How to Clean Wood Furniture to Make It Look New Again

Classic wood furniture never goes out of style and is often featured in farmhouse, vintage, and mid-century modern styles as family heirlooms and flea market finds. However, wood furniture can also be frustrating to clean. Over time, it tends to show grime or dirt that can’t be removed with a duster. And sometimes, even if you try to clean wood furniture, shiny streaks are left behind.

When it comes to wood furniture maintenance, there are a number of terms that get tossed around, such as dusting, cleaning, waxing, and polishing. To keep wood furniture looking its best, you’ll likely have to tackle all four of these cleaning tasks every now and then. While experts have varying opinions on wood furniture care, the technique you use will depend on the finish of the piece. You should always seek out specific care and cleaning guidelines when purchasing new or old furnishings. Keep reading to learn how to clean grime off wood furniture plus care tips to keep decades-old wood furniture pieces looking new.

How to Dust Wood Furniture

To keep wood furniture in its best shape, maintain frequent dusting. Dust can cause airborne deposits that eventually build up in a filmy layer and scratch the surface of wood furniture. Leaving dust on your furniture can also trigger allergies or be harmful to those with asthma. Most dust lives in fabric, so try to regularly vacuum carpets or upholstery as well.

What You Need

• Microfiber cloth
• Terrycloth towel
• Feather duster (optional)

Step 1: Use the Right Tool

When searching for a dusting tool for wood furniture, choose something that dust will cling to, rather than something that will pick it up only to spew it out into the air. Dry, soft cloths and feather dusters will effectively remove dust from wood furniture.

Step 2: Dust Furniture

To properly dust furniture, capture and remove dust as opposed to spreading it around the surface. To avoid scattering the dust into the air, where it’ll float until landing back on furniture surfaces, very lightly dampen a microfiber cloth before wiping down. Remove excess moisture with a dry terry towel.

How to Clean Wood Furniture

When cleaning wood furnishings, never use all-purpose cleaning sprays, such as the kind used on kitchen tables, unless your furniture has a plastic coating. If you’ve used wood sprays and polishes in the past or suspect that furniture has been polished with them, be aware that these residues can interfere with refinishing and may need professional attention.

What You Need

• Olive oil
• Denatured alcohol
• Gum turpentine
• Strained lemon juice
• Soft cloth
• Clean cloth
• Soap (optional)
• Water (optional)
• Lint-free cloth (optional)

Step 1: Prepare the Cleaner

To revive grimy wood furniture, mix equal parts olive oil, denatured alcohol, gum turpentine, and strained lemon juice.

Step 2: Apply and Buff

Apply with a soft cloth and buff with a clean cloth.

Step 3: Remove Sticky Spots

Sticky spots may need to be treated with soap and water. To do this, dip a lint-free cloth in mild soap or detergent dissolved in water, wring the cloth nearly dry, and wipe the area. Rinse and immediately dry with a clean, soft cloth.