Cleaning and care of finished furniture

Overview

There is no single standard for cleaning finished wood. The right routine depends on the finish, and most of the specific advice here comes from finish makers, who write for their own products. I have labelled it as such. Two general points come from the USDA Wood Handbook: finished wood is easier to clean than unfinished wood, and smooth films such as varnish are easier to clean than penetrating oils, which leave the surface texture intact.

When to use

For any finished table, cabinet, chair or case piece. For a newly finished piece, start with the cure period. For stains, rings or damage that cleaning will not fix, see Repairing finish damage. Outdoor pieces are different: Outdoor finishing.

Materials and tools

• Soft cotton cloths, water, mild soap
• Coasters, placemats and trivets
• For oil finishes: the maker's recommended cleaner and a fine abrasive pad, as below
• For wax: the wax the piece already has (Paste wax)

Steps

1. Let it cure first. General Finishes tells users to treat a new piece gently, and allow 21 days for a water-based finish and 30 days for an oil-based finish before cleaning. Other makers give other times; check the can.
2. Dust with a water-dampened cloth. General Finishes says dust can build up and scratch or dull a finish.
3. Wash off fingerprints and cooking residue with mild soap and water. General Finishes says these will not harm the finish but accumulate and dull the lustre.
4. Be wary of polishes and sprays. General Finishes advises against polishes, cleaners or dusting sprays containing silicone, alcohol, ammonia or anything acidic, and says silicone can seep into the wood and often cannot be removed, which can spoil later refinishing. That is the maker's guidance for its own finishes; test elsewhere in an unseen spot. Its page also reports occasional cleaning with disinfectant wipes without trouble.
5. For oil finishes, follow the oil maker. Tried & True recommends Murphy's Oil Soap or other wood-specific cleaners and says not to use mineral-oil polishes before or after its oil. For dull spots it suggests a chamois polish. To renew, it says to burnish with 4/0 steel wool and reapply, sanding first for severe damage (Danish oil, Boiled and raw linseed oil).
6. For wax, renew it. Fine Woodworking says a wax coat is easily renewed, and that a wax topcoat lets dust wipe off rather than work into the grain. See Paste wax and Furniture polish and finish revivers.
7. Protect, do not just clean. Clean up water, alcohol and food spills promptly, use placemats and coasters, and avoid sunlight, high temperatures and humidity (General Finishes). Tried & True also says to protect with coasters or anti-scalding devices. Flexner lists water, heat and scratches as the main physical abuse. See Long-term finish ageing and patina.

Common problems

• Dullness after cleaning. Often dirt build-up, not damage; wash with mild soap. If the film itself has worn, recoat or refinish.
• White rings and heat marks. Not a cleaning problem. Tried & True's Danish oil page advises, for that oil, buffing with 0000 steel wool and reapplying oil, or sanding a severe water mark; for film finishes see Repairing finish damage.
• Mildew. The Wood Handbook and FinishLine 013 treat this as an outdoor issue: oxygen bleach is reported to be less likely to damage wood than chlorine bleach, and bleach must not be mixed with ammonia. Strongly alkaline cleaners containing sodium hydroxide pulp wood and are a last resort. Cleaning does not restore colour; it only reveals what was there.
• Dishwashers. The Wood Handbook says dishwashers are very hard on any wooden object, whatever the finish. Wash wooden bowls and boards by hand (Food-safe finishes).

Safety and environment

Many polishes and refreshers are flammable solvent mixes: keep them away from heat, ventilate and read the label. Cloths soaked with drying oils can heat up and ignite; spread them to dry or put them in water in a sealed metal container (Oily rag safety). Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners (FinishLine 013). Dispose of leftover products through your local hazardous-waste programme (Finishing safety and disposal).

Related

• Long-term finish ageing and patina, Repairing finish damage
• Furniture polish and finish revivers, Paste wax, Hardwax oil
• Food-safe finishes, Mineral oil for cutting boards
• Kids' furniture and high-wear finishes