Cleaning your antique wood furniture properly can elevate its value into something truly special – bringing out and accentuating the decorative embellishments or revealing the majestic wood grain underneath. But if you do it incorrectly, you may cause irreparable damage that ruins the furniture’s value. So, how do you clean antique wood furniture safely?
Start by dusting the furniture to remove loose debris and dust. Determine the wood finish by testing a cotton swab dipped in denatured alcohol on a hidden spot. Clean the furniture with a microfiber cloth dipped in a solution of Murphy Oil Soap or mild dish soap, working along the wood grain.
If your antique wood furniture piece is a cherished family heirloom, you must clean it properly to avoid costly mistakes. But even if it’s not an heirloom, you must take proper care of it to enjoy its value. Let’s get to the bottom of it.
How to Clean Antique Wood Furniture Without Stripping
One of the most important things to keep in mind when cleaning antique wood furniture is that the wood shouldn’t get wet, and the finish shouldn’t be damaged.
That said, you shouldn’t wash the furniture because water can easily seep through the wood veneers or grains and cause swelling, buckling, or separation of the wood. Plus, you should avoid harsh cleaners that require diluting with a lot of water.
Supplies You’ll Need
- Denatured alcohol (On Amazon)
- 100% cotton swabs (On Amazon)
- Microfiber cloths (On Amazon)
- Murphy Oil soap (On Amazon) or mild dish soap
- Mineral spirit (On Amazon)
- A small bowl
- Measuring cup
- A small bucket
- Rubber gloves
- Gas mask (On Amazon) (optional)
Follow these steps to clean your antique wood furniture safely without stripping:
Dust the Furniture
Dust the wood with a feather duster or a dry, soft cloth to make the subsequent steps more effective. You can also use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove dust from hard-to-reach spots.
Determine the Wood Finish
Before jumping into cleaning your antique wood furniture with the newly purchased cleaning agent, it’s best to test it on some inconspicuous spot. You want to choose a spot on one side of the furniture that’s not easily noticeable, preferably along the bottom nearest to the wall.
This will help you figure out the type of finish the wood has and whether the cleaning product will affect it.
Dip a cotton swab into denatured alcohol or a diluted form of your preferred cleaning agent. Rub the swab on the unnoticeable spot on the wood and watch what it does in 5 minutes.
If the wood finish dissolves in the alcohol, then it’s most likely a shellac finish, and you can’t use harsh solvents and cleaners to clean it. And in most cases, the wood will have to be refinished to restore its beauty.
But if the finish is unharmed, it could be lacquer, polyurethane, oil, or varnish. In that case, you can clean with diluted Murphy Oil Soap or dish soap and warm water. It’s also safe for cleaning with mineral spirits.
Clean With Murphy Oil Soap or Mild Dish Soap
You can use mild dish soap or Murphy Oil Soap and a little warm water to clean antique wood furniture. Follow these steps:
- Pour ½ a cup of Murphy Oil Soap or your regular mild dish soap into a small bucket.
- Half-fill the bucket with clean, warm water.
- Gently stir to mix the soap evenly with the water.
- Dip a clean microfiber cloth into the solution and wring it out well to remove excess water.
- Use the damp cloth to clean the furniture piece, working along the grains of the wood in small circular motions.
- Dip a toothbrush in the cleaning solution and use it to clean hard-to-reach spots like the corners and curves. Again, follow along the wood grains.
- Once you’ve worked the entire wood surface, rinse the microfiber cloth and use it to wipe off the grime and soap residue.
- Dry the wood with a clean, microfiber cloth.
Once you’ve done the cleaning, you can apply a layer of wax to give the furniture extra protection. Apply the wax and buff it with a soft cloth along the wood grain in small circular motions.
Clean With Mineral Spirit
Oily fingerprint stains and grime are a bit challenging to remove and will require mineral spirits to tackle. Here’s how to deal with them:
- Wear rubber gloves and a gas mask.
- Dab a small amount of the spirit on a clean microfiber cloth to make it slightly damp.
- Try the spirit on a small, hidden part of the furniture piece to ensure it won’t damage the finish.
- If you’re satisfied with the spirit, gently wipe the piece with the damp cloth, working along the grains of the wood. You have to do this quickly enough before the spirit evaporates.
How to Clean Mildew Covered Antique Wood Furniture
If the furniture is covered in a small amount of regular mildew, you can simply tackle it with mild dish soap and warm water. But for more stubborn mildew, you’ll need distilled white vinegar to clean the piece and kill mildew spores.
For this part, you’ll need distilled white vinegar (On Amazon) and olive or linseed oil (On Amazon) to make the cleaning agent. You’ll also need microfiber cloths and a small mixing bowl. You should also grab a dust mask so you don’t inhale mildew dust and spores.
Follow these steps:
- Wipe down the furniture with a slightly damp microfiber cloth to remove superficial dust and debris.
- Mix a cup of vinegar with a cup of oil in a bowl using a whisk or fork.
- Dip a clean microfiber cloth into the mixture and wring out the excess solution.
- Work the cloth along the wood grains in repeated circular motions.
- Wipe off the loosened mildew, grime, and cleaner residue with a clean, dry cloth.
If you’re dealing with mold, be sure to read our cleaning guide for mold-removal here.
What Is the Best Cleaner for Old Wood?
The best cleaner for old wood is a waxed-based product like the Howard CF0016 Clean-A-Finish Wood Soap(on Amazon). The wax makes the cleaner more efficient at cleaning and protecting the wood better than oil-based products. Some experts also recommend paste wax, which you can find at most departmental and hardware stores.
The best alternative to a wax-based cleaner for antique wood furniture is an oil-based soap like Murphy Oil Soap (on Amazon), but you have to dilute it before using it. You can also choose a mild dish soap designed for handwashing dishes. But don’t use the kind of soap you use in your dishwasher, as it is a bit strong and could damage the finish of old wood.