How to Safely Clean Old Wood**

Ever wondered how to clean old furniture without damaging the paint? Here are my favorite ways to safely clean old wood!

How to Clean Old Furniture Without Damaging It

Cleaning old wooden furniture is an important part of maintaining its beauty. But there are many things that can happen when cleaning old furniture.  Over the years, I have used a variety of products to clean my shabby chic, chippy painted pieces of furniture.  I have two favorite products that I like to use.  Let me share them with you!

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**A few ground rules:  Please do not use any cleaning product on your furniture or wood pieces until you have done a test of the product on an inconspicuous place to make sure the product doesn’t damage the finish or the paint or the wood.  Some of the tips I am going to give are not meant for your really fine pieces .

Remove the Dust with a Duster or Vacuum

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If you have old furniture, chances are it has some dust on it. This dust will make your furniture look dirty and unattractive. To remove the dust, use a duster or vacuum cleaner. You can also try using a damp cloth to wipe off the dust.

Wipe Down the Surface with a Soft Brush

Before cleaning the surface, brush down the furniture with a soft brush. This will help loosen up any dirt or grime stuck to the surface.

Then, use a dry cloth to wipe away the dust.

Clean Surface With An Oil Based Cleanser

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One of the products I like to use to clean wood is Murphy’s Oil Soap.  It is a gentle cleanser.  Since it is a concentrate, it does need to be diluted with warm water before using.  To dilute the cleanser, add 1/4 cup of the oil soap to one gallon of warm water.  If your item is very dirty, increase the amount of cleanser to 1/2 cup per gallon of water.  Murphy’s Oil Soap does not leave a residue meaning no need to rinse the piece once you are finished cleaning it!

Whenever you are cleaning wood with water, you want to avoid getting the item too wet.  Dampen a cleaning rag with the diluted cleanser. Wash the piece until all the dirt is removed, rinsing the rag periodically.   If there is water left on the surface, wipe the excess off with a dry rag.

If there is still stubborn dirt stuck to the piece,  use very fine steel wool to dislodge it.  Rub the steel wool in the direction of the grain of the wood.  Rewash the piece with the diluted cleanser to remove any dirt, dust or debris that the steel wool has dislodged.

Allow the piece to dry.  After it is dry, apply a little undiluted cleanser to a clean rag.  Rub this rag over the piece to help restore the wood.  Using a clean cloth, rub in any excess oil and then buf.

Method 2

I was introduced to the Rejuvenate line of products shortly after I started blogging.   I have used their floor cleaner on the hardwood floors at the farmhouse in Ivesdale.  I decided to try the Cabinet & Furniture cleaner on some of my wood pieces.

It did an amazing job on this creamy white painted bench that I bought when I was back in Illinois on one of my many trips.

Before cleaning

Inside of the bench

To clean my bench, I simply followed the directions!  After shaking the bottle, I sprayed the area I wanted to clean and then wiped it with a soft cloth. Because the bench was a bit dirtier (read ALOT dirtier) than I originally realized, I did go over some of the areas a second time.

After

The product is so easy to use!  It doesn’t leave a film on the cleaned piece.

One Way I Styled the Finished Bench

How I Am Currently Using the Bench

A Final Step

To further protect your wood pieces once they are cleaned, you might want to apply a light coat of wax.  There are several good products on the market.

I like the Annie Sloan line of waxes.  They can be found on line at various Annie Sloan retailers.

The Process of Applying Wax

After allowing the piece to dry completely, apply a light coat of wax.  I like to use a brush but a cloth can also be used. It just takes a small amount of wax.   You just rub it gently into the wood.

Once the first coat has dried, apply a second coat using a soft cloth or brush.  Be careful not to rub too hard.  Allow the piece to dry overnight.

After the wax dries, use a microfiber towel to polish the wood. This will help remove any remaining wax.

Additional Examples

Another example of the type of furniture I would use my techniques on is the base cabinet I found on the side of the road.

Obviously, this is a picture of me with a hand sander .  The hand sander would be used after your piece has been allowed to dry. I used the sander on this piece and on my fireplace mantel to remove paint.

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 Sometimes, if they are really dirty, I have sprayed them down with a hose.

For the pieces I found in the barn , I used a power washer and then sprayed them with germ killing spray.  I let them dry in the sunlight for several hours and then moved them out of the direct light and into a protected area to let them finish drying.  If you are interested in what we found in the barn, the details can be found here:

More examples of wood things I would use the hose on:

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