Homemade Furniture Cleaner

Dusting

• Dust causes scratching and can build up in crevices making it difficult to remove, so regular dusting is an important part of furniture care. For adequate dusting, you really don't need any special solutions or concoctions. Simply cleaning your furniture with a soft, damp cloth two to three times per week will keep it dust free. Too much water may cause warping and loosen the glue, so make sure your dust cloth is damp, not wet. Feather dusters and dry dusting will not remove the dust. Instead, they simply scatter it around. They may also scratch your furniture's surface. Pieces of flannel, old t-shirts and other clean, cotton, lint-free fabrics make ideal non-abrasive dust cloths.

Cleaning

• For more heavy duty cleaning, you will need to mix a simple cleaning solution. Carol Williams of the Utah State University Cooperative Extension recommends using a hot wash to remove waxes, oil and old polishes. She suggests adding two tbsps. of gum turpentine and four tbsps. of boiled linseed oil to a gallon of very hot water. (The water should be hot enough to require gloves to sufficiently loosen the soil.) When using this solution, make sure to wring your cloth out well to prevent water damage. A dryer alternative is moistening your cloth with mineral spirits and rubbing the grime away.

Fingerprints, White Rings and Wax Buildup

• Many common imperfections, such as white rings, wax buildup and shallow scratches are in the finish rather than the wood. You can safely use mild abrasion to wear away imperfections in thick, quality finishes. Carol Williams suggests using 0000 steal wool with a mixture of turpentine, boiled linseed oil and hot water. Thoroughly mix the turpentine and linseed oil, and pour it on top of the water. Dip the steel wool into the solution, and carefully buff away the imperfections. Make sure to follow the grain of the wood while buffing. To finish, polish with a soft cloth. If your furniture has dark stains, they are most likely in the wood rather than the finish and will require more than simple cleaning to correct.