Regular wiping of wooden furniture to remove layers of dust and give it a shiny, neat appearance inevitably results in a dark film forming on the surface over time. To keep wood furniture looking its best, deep cleaning is essential without causing damage and maintaining the quality of the finish.
Regardless of whether the furniture is painted, stained or polished, it needs cleaning. Some wood products are lightly varnished, making them unable to absorb oil. Others, such as rosewood or teak, absorb it beautifully and look perfect for many years.
The surface of polished wood has a warm, soft glow and needs to be cleaned with oil. This is enough to make her look beautiful again.
Where to start cleaning?
Use a soft cloth to remove the surface layer of dust. Now you can start removing light dirt. You should start with gentle cleaning products. Try mixing dish soap and water. Soak a soft microfiber cloth in the solution and wipe a small area. Try not to saturate the wood with moisture, so immediately wipe the treated area with a dry cloth. This option is suitable for painted wood surfaces.
Antique wooden interior items that have accumulated dirt for years can be refreshed without resorting to chemicals. Brew two bags of black tea with boiling water and let it brew until the water temperature is equal to room temperature. Dampen the cloth, wring it out and wipe the wooden surface. Tannic acid from tea preserves wood, refreshes and adds shine.
Often, traces of water rings from glasses and mugs remain on old polished surfaces. It is impossible to deal with them with conventional preparations; after drying, the stains appear again. Try using a non-gel toothpaste. Rub a small ball with a damp cloth until the stain disappears. For stubborn stains, mix half-and-half toothpaste with baking soda.
To clean wooden furniture that is oiled or coated with wax, you will need turpentine and linseed oil in equal parts. Carefully treat contaminated areas with a cloth and wipe until the surface is lightened. The composition penetrates the porous structure of wood and removes accumulated grease and dust. Regular care using this cleaning product will help keep your furniture in perfect condition.
To remove fingerprints from waxed furniture, use cornstarch. It absorbs excess oil or wax and leaves a shiny finish. A little starch is applied to the wood and polished well with a cloth.
Folk recipe No. 6. Hydrogen peroxide
A mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda will help you clean the baking sheet until it shines. Not only household appliances and kitchen furniture made from solid pine, birch, oak and beech, but also dishes, suffer from grease stains. It is especially difficult to remove dirt from the baking sheet. Hydrogen peroxide can make this task easier:
- Add soda to a small amount of hydrogen peroxide until the consistency of sour cream is formed.
- Apply the resulting mixture onto a baking sheet and leave it to soak for at least half an hour.
- Use a brush to remove any remaining grease and rinse the pan with clean water.
Simple Cleaning Tools
Ink marks on wooden furniture should be removed with baking soda mixed with water in equal proportions. Toothpaste shows good results. Apply a little paste to a soft cloth and treat the stain.
Lemon oil is used for polished furniture ; it returns brightness to color and restores shine. You can quickly prepare a product at home that will replace damaged industrial varnish on furniture using olive oil (1 cup) and table vinegar (1/4 cup). A soft cloth is moistened with the prepared solution and rubbed into the varnished surface until smoothness and shine are restored.
Grease stains can be removed with ordinary clay . To do this, mix it with table vinegar to a thick paste and apply it to the stain. After complete drying, scrape it off with a knife, and wash off the remaining clay with water.
Wooden furniture should be periodically wiped with an aqueous solution of ammonia to reduce dirt, remove odors and destroy germs. Try using it to remove greasy food marks.
Vaseline will remove white marks on a polished surface. Apply it to the stain overnight and in the morning there will be no trace of damage.
Burdock oil is considered an affordable and effective remedy. It helps remove the most stubborn stains and dirt. Wooden furniture is generously wiped with oil, after which the residue is removed with a cotton cloth and the surface is polished.
Folk recipe No. 2. Soap-soda combination (or soap-soda solution)
A soap-soda solution works on the same principle as mustard, but its effectiveness is many times higher. The soap-soda combination easily cleans not only kitchen furniture made of solid pine, birch, beech and oak, but also kitchen appliances and home cutlery, ceilings and linoleum from greasy deposits.
In order to clean a kitchen made of solid pine, birch, oak, pine in this way, then you need to follow the sequence described below with complete accuracy:
- First, you need to grind the laundry soap (half a bar), for this you need to use a food-grade coarse grater.
- Then fill the shavings obtained from the soap with water, as a result you should get a cloudy and slightly viscous homogeneous solution.
- Using the resulting solution, treat the dirty area with soapy liquid.
- Immediately after applying the solution, sprinkle a little baking soda on the sponge.
- And rub the area treated with soapy water with baking soda.
- Wait for 20 minutes and let the stain soak.
- After the required time has passed, wet a clean cloth and wash off the baking soda and soapy water.
Using a soap-soda solution, you can tidy up and disinfect almost your entire kitchen, not only solid wood furniture, but also household appliances and utensils, from a microwave oven to enamel pans. If the furniture is glossy or varnished, you should resort to another cleaning method, since such surfaces are strictly prohibited from coming into contact even with soft abrasives, in order to prevent the slightest chance of scratches and other types of surface damage.
How to clean a wooden kitchen?
Regular cleaning of the kitchen and dining room will not eliminate the need for basic furniture cleaning several times a year. The surfaces of drawers, tables and cabinets are constantly contaminated with sticky substances, crumbs and dust from bulk products.
