General Furniture Care

Waxy build-up -- Usually waxy build-up is just a softened finish. A number of things including oil from your skin, food oils, and some detergents can break down a finish and make it sticky, and cause it to attract dirt and grime. Use mineral spirits or naphtha with a soft rag or #0000 steel wool to clean the surface. If your finish has softened all the way through to the wood, this process could leave you with bare wood. If your finish is that bad you probably need to strip the piece and refinish it.

Water rings and water spots -- First immediately remove the wet object from the surface. Blot the surface dry to the touch. Wait. The water that has seeped into the surface needs to evaporate. Most water rings will disappear given a little time. You can use a hair dryer set on the lowest setting to accelerate the process BUT do not set the dryer any higher. This will melt the finish rather than dry the surface. If the ring persists then you need to try another method.

If the surface has a dull sheen, often called satin, use some lemon oil with #0000 steel wool. Put the oil on the steel wool and rub lightly in the direction of the grain. You may need to rub the rest of the surface to have the sheen blend together. Use long even strokes and go from edge to edge. After the table looks evenly rubbed, wipe off the lemon oil and polish.

If the surface has a glossy sheen you can use a little white toothpaste on a dry cotton towel to rub out the ring. Again you may need to rub the whole surface down to even out the sheen. Wipe clean and polish.

If none of this helps, the moisture may have penetrated through the finish and you will need to refinish the piece.

Candle wax -- Candle wax can be easily scraped off a surface with a credit card. Use the card to take off thin layers of the wax until you get down to the last of it. You can remove the rest with a soft cloth and lemon oil. Wipe off the remaining oil and polish.

Removing oil -- You will need to work in an open, well ventilated area for this. Oils and greases seep into a wood surface and can only be remove by using a poultice. You will need to go to your local swimming pool supply store and get a small bag of diatomatious earth and then go to the hardware store and get a gallon or two of acetone. Make a paste with the two. USE GLOVES. Spread a 1/2" layer of your paste over the oil or gease spot. The oil will seep from the wood into the paster as the acetone evaporates out. Once the paste is dry scrap it off and dispose of it. Expect to apply the paste several times to remove all of the oil.

Removing Super Glue -- Use some 600 grit wet or dry sandpaper and a hard flat sanding block. Make sure you hold the block level while sanding the glue down flush. You will probably sand some of the surrounding finish but try to keep this to a minimum. Once you get it sanded level, you will need to finish sanding the spot with 1200 grit paper.

If the surface has a dull or satin finish use #0000 steel wool and lemon oil, put the lemon oil on the steel wool and rub in the direction of the grain. You will probably need to rub the rest of the surface to even out the sheen. Wipe the remaining oil and polish.

If the surface is glossy use rubbing compounds and a cotton rag or rubbing cloth. Polish afterwards.

Never put potpourri, either directly, or in a cloth or plastic bag, on furniture. It will mar the surface. Never keep anything made of plastic or vinyl on a polished surface. This includes table cloths and place mats. The plasticizers in the substance will leach out and mar the finish.

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