Our Blog
Cleaners to Avoid on Wood Furniture
November 16, 2020 08:40:51pm
Wiping the dust from your wood furniture, positioning it out of the way of harmful UV sunlight, and other actions help keep your favorite furniture in great shape for decades, or even generation. Though you know cleaning is a part of furniture maintenance, there are several products that can severely damage your heirlooms.
Avoid using these three household cleaners on your furniture:
- Rubbing Alcohol – Rubbing alcohol may seem like a relatively “safe” product to use on furniture, especially if it has been diluted with water and applied only with a moistened cloth. However, the alcohol can act as a solvent and damage the finish on furniture and even the wood itself. Avoid using alcohol on your furniture, and if some spills onto it, blot it up as quickly and thoroughly as you can with a clean dry cloth. Call on a great local furniture restoration company if stains or fading appear.
- Bleach/Disinfecting Wipes – At times like this, most of us are particularly careful about keeping our homes free of germs. It makes sense to want to wipe down and spray disinfectant all over your furniture to keep viruses away. However, these products can be damaging to your furniture. If you’re looking for a way to fend off germs but still protect your furniture, consider putting fabric overtop end tables, using tablecloths over your dining room table consistently, and using throws over your upholstered sofa and chairs. You can throw these coverings into the washing machine as frequently as you wish! Avoid covering wood furniture in plastic, however. Plastic can cause moisture to become trapped and therefore damage the furniture, and plastic itself contains elements that can damage the finish.
- Furniture Wipes – Though marketed specifically for use on wood furniture, many types of furniture polish wipes can actually coat your wood furniture in residue, which in turn attracts dust particles and creates a dull finish over time. It’s best to avoid using furniture wipes on your wood furniture, and instead simply remove dust by wiping it down routinely with a clean cloth. If your furniture needs more than dusting or maintenance, call on a highly rated furniture refinisher in your area for a repair or restoration appointment.
Our craftsmen at Jax Furniture Refinishing & Upholstering understand the value of high quality handmade wood furniture – and the sentimental value of furniture of all kinds – and we want to help you keep your favorite antique furniture in great shape for years to come! Homeowners in Ponte Vedra, Atlantic Beach, Mandarin, Riverside, and throughout Jacksonville trust us with their treasured furniture, and we’d love the opportunity to repair or restore yours as well!
