Like all things in the
house you wooden furniture is subject to wear and tear
over a period of time. Therefore you must take care of
your wooden furniture regularly. Many times we are
careless with the way we use the furniture at home.
This can result in stains and scratches on the
furniture. Waxes can buildup on the furniture as well.
There are ways in which stains, waxes and scratches
can be removed and prevented. Here are a few tips on
how to do the same.
The oil from our skin and the food we eat
gets on to the furniture. This oil attracts dirt, especially
on parts of the furniture that we frequently touch. Using a
detergent to wash of the oil and dirt can affect the finish on
the furniture.
To get rid of wax use mineral spirits or
naphtha as a cleaning agent. Dip a soft rag or very soft steel
wool in mineral spirit and rub gently on the affected area.
Sometimes the wax that has built up on the
furniture can soften the wood. If this has happened then
cleaning it with spirit can leave you with bare wood.
If you feel that the finish has been damaged,
the best thing to do would be to stripe the wood and refinish
it.
To hide a light scratch on the furniture use
padding lacquer. Take a soft cloth and fold the corners so
that the center becomes a ball. Apply padding lacquer to this
pad and tap on your palm to spread the lacquer through the
pad. Apply the pad on the furniture in the direction of the
grain. Use one smooth, gentle movement while applying lacquer.
Allow the lacquer to dry and reapply if needed. Do not over do
it, as you may have to redo the whole piece.
You can use polishing compounds to remove
light scratches. These compounds are best used on furniture
that has high gloss sheen.
If furniture with satin or dull sheen has a
scratch, take soft steel wool pad and dip it in lemon oil or
wool lubricant. Rub the pad on the scratch in the direction of
the grain. This will work on minor scratches. You may have to
rub the rest of the surface to make the sheen even. Wipe off
the extra oil and apply polish you like.
