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Cleaning Up:  Homemade furniture polish  |
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Fiddlermom
Farmgirl in Training
47 Posts
Melissa
Logan
AL
USA
47 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 19 2009 : 10:41:35 AM
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Yesterday I cleaned house and was out of furniture polish. I took about a 1/2c olive oil and added about 2 TB of a rubbing alcohol/lavender mixture I made a while back. (I made the lavender mixture by adding powdered lavender to 70% rubbing alcohol and letting it sit about 6 weeks. Then strain and bottle.) I thought we would use it for sore muscles or what not, but I never use it. It worked great on the wood furniture and left a very nice smell! It even removed water stains. Now, I don't have the best furniture or anything heirloom so I wasn't afraid of trying it. Has anyone did this before? Do any of you have any other recipes for polish? Lots of cleaners give me headaches so I mostly avoid chemical cleaners of any kind. I'm sure alot of you feel the same way! I would love to find out what ya'll use!
Melissa |
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2009 : 12:56:49 PM
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I bet your house did smell lovely! I use a cup of olive oil mixed with 1/2 cup lemon juice, maybe once every three months or so. I just use a slightly damp cloth in between. Rubbing alcohol can be tricky on some finishes. You might find that the finish clouds or softens with continued use. That would not be a good thing. Just plain olive oil with a little lavender essential oil will do the same thing with less risk. :)
Happy polishing!
Karin
www.perfectlittlemiracle.blogspot.com
www.athreadofred.blogspot.com |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2009 : 3:33:54 PM
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Hello ladies. One comment here as someone who built and installed kitchen and bath cabinets for 16 years. Please do not use oil on a lacquer finish. In the first place it will soften the finish and although it looks good when you do it, it will need to be done all the time to keep looking like that. Eventually, the finish will be sticky but - here's the rub, you cannot re-finish without a total strip to remove all those oils. If there is ANY oil when the object is re-sprayed or brushed with lacquer the whole surface will orange peel. The best way to clean a lacquered surface is with a damp cloth, and dry immediately. If the surface looks dry, a little pledge or paste wax (I suggest only once or twice per year) to prevent build up which attracts further dust/grease. If you must scrub off grime or sticky messes, I suggest Murphys oil soap, followed by rinse and dry immediately. If no oils are used, a light sanding and a new coat of finish with little or no problems. After going back and trying to fix my customers "liquid gold" disasters I cannot stress this enough.
Blessings, Sheri
"Work is Love made visible" -Kahlil Gibran |
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Cleaning Up: Homemade furniture polish |
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Homemade furniture polish
