Cleaning old antique furniture is essential to keeping it in good condition and preserving its value and history; if you don't clean your antiques, you risk having them age beyond their years. However, it’s also extremely easy to accidentally damage your antique with cleaning due to a lack of knowledge.
That’s why we’ve put together some handy do’s and don’ts on cleaning your wooden furniture!
The essential do’s of cleaning your wooden antiques
1. Do regularly dust your furniture.
Dusting your furniture will help keep the dust and dirt at bay. To dust your antique wooden furniture, you should use a dry, soft cloth or brush to swipe away dust and dirt particles. You could even use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment, but remember not to be too rough, as you could end up scratching your furniture.
2. Do only use clean, soft cloths on furniture
Always use a soft cloth, whether wiping down or applying wax/polish to your old antique furniture. The best types of cloth to use are microfibre or cotton cloths—these are super soft and very unlikely to scratch the furniture as you clean. It’s important to ensure your cloth is clean before starting, as even the smallest dirt particles can cause scratches when wiping across the surface.
3. Do use quality wax and polish
Various cleaning products can be used on your antique wooden furniture, from waxes and polishes to simply a drop or two of dish soap in some warm water. Make sure you research what kind of cleaning products your antique needs, as different wood finishes require different products.
4. Do test any new cleaning products before use
This is one of the most essential pieces of advice we could give you: Test any new cleaning products on a small part of your furniture to ensure they will not damage the whole piece. See how the furniture reacts over a couple of days, and if there’s no change to colour or texture, you’re probably safe to do the whole piece.
Avoiding damage with these don’ts
1. Don’t use excessive amounts of water
Although we have mentioned that using mild soap and water can be an adequate way to clean your furniture, you must ensure that you don’t use too much water on any wooden surfaces. Wood is a porous material; overloading the surface with water will cause it to soften and rot away.
2. Don’t use any abrasive or harsh cleaning products
When using products on your wooden antique furniture, it’s best to avoid any products with abrasives or include ingredients such as bleach. These products are sure to damage your furniture from the get-go.
3. Don’t over-polish your furniture
It may be tempting to over-protect your antique furniture, but it’s important not to over-polish it. Applying too much polish to the wood can create a build-up of sticky layers, inadvertently attracting more dust.
Overpolishing can also damage the look of your antique, known as the “patina” in the antique world, and can reduce its value.
4. Don’t ignore the grain
When cleaning your furniture, it can be easy to overlook the grain and go in circular motions to clean the surface, but it’s much more efficient to wipe the furniture in the same direction as the grain. Doing it this way will also help avoid pushing dust and dirt further into the grain, maintaining a smooth and natural finish.
Final thoughts on how to clean antique wooden furniture
In this blog, we’ve covered some important dos and don’ts to help you keep your old antiques looking their best.
It’s important to remember that antiques aren’t just furniture; they are pieces of history that require a mix of love, care, and knowledge to maintain their beauty.
