wood polishing
If in addition to cleaning, you also want polish the furniture, you can prepare a composition with cooked linseed oil, turpentine and vinegar, to be mixed in equal parts. Then wipe the solution with a soft cloth on the cabinet and rub until the product has been absorbed. Then, dry well with a woolen cloth.
How to clean wooden furniture: prohibited products not to be used
If cleaning is a simple operation after all, it must be borne in mind which products absolutely must not be used to clean wooden furniture:
- hydrogen peroxide
- ammonia
- sodium hydroxide
- alcohol (to be used with caution)
Hydrogen peroxide
If useful for disinfecting the worktops and the cutting board, using hydrogen peroxide would risk whitening the furniture.
Ammonia
It is a product that tends to darken the wood, as well as remove the paint. It is therefore an element to be used if you want to change the original color of the furniture.
Alcohol
Other harmful element if not used correctly; in fact it can be used only minimally to disinfect some furnishing accessories.
It is always advisable to do a test on a small part of the wood that is not visible.
sodium hydroxide
Highly corrosive, caustic soda is used only if you want to remove paint from a door or a piece of furniture.
