Q: We have several pieces of a dining room set that is 50 years old. The chairs and table legs in particular are dirty. To clean them, I considered vinegar and soap, and I purchased two cleaners, Weiman Furniture Cleaner and Guardsman Anytime Clean & Polish. But I am unsure about using them. What should I use, and how?
A: The best approach depends on whether the finish is in good shape.
If there is no cracking or chipping, you can mix a cleaning solution of warm water with a bit of a mild soap, such as Murphy Oil Soap ($7.68 for a 16-ounce bottle at Amazon) or even a non-creamy hand dishwashing soap. Dampen a soft cloth in the soapy water, wring it out well and wipe, starting with an out-of-the-way surface, such as the inside face of a chair leg. Check the results before you move on to more-visible surfaces. As you clean each section, immediately rub with a dry cloth. If you need more scrubbing power, switch from the cleaning cloth to a white scrub pad, which is gentle enough that it shouldn’t damage an intact finish.
Advertisement
Or you could test the Guardsman product you bought. It is an oil-and-water emulsion that works similarly to how soap and water would work but also contains oils that remain on the surface to add some shine, said Doug Sabin, a chemist for Guardsman. Unlike some other furniture polishes, it has no silicone oil, so it won’t interfere with refinishing, if you decide to do that in the future. The Weiman product you bought has been discontinued, but that company makes something called Weiman Furniture Cleaner & Polish. It is also a water-based product that contains oils (mineral oil, castor oil, avocado oil, safflower oil and sesame oil) to create a polished look.
Using water to clean wood furniture might seem like a no-no, but if the finish is intact, you’re not cleaning the wood; you’re cleaning the finish. Plus, by wringing out your cleaning cloth first, you’re minimizing the amount of water involved.
If, however, the finish is cracked or peeling, don’t try to clean with water. The moisture is certain to get through the cracks and under the finish, which will then be likely to peel and crack more. Your dining set would look worse than it does now. Instead, proceed in the same way you would if soap and water didn’t get off all the grime because some of the residue wasn’t water-soluble.
Advertisement
Possible cleaners for cracked finishes or for grime that isn’t water-soluble include denatured alcohol, mineral spirits and wax strippers. The Weiman product you bought was designed to take off wax and even the stubborn residue left by cigarette smoke, so it would be worth testing before you go out and buy a different solvent.
If the Weiman product doesn’t work and you don’t have one of the other solvents on hand, take a chair with you to a hardware store or paint store and ask if they have opened cans of solvents that you can use for testing. You need just a few drops, and testing before you buy saves you from winding up with solvent that you might someday need to dispose of as a hazardous material. There’s a system for testing finishes. Apply a few drops of denatured alcohol, then quickly rub with a cloth, paper towel or even a cotton swab. If the finish comes off, it’s shellac. (Denatured alcohol also softens lacquer, but it takes longer.) If the finish isn’t affected, dab with acetone. It strips lacquer but makes varnish gummy. If the finish is unscathed, it’s polyurethane.
Unless the finish is shellac or lacquer, you might want to buy denatured alcohol to clean with. It evaporates quickly and never leaves an oily residue. Or go for mineral spirits, which is safe even on shellac and lacquer but doesn’t evaporate as quickly and may leave an oily residue.
Advertisement
One wax remover is Liberon Wax & Polish Remover ($32.95 for a 500-milliliter bottle on Amazon). Formby’s used to make a wax remover that was popular, but that brand has merged into Minwax, which discontinued the Formby’s line. Asked to suggest a replacement, a customer service representative for Minwax said to use 100 percent mineral spirits.
Mineral spirits is often called paint thinner, but products labeled as paint thinner may also include other solvents that could damage the finish on your dining set. Check the label to make sure you get only mineral spirits. Even if the product is labeled as low-odor, be sure to work in a well-ventilated area, and wear chemical-resistant gloves. Hang any rags or other cloths you use in a single layer until they are completely dry. If you use a wax remover, follow safety instructions on the label.
More from Lifestyle:
How to remove a stain from a composite sink
Restoring the gloss on cultured-marble countertops
Black grit on the faucet is not necessarily a problem
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLmqssSsq7KklWS1sLnEaJ%2Bor12pvG6vy56Yp2WRo3qwuMNmrqinlJq7brDIp6Cnn12nvLC5jKycrWdiZX9xe49sZmpxX2mBcYPCa2hrZWZsr3V5kGqcmmWSaH50ecOfa25wZmd%2FpH7CnJasrJ%2Bnxm%2B006aj