How do you preserve your furniture

**tbs727** · 05-16-2008, 03:59 PM

I'm at a place where I want to get as far from "throw-away" society as I can. I was never taught how to care for or preserve my wood furniture. I only have a few wood pieces but I still need to know how to keep them in good shape. How do you preserve your wood furniture? I've heard that waxing works well for painted furniture, does anyone do that?

Thanks!

**Momto2Boyz** · 05-16-2008, 04:55 PM

Murphy's Oil is suppose to work really well for wood.

The only nice piece of wood furniture we own is our dining room table, and it is constantly getting ruined from water stains and having hot things set down on it, so I just refinish it about every 2 years or so to keep it looking new.

**StaceyS** · 05-16-2008, 06:14 PM

I LOVE wood furniture. I have several "antique" pieces and here in Northern Nevada we have no humidity, so the wood dries out quick. If it is just stained, use the Murphy's Oil. It's the best. I do it about once a year and the wood just soaks it up. I don't have any wood that's painted, so I can't help there. Sorry.

**ladykemma2** · 05-16-2008, 11:17 PM

that's murphys oil SOAP not murphy's oil. if something needs washing. but don't wash with water anything with a varnish or shellac finish. be careful.

i use a homemade polish:
orange essential oil , edible linseed (flax oil) and bees wax melted and mixed together for a polish.

"neat" orange essential oil by itself if wood is dirty.

no lemon pledge or anything with silicone.

**TheRootedNomad** · 05-17-2008, 07:35 AM

lemon oil

Lemon oil is the best thing for wood furniture.

If you need to actually wash it you should use murphy's oil soap. You should only do this if absolutely needed though.

I apply the lemon oil about every fourth dusting but it doesn't hurt it to do it every time.

Most of the lemon oil is a light yellow but you can get a dark tone (scratch cover) to use to cover knicks.

I use bees wax about every year and a half or so for extra help but the oil is pretty effective on its own.

I don't use polish as I think they leave a residue that builds up and then you need to wash the furniture more.

On older or well used things they can be pretty easily refinished. It's more time than talent. The things I have that have always been mine I've never had to refinish but have on occassion thrown on a couple of new coats of poly. to keep them really shiney.

Hope that helps.

**tbs727** · 05-17-2008, 08:30 AM

I don't really like a lot of wood in my house, just my personal preference but I have a few things like an antique end table and my great-grandmothers old ironing board that I want to keep in good shape. I already use murphey's oil soap to clean (love the smell!), but the wood just looks dried out. Maybe the lemon oil is what I'm looking for.