Clean Finished Wood

Finished wood has a beautiful, polished look but is prone to getting dirty with use. Whether it’s a piece of furniture or flooring, taking regular care of your wood will keep it looking its best. By performing routine cleaning, removing stubborn grime and maintaining your finished wood, you can keep your wood looking shiny and new year-round.

Steps

Performing Routine Cleaning

1. Use a vacuum to remove surface dust from wood floors. Remove surface dust and dirt from your finished wood floors with a dry mom or vacuum. Work from one side of the room to the other so you don’t miss any spots. Dirt can cause wood floors to wear unevenly and lose their shine.
2. Use a duster to remove surface dust from wood furniture or accents. Use a soft feather or cloth duster to remove surface dirt from your finished wood accents. Be sure to dust in any areas of detail, such as molding on a mantel or scrolling on your chairs.
3. Test your finish with dish soap on a cotton ball. Put a drop of dish soap on a clean cotton ball. Rub this on an inconspicuous area of your finished wood to ensure that it does not damage the finish. Dish soap is a mild cleaner and should cause most finishes no issues.
   • If the soap test deteriorated your finish at all, wash your wood with just a wrung, water-dampened sponge.
4. Dilute dish soap in a bucket. Put a few drops of kitchen dish soap in a bucket of lukewarm water. Carry your bucket and a soft sponge over to the wood you’ll be cleaning.
5. Use the diluted dish soap mixture to clean the finished wood. Use a soft sponge to wipe your finished wood with the soapy mixture, cleaning any crevices. Wring your sponge frequently while cleaning, as pooled water can cause haze and staining.
   • If your wood surface is three-dimensional, work from the top of the item to the bottom so any dirty water moves downward, away from the already cleaned areas.
   • If you are cleaning a wood floor, start in the corner farthest away from the exit of the room and work your way to the exit. This way you can leave the room without stepping on your clean floor when you’re done working.
6. Dry your wood thoroughly with a clean cloth. Be sure to work your cloth into any areas of detailing that might retain water. When your finished wood is dry, it is ready to use as normal.

Removing Stubborn Grime

1. Ventilate the area and cordon off pets and children. Mineral spirits are a great way to remove stubborn grime from finished wood. However they are highly toxic and should be handled with care. Before cleaning, ventilate the area well and secure all pets and children elsewhere. You will want to wear rubber gloves.
2. Test an inconspicuous area of your wood finish with mineral spirits. Use a cotton ball soaked in mineral spirits to test the finish of your wood. A corner of your floor or the finished underside of your wood furniture piece are good, hidden places to experiment. Rub the cotton ball gently on an area of about 1 square inch (2.5 square cm). If the finish holds, you are good to proceed with cleaning.
   • If the finish deteriorates, it is likely a shellac finish, and you should not continue with a mineral spirits clean. Only clean shellac with light soap and water per normal routine cleaning.
   • Shellac finish is more common in very old or antique pieces of furniture made before 1920. Consider the age of the piece before performing a mineral spirits cleaning.
3. Use a clean cloth to rub your wood with mineral spirits. After a successful spot test, wet a clean cloth with mineral spirits until it is damp, but not saturated. Rub the grimy area of the wood with the grain until the cloth no longer picks up any dirty residue. There is no need to rinse. The wood can simply air dry.
4. Wash cloths with mineral spirit residue after cleaning. Mineral spirits are highly flammable. To keep from storing mineral-spirits infused cloths somewhere that could be dangerous, wash your cloths as soon as you are finished cleaning. You can wash them alone in the washing machine with normal detergent. Hang to dry.
5. Sand and refinish wood that does not respond to treatment. For deep staining that simply will not come out, there is the option to sand and refinish your wood. This will effectively polish out surface stains by removing a fine layer of wood particles. It will require that your wood be refinished. Consult with a professional contractor to discuss your particular piece of wood and what options are available to you.

Maintaining Your Finished Wood

1. Clean up spills right away. Standing water can damage the integrity of your wood’s finish. Be diligent about wiping up any spills or standing water right away to keep your finished wood in good condition.
2. Establish a regular cleaning routine. Removing dust from your wood a few times a week will keep your wood looking bright and new. The less dirt on your finished wood, the fewer surface scratches you will get. Perform routine cleaning with soap and water once a week and mineral spirits cleaning as needed.
   • Creating a calendar reminder can help you remember to clean your wood regularly.
3. Apply wax to seal and protect you finished wood. Apply a wood wax liberally with a cheesecloth in the direction of the grain after cleaning once a year. Buff with a clean cloth to finish. Wax will make your wood more resistant to staining to preserve your wood’s finish for years to come.

Things You'll Need

• Mild dish soap
• Water
• Cotton balls
• Sponge
• Cloths
• Mop
• Bucket
• Mineral Spirits
• Wood wax

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Sources and Citations

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