How to clean antique furniture?

Bring back that original shine!

Let's say we just bought a piece of antique furniture and it needs a good cleaning, then dusting off will probably not be enough. Cleaning antique furniture involves removing anything on top of it, such as dirt, grime, fingerprints, oils, polishes, and waxes, until only the clean intact finish remains. There are 2 easy DIY methods to clean antique furniture: The first method is using warm (not hot) water in combination with a mild hand dishwashing detergent. The second method is with using mineral spirits or paint thinner. Whichever method you choose, always try the cleaner in an inconspicuous area before you apply it to the entire piece. That way you can make sure you won't damage the finish or the wood.

Clean antique furniture with detergent

The water-and-detergent solution works best on painted finishes but can be used on clear finishes, too. Mix detergent in water as you would to wash dishes, using a rag to wash down the furniture starting at the top and working down. Use an old washcloth or a piece of cheesecloth for this. Don't saturate the surface, or the water may damage the wood. Wring the cloth out till it's almost dry, and work one section at a time, rinse the cloth often to remove the dirt. Be careful not to snag any loose wood or veneer with the rag. Next, rinse the furniture surfaces using a clean cloth dipped in clear water. Finish using a clean, dry rag to rub down all wet surfaces.

Clean antique furniture with mineral spirits

Use the same type of rag as you would for detergent, and wash the piece down, starting at the top and working down. Rinse the rag often in the mineral spirits, wringing it out each time. Clean one area at a time, and wipe it dry with a clean rag. If the clean rag still picks up dirt, wash the piece down again with clean mineral spirits and a clean rag. Dry the finish as much as possible with a dry rag, allowing it to air-dry for an hour or two before doing any additional work on it. With both the detergent and the mineral spirits methods, you can substitute #0000 steel wool for the cleaning rag when you have excessive dirt or wax buildup. Make sure you rub in the direction of the wood grain when using steel wool, as it will leave subtle rub marks on the finish surface.

Is Cleaning Enough?

After cleaning antique furniture, examine the finish closely to determine its condition. If the finish seems to be in good shape with the exception of being a little dull, a good waxing or polishing will probably bring it back to life. However, you may find that it needs more than a good coat of polish or wax to revive it. If the finish itself appears good but has dents, nicks, scratches, or water stains, you can fix these problems fairly easily before waxing.

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If you find that the furniture finish is alligatored, crazed, or cracked, these problems are more severe and you'll have to address them before you can wax or polish the finish. A finish can also appear hazy or foggy and may need special attention to revive it. Some pieces of antique furniture have a finish that is fine in one area yet breaking down and dissolving in another; an example of this is an armchair with soiled or worn finish on the arms. The finish may be so weak in these areas that a good cleaning removes it completely, exposing the wood underneath. In this case you'll have to strip and refinish the whole piece rather than just revive the finish.

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