We’ve decided to start a blog series with useful tips for keeping your furniture looking good! Of course, the expert team here at Heath Refinishing is available for repairs, restoration, and refinishing. The tips you’ll find in this blog series are for smaller fixes that you can probably accomplish on your own.
This week we’ll look at preparing a dusting formula, removing candle wax, and a few wood surface fixes. So let’s get started!
Double-duty dusting formula
Here’s a duster that’s also good for moisturizing dry wood. In a teacup, mix 1/4 cup linseed oil with 1 teaspoon lemon balm tea. Dip your dusting cloth into the mixture (soaking up only a small amount at a time) and rub it vigorously into the wooden surface to be cleaned. Use a soft clean cloth to wipe away any residue.
Removing stuck-on candle wax
If your candlelight dinner party ended with hot was dripped onto your nice mahogany table, here’s how to remove it without scratching the wood. Put a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and rest the bag on the wax until it becomes brittle. Then gently lift the wax with the edge of a spatula or credit card. Gently rub a soft cloth dampened with a solution of 1 part apple cider vinegar to 10 parts warm water to take care of any residue.
Three wood surface fixes
a) Stuck Paper – To remove paper stuck to a wood surface (say, because the kids were busy doing crafts projects), pour a few drops of olive oil over the paper, wait about 20 minutes as the oil softens it, and then use a clean dry cloth to remove the paper and oil. (Not only is the oil harmless to wood, but it may do it some good).
b) Burn Mark – If a wood surface suffers a slight burn from a mislaid cigarette or a lit match, rub a little mayonnaise into the burn, let it sit for a few minutes, and wipe it off with a clean damp cloth. Mayo also removes crayon marks from wood.
c) Tape – If adhesive tape is stuck to a wood floor or piece of furniture, don’t just yank it off or you may remove some of the finish. Apply a little rubbing alcohol to the tape, then rub the area with a cloth dipped in a solution of 1 teaspoon dish-washing liquid and 2 cups warm water.
Stay tuned for the 2nd part of this series in a few weeks!