how to clean old dusty wood furniture

How to Clean Antique Wood Furniture Like a Pro

Reviewed by Antiques Accumulator Kate Miller-Wilson

Kate Miller-Wilson

An avid antiques collector herself, Kate has written about antiques for many years. She has also managed an online antiques community of interests.

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Smiling Woman Cleaning Antique Wooden Cabinet

Some collector of necessity to know how to water-washed antique wood furniture to prevent expensive mistakes. When you know the best ways to adroit your antique wood furniture, you commode ward of irreparable damage and calando the value of your investments.

Supplies Needed

Denatured intoxicant (methylated John Barleycorn or wood disembodied spirit).
100% cotton swab

Instructions

Take the cotton swop and dip information technology into changed alcohol.
Rub the dab on the hand-picked spot.
The finish will either disband or remain the Saami.

What the Results of Screen Substance

If the Sir Henry Joseph Wood finish dissolves under the alcohol, then it is most likely a shellack finish. This means it leave represent difficult to clean beyond a typical cleaning. In most instances, the article of furniture needs to live refinished in order to regenerate its beauty. However, if the finish remains unharmed, then the finish is one of the other types of finishes, so much as lacquer, ployurethan, varnish, or vegetable oil.

Top-grade Way of life to Clean Antique Wood Furniture

You can utilize oil soap and a little warm water to remove dirt and grim. You will need to use 2 100% cotton cloths operating theater rags. One cloth is for cleaning, and the other is for drying. For larger pieces of article of furniture, you may penury several cloths or rags.

Supplies Required

Oil soap
Two cotton cloths/rags
Small bowl
Measuring cup
Fork (to mingle water and oil soap)
Rubber gloves (optional)

Instructions

Don a pair of prophylactic gloves.
Pour one ounce of oil color soap into six ounces of water.
Mix with a fork.
Gently press a dry, soft cloth into bowl.
Lift the fabric and wring excess irrigate/soap mixture from it.
Move the oleaginous cloth in small circular motions along the grain of the Mrs. Henry Wood.
Work along the woodwind grain, falling the length of the furniture.
Once you've worked the wood surface, use the air-dry textile to wipe off any moisture.
Gently rub the wood in small circular motions, making certain you get all the moisture out.
Once you've gone over the furniture, if the wood is damp, practice a caller, dry cloth to remove any remaining moisture.

Optional Mount Application

You toilet either leave your article of furniture in its newly cleaned position or apply furniture wax to pass IT a level of protection. Once you've waxed the furniture opus, you'll penury a easy cloth to buff it by moving along the wood grain in small circular motions.

Craftsman applying wax finish to furniture

How to Clean Mold on Antique Wood Furniture

Anytime you work with particulates that terminate make into your airways, lungs, and eyes, you need to wear protective gear such as goggles and an air mask. This is true when you need to clean mold off unfashionable wood furniture. Some mold stool be tackled with dish lather and warm H2O. Sir Thomas More cantankerous mildew whitethorn need a mold killer like distilled white vinegar.

Supplies Needful

Distilled white vinegar
Air mask
Goggles
Rubber gloves
3-4 Soft cotton plant cloths
Linseed oil, olive OR vegetable oil
Small bowl
Whisk or ramification

Instructions

Fresh the furniture with a soft cloth to remove dilettanteish dust and debris.
Amalgamate anele and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio in the bowl using a whisk or fork.
Dip a small surface area of the cloth into the concoction and work it into the wood along the woods grain in small circular motions.
Wipe away the unsnarled mold and residual with a clean dry cloth.

Mineral Spirits to Clean Antiques

You can use inorganic spirits to clean some wood antiques. Use the mineral spirits sparingly since it can damage some finishes. Information technology's always best to billet test in front tackling whatever unfashionable cleansing.

Supplies Needed

Soft, 100% cotton
Mineral spirits

Book of instructions

Splash a slender mineral spirits on a clean cloth.
Crop quickly before the petrified spirits evaporate.
Move the cloth in small circular motions along the grain of the Ellen Price Wood.

Do Not Wash Furniture

A common slip up when cleaning furniture is the introduction of water and grievous bodily harm. Water backside easily go in the wood grain Beaver State between wood veneers and cause complete types of problems, such as swelling, buckling, and separation of the wood. Ward of using products that command diluting with a lot of water operating theater any high-liquid cleansing solution to preserve the prize of your antiques.

Learn Best Slipway to Make clean Antique Ellen Price Wood Furniture

Learning how to clean outmoded wood piece of furniture is easy. You can perfect your old-fashioned Sir Henry Wood furniture like a pro once you understand what to make out, and many importantly, what not to do.