Wood Polishing Tips
- Polishing wood is a process that restores and protects wood's beauty.rustic furniture image by Gon?¡ìalo Carreira from Fotolia.com
Making wood look exquisite through polishing is a process. The wood should be cleaned and any residual build-up from previous cleanings must be completely removed before polishing. If wood is dried, it can be moisturized so that the grain and luster don’t appear faded. Different techniques repair damage from scratches, spills and extreme temperatures. Clean, repair and polish wood with a soft cloth and proper solution to magnify its natural beauty. - Wood should be cleaned to remove dirt and built-up polish. Use a soft cloth coated in a wood-cleaning product or a homemade wood-cleaning solution. A simple solution made from boiling two teabags in a quart of water works well to clean furniture. Allow the solution to cool before applying it to the wood's surface. The cloth should be damp, but not wet. Use a fine tool to clean crevices and intricate designs in the wood.
If there is a lot of build-up, add a few drops of dish soap to one quart of warm water and wash the wood thoroughly. Sprinkle a bit of cornstarch on the wood to remove old polish build up. Rub it in and wipe it off. This is also a quick and easy way to remove fingerprints. - Moisturizing wood is essential to help it maintain its natural luster. Use a small bit of petroleum jelly or olive oil on a soft cloth to bring out wood's natural beauty. Massage it into the wood to prevent it from drying out. Moisturizing is important in dry climates. It should be done regularly when wood loses its sheen and the grains appear faded. Allow wood to completely absorb the moisturizer.
- Fill scratches in wood with specially made varnish crayons. Regular wax coloring crayons can also be used for this purpose. Test the color in an inconspicuous spot before applying to an obvious area. Treat heat marks and white rings with mayonnaise. Dab it on the affected spot and leave it overnight. Clean and polish wood the next day.
- Cotton cloths that have been soaked overnight in hot soapy water with two or three teaspoons of turpentine and air dried are great tools for polishing wood. Make several at once and store them in an airtight container.
Dusters help remove loose dirt. Spray them with polish for a quick clean; use a soft cloth to rub in any excess polish left from the duster. Lamb’s wool dusters absorb dust and lightly moisturize furniture in the process.
Use a fabric dryer sheet to repel dust from wood surfaces between cleanings. Make your own dust repellent by adding one part liquid fabric softener to four parts water. Use a spray bottle to dampen a soft cloth for application. Liquid repellent solution should be dried after applying to prevent damage to wood. - Cleaning and polishing products often treat specific types of wood. Some products are all-in-one solutions that clean, strip and polish in one easy step. Different manufacturers create products that contain chemicals and waxes that may or may not work on all types of wood. Read ingredients and directions carefully before purchasing or applying to wood or furniture.
