What does furniture polish do

Leruth recommends having upholstered furniture treated with a fabric protector product such as Fiber Seal, which will repel moisture, allowing spills to be blotted up before they soak into the fabric. Speed is imperative in cleaning spills on upholstered furniture, High said, and most stains need to be turned over to professionals. Because fabric can fade and shrink in cleaning, the institute recommends having furniture cleaned in place. Laban warned particularly against removing chair and sofa cushion covers and sending them to a cleaner.

Consumers should be aware of potential cleaning problems, such as shrinkage, or the dissolving of backings used to give loosely woven fabrics stability. The advantage of using a professional cleaner is that he knows what kind of solvent or stain remover to use for particular stains, she said. Often the best solution is to make the right selections from the start, High said.

To extend the life of a sofa to 10 years or more, Leruth said, buy good quality, use fabric sealer, vacuum regularly and rotate loose cushions. Good quality is especially important in wicker and leather, Leruth said. Wicker comes with a finish on it and can be cleaned with a feather duster or a drafting-table brush with soft bristles.

For the marbles and metals that are so popular in furnishing today, Leruth recommends cleaning with a damp cloth. Metals come with a protective finish, too, and using solutions such as brass cleaner will strip the finish, she said. Marble needs to be professionally repolished every couple of years.

Making this a regular part of your cleaning routine will leave your wooden surfaces glowing and protected from minor scratches and abrasions. An alternative to spraying on furniture polish is to use paste wax. While this method requires a lot more elbow grease, it will have to be done less often and is better at protecting your wooden surfaces. The best way to use paste wax will require a good dusting of the furniture first.

Then, apply the paste wax to the center of a clean cloth. Rub the cloth in a circular fashion all over the wood.

Paste wax is the preferred type of polish for antique furniture, as it gives the best form of protection. To see this brand of paste wax on Amazon, click here. The oil gently seeps into the wood grains and gives a layer of protection to the wood itself, all the while leaving it with a bit of a glow. Combine all of these ingredients into a clean spray bottle and shake it until all of them are properly mixed. Use with a microfiber cloth, and allow to air dry. To see this brand of coconut oil on Amazon, click here.

To see this brand of spray bottle on Amazon, click here. Simply apply the Pledge directly onto a clean cotton cloth and gently rub it onto the wood. For a deeper polish, repeat this a second time as soon as the Pledge has completely dried on the wood. In addition, as drying oils get older, they turn yellow or brown, causing furniture to take on a muddy appearance.

Semi-solid polishes are the best for wood. Often called "paste wax," these products are comprised of a concentrated mixture of wax in an organic solvent or emulsion. Semi-solid polishes are stable materials as long as they don't include silicone, so this is the method of choice for polishing wood furniture.

However, it does take more elbow grease to get the job done—the better the wax, the harder you need to buff. Waxing should only be done twice a year for furniture that gets heavy wear, such as chair arms and desktops, and every three to four years for items such as table and chair legs.

The best advice is to use what is recommended by your furniture manufacturer and to use it sparingly. Most fine furniture will benefit from regular dry dusting using a lambswool or microfiber duster, which can attract the dust from furniture without pitting or scratching the surface.

They won't leave any type of buildup or chemical residue. Be especially careful about using polish products on furniture that has damage to its surfaces. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. While you can use the creamy wax on unfinished wood, it also helps prevent the cracking, fading, and deterioration of existing finishes of all types. In either case, the polish will lend the wood a satin sheen that accentuates the depth of the grain. Disclosure: BobVila. You agree that BobVila.

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