It is said that furniture require minimum care,asserting that oil or lacquer finish normally used on furniture protects the wood by sealing it. Others feel that the original finish itself needs a protective layer--usually a wax--that should be renewed periodically. Between those who opt for no wax and those who recommend lots of wax are those who temporize with a little wax sometimes.
At one time, a key part of spring cleaning involved giving the furniture a fresh coat of wax: paste wax, no less, applied with plenty of muscle. The wax was supposed to "feed" the wood and help protect it. No doubt,some people still hew to that ritual. Many others forgo the paste wax but spritz the furniture with a cleaner like Pledge or Endust whenever they dust. Chances are,those people are wasting their Johnson Wax 16 Oz Pledge Revitalizing Oil Furniture Polish With Orange Oil 2636 - Pack of 6 (Google Affiliate Ad)effort and money.
In general, the need for waxing and cleaning furniyure with a brand-name product is often quite unnecessary. Most furniture won't benefit from waxing because its surface has been sealed at the factory with a durable finish that keeps the wood from drying out and,to some degree,protects against spills and minor scrathes.
Oil and waxes don't penetrate the finish. The minuscule residue that remains from most polishes after application and buffing contributes nothing to damage control.
Modern furniture does need cleaning,however. Dust,smoke,and greasy cooking fumes combine to create a dulling film. Fingerprints begin as small smudges and grow to a grimy coating.
You can choose among dozens of furniture cleaners at the supermarket. Many,like the familiar Pledge,Behold,and Endust,are intended primarily to help remove dust. Others,such as Kleen n Shine and Murphy Oil Soap, are intended for cleaning wood and other surfaces. Hardware stores carry still other furniture cleaners and polishes,generally oil-based products such as Oil English Red Oil and Scott's Liquid Gold. Only a few actually contain wax.
Except for old furniture whose original finish may not have sealed the wood very well--or newer furniture that has been used a lot and whose finish may be worn thin--regular dusting with a soft rag slighhtly dampened with water may be all you need to keep furniture looking new and clean. It's still true,however, that finely finished wood and wood with a modern,well-sealed finish should be treated with respect when it comes to water. Indeed, Murphy Oil Soap's label carrier an admonition taht the product,when used on furniture,should first be tested on an inconspicuous area. The maker of Fantastik, an all-purpose cleaner,advises against using it on varnished surfaces.
The mirror finish on a piece of furniture is there courtesy of the furniture maker. The shine you get from product depends almost entirely on the nature of the furniture's original finish. For instance,no polish is likely to increase the luster of a piano top high-gloss mahogany. It is already mirrorlike. Furthermore, the finish in't likely to be protected to any degree by using furniture polish.
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