A safe and effective product is prepared from a cup of table vinegar, a few drops of dishwashing liquid and a liter of hot water. Mix the solution well, put on gloves and start cleaning your wood furniture.
Vinegar acts as a disinfectant, killing germs on the surface and preventing the appearance of an unpleasant odor. Using a damp cloth, apply the mixture to the surface of a table, cabinet or chair. Wait a little and rub thoroughly, paying attention to dirty areas. Finally, remove any remaining product with a cloth dampened with water and dry the surface.
Oil treatment helps protect wood from stains and getting wet from water. Buy any brand of wood impregnation product and lubricate the surface. For long-lasting results and surface protection, apply 2 to 4 coats of oil. Re-lubrication is carried out every 6 months.
Fat from the surface of kitchen cabinets removes vegetable oil, which is mixed half and half with soda (2:1). The composition is as thick as sour cream, it is convenient to distribute it with a sponge or toothbrush. Using light movements without effort, distribute the composition, rub a little into the surface to remove dirt. Then wipe with a clean cloth or paper napkins. The same product can be used to clean any wooden furniture in the apartment that needs care.
If you use a cleansing scrub every 2-3 weeks, you can keep your furniture looking good for many years. It gains shine, rich color and smoothness.
Folk recipe No. 1. Mustard powder
Mustard has long been part of the everyday life of mankind and has established itself as a multifunctional product, so it is used not only for food, but also for cleaning furniture made of solid pine, birch, oak, and beech. In addition, mustard is used to wash dishes; it is used to remove complex stains from the surfaces of various household appliances.
- The principle of processing with mustard powder is very simple:
- Wet the contaminated area with water.
- Sprinkle mustard powder onto the damp surface of furniture, stoves or household appliances.
- Rub with a dry kitchen cloth.
- Wash the napkin with water, soap it with laundry soap and remove the remaining mustard from the panel being treated.
Therefore, mustard is a mild abrasive fat solvent. It delicately scrapes off grease from the surface of your wooden kitchen without damaging the finish of the furniture. However, this method is only suitable for cleaning fresh stains or minor old ones.
Caring for wooden furniture
Avoid exposing the wooden surface to direct sunlight, high temperatures and moisture. To maintain the smoothness of the wood, bright color and shine, use special care products that are purchased in retail chains. The composition includes special ingredients that remove dirt and nourish the wood, allowing it to maintain a well-groomed appearance and protect it from drying out over time.
Nika-Universal liquid surface cleaner with an antibacterial effect helps clean furniture. The product is intended for cleaning wood materials from various contaminants, does not leave streaks and does not require rinsing. Suitable for varnished and painted surfaces. Apply a solution of 10 ml per 1 liter of water to the surface and do not rinse off.
For cleaning, a vodka-based product is prepared. It can be used to remove dirt from ceramics and plastic. Mix a glass of vodka and a glass of table vinegar, add 20 drops of orange essential oil and a few drops of eucalyptus. Shake well and pour into a spray bottle. For any home cleaning of wooden furniture, use the prepared composition. In addition to cleanliness, it aromatizes the air in the room and gives a special shine to surfaces.
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush to remove dust from the wood surface. Wax-containing compounds are applied to the surface after thorough cleaning. Wax paste evens out the structure, makes small cracks invisible, and refreshes the color. It is important to polish wooden furniture thoroughly.
Mold
Proper care of wooden furniture will not lead to problems such as mold.
However, if it is in a very damp room or outdoors, this misfortune cannot be avoided, but you can fight it if you take care of things from the beginning.
How to clean wood from mold:
- Pour vinegar into a spray bottle and use against fungus. Spray it on the desired areas, brush the wood, then spray the problem areas again and leave for an hour. There is no need to rinse, when the vinegar has evaporated, walk over the surface with a dry cloth.
- Treat areas affected by mold with hydrogen peroxide. Do not use it on dark surfaces. Peroxide brightens. After 10 minutes, walk over the surface with a soft brush, removing all traces of the fungus.
- Use tea tree oil. Add 5-6 drops to 200 ml of water and wipe all surfaces overgrown with mold with this mixture.
- Pine oil also copes well with fungus, and also smells nice. Dilute 1 tsp in a spray bottle. products with 1 tbsp. l. water, spray onto problem areas and leave to soak.
To prevent wooden furniture from becoming moldy, you need to take proper care of it. She needs good ventilation.
Warning
When starting to clean furniture, carefully read the instructions to make sure for which surfaces the product is intended.
Always test the effect of the drug on a small area that is hidden from view, so that if it fails, the appearance will not be damaged. Only after such a test can you begin to clean the item.
For polished furniture, do not wipe with a damp cloth, as this will dull the shine of the surface.
Do not use abrasive brushes or sponges that will damage the wood surface. The desire to clean dirt from furniture can quickly result in material damage. Try to avoid excessive moisture in wood flooring.
How to clean varnished surfaces
Abrasives are not suitable for varnish at all. Aqueous solutions, such as soap, are also not recommended, because they can promote peeling of varnished coatings. As a traditional method, you can use baking powder diluted with water as a cleaning composition. With this gruel you need to vigorously rub the greasy deposit and remove its remnants using a damp and then dry cloth.
If you are not sure about the effect of baking powder, take a store-bought product. It can be liquid or foamy. Do not rub the surface, but leave the product to interact with the plaque. This way you can avoid even the smallest scratches.
