How to Restore Wood Furniture with Vinegar and Oil – Ambiente Modern Furniture (2024)

FAQs

How to Restore Wood Furniture with Vinegar and Oil – Ambiente Modern Furniture? ›

homemade oil & vinegar furniture cleaner recipe

Using a mixture of one part white vinegar, one part olive oil, and a small squeeze of lemon juice, you can polish your wood furniture naturally. The vinegar and lemon will act as mild cleaners, while the olive oil will restore moisture and shine. Be sure to test this mixture on an inconspicuous area first.

The smell of rancid oil is not a problem with this mixture. Vinegar is one of those incredible all-around house cleaners that seems to be able to do anything. In the case of cleaning wood, the acetic acid in it cleans quickly and without any heavy scrubbing, leaving your wood safe and its surface clean.

Gel stains can easily restore the faded and worn colour of wood furniture. Though it doesn't remove the dark spots or water stains from the surface, it gives a polished and glossy look on the original colour and covers the fine scratches.

A safe bet is a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar. This diluted solution is strong enough for cleaning purposes, yet sufficiently mild to prevent any damage to the wood. Before applying it to the entire piece, it's wise to test the solution on a small, inconspicuous area.

Mixing vinegar with olive oil is a great way to remove scratches from wood furniture. First, you'll need to get some white vinegar and olive oil. Pour the white vinegar into an empty container like a bowl or cup. Add a bit of olive oil —just enough to look like an equal amount of both liquids are in the bowl.

Any wipe-on finish will work—Minwax Wipe-on Poly is a common brand. But Kevin prefers a wipe-on gel finish like General Finishes Gel Topcoat Wipe On Urethane. It's thick, so it's easy to put on with a rag. One coat is usually all you need to rejuvenate an existing finish.

LEMON + VINEGAR

Measure equal parts lemon juice and white vinegar, and mix well. If you have a spray bottle, pour the mixture into the bottle and spray your cloth or furniture where you need it. Otherwise, dab some of the solution onto the cloth, and rub it onto your furniture as appropriate.

Scott's Liquid Gold Wood Care

Scott's Liquid Gold goes on easy and swiftly snagged dust and added shine in our tests without leaving behind a smeary residue or needing extra buffing. It gave wood a soft glow, thanks to oils that help hydrate and nourish, so it's a good choice for old and new furniture.

What makes wood look new again? ›

Step 1: Remove Grime and Dirt

As a first step to removing layers of grime from old wood furniture, use an oil soap (Murphy Oil Soap Wood Cleaner, $4, Target) and water. Rinse and dry well. If the finish still seems dirty, clean lightly with #0000 steel wool dipped in a cleaning product.

Linseed oil is a traditional choice for nourishing and protecting wood. It comes in many forms and is obtained from the seed of the linseed-flax plant. Given its ease of use and cheap price, it is one of the most popular finishing oils in the world.

Don't use vinegar on unsealed wood: If your wood furniture is unsealed, vinegar can penetrate the wood and cause damage. Only use vinegar on sealed wood furniture. Don't use vinegar on waxed or oiled wood: If your wood furniture is waxed or oiled, vinegar can dissolve the wax or oil and cause damage.

Wipe wood furniture with a barely damp microfiber cloth to remove dust and grime. (Use a cotton cloth to avoid damaging the wood). Quickly wipe it dry with another microfiber cloth. Don't let water sit on wood since it can warp the surface.

This combination seems to do the trick – the vinegar provides a cleaning agent and the oil conditions the wood. Wood furniture with a matte finish cleans beautifully with this; it will fill in tiny scratches, it covers some water stains and helped darken finish that had dried out and lightened.

To thoroughly clean heavy build-up and grime from your wooden furniture or cabinets, you'll want to use microfiber and modern soaps. Most dirty wood furniture can be brought back to life with any basic neutral pH wood furniture cleaner like Mr. Clean or Fabuloso, some warm water, and a stack of microfiber towels.