What is the best way to clean a piece of heirloom wood furniture?

Question

We have just taken my Mother-in-Law's hope chest out of storage, and it needs cleaned up. What can we safely use without damaging its value? Is Murphy's Oil Soap ok?

Answer 1

Hello Terri,Well first of all, if your furniture is off great value, it might be best to take it to a professional restorer. But their are some job´s you can do yourself , as long as you stick to a few simple guide lines and the pieces are not particularly valuable. Furniture that has accumulated a layer of grime over the years can be cleaned with a solution of one part each of linseed oil, vinegar and turpentine and a quarter part of methylated spirit. Shake the mixture well each time before using it, and apply with a soft cloth. One of the beauties of antique furniture is the patina wood acquires with age, which is not the same as grime and should not be removed. Polish veneers and french-polished surfaces with furniture cream-on untreated wood use a proprietary wax polish, or you can make your own by melting an ounce of bees-wax in three fluid ounces of turpentine. Hope this of some help to you

Answer 2

Mayonnaise. No, this isn't a trick answer. Work in small sections & rub with a soft cloth. It's the only thing I'll use on wood furniture.

Answer 3

I think Murphys would be good. If it is scratched, Some Scratchcover would make it look like new. Its a polish with a tint of the color of the wood. Kinda makes it look like new!

Answer 4

Heirloom Wood Furniture

Answer 5

if you can get a screwgun in there, the thing to do is go to the hardware store, where they sell steel plates of various sizes with holes predrilled, get one that looks like the right size for this broken board of yours, shove the board into place and shore it up with the plate.

Answer 6

yes great stuff.can pre do it with hot water and soap dry and then use the oil.