Tips For Polishing Wood Furniture

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How To Polish Wood Furniture Cleaning Tips

Though dusting and cleaning your wood furniture with sprays and oil makes your wood look nice. It does not change the inherent condition of the wood, or protect the woods finish. Polishing your wood furniture with wax will actually protect the wood and make your old furniture look new again, and make it look like new.

Wood Polish

Wood polish is made of wax and is a mixture of beeswax, silicone and carnuba wax. Wax and wax polishes work well on woods that have a surface finish of varnish, shellac, or oil.

Wax Pigment

Colored or pigmented wax or polish can enhance the wood color of the finish. A pigmented wax will conceal any nicks, scrapes, or blemishes in the wood color or the finish. Wax with a pigment will leave a warm satin sheen. You may also reapply a clear polish or wax over pigmented wax if you desire a more glossy shine.

Clear Wax

Clear wax is appropriate for all wood furniture, regardless of the type or the color of wood. Clear wax shines wood to a high glossy finish. This is the case where less is definitely more. Too much clear wax applied to the finish will make the wood look dull and lifeless. The key to getting the high shine is to apply one coat of wax and buff, buff, buff.

Pine Wax

Pine wax works very well on both unfinished and light colored wood furniture. When wood has been finished, it naturally has a rich and deep color. Pine wax works well on light colored wood which does not have the deep and rich tone on it's own. You can also use a clear wax after application to get a glossy shine.

Why Use Wax Polish

Wax polish works by creating a protective seal on the wood, which keeps moisture in and adds a high glossy shine. It repels grit, dust and dirt which can damage the wood surface

Wax polish should be used only when the wood has been recently cleaned or varnished. Excess wax application, or applying over an old coat of wax will only dull the shine due to buildup.

Waxing and Polishing Wood

• Liquid wood wax
• Clean cotton rags
• A soft buffing cloth

Using clean cotton rags apply the furniture wax on the wood using a light, circular motion. Apply the wax sparingly, using only just enough to cover the wood. The furniture wax should be applied against the grain. (hence the circular motion)

Let the wax set for a min of 10 minutes, to a max of 60 minutes to allow the wax to permeate the wood.

Buff the wood using a clean, soft buffing cloth.

Now apply a second coat of wax , working against the grain. Let the wax sit 60 minutes.

Buff the waxed wood with a clean buffing cloth.