Despite being sold as a furniture polish, you should also avoid using Pledge on your wood, as it builds up waxy layers of silicone that may hide imperfections but not actually help treat the wood in any way.
Use a branded acrylic, polyurethane, water-based, or polyester polish to get the best possible finish. While repolishing may seem like a simple task, it is strongly recommended that you hire a professional to take good care of veneer surfaces.
Avoid using Pledge® or a similar commercial polish on antique furniture. Solvents and silicones present in modern commercial polishes can cause long-term damage to original finishes and can leave a “bloom” of opaque whiteness that does not fade with traditional waxing.
Formulated with mineral oils and conditioners, it nourishes, protects and revitalizes the appearance of furniture, leaving behind a healthy radiance that looks like new again. Use Pledge® Moisturizing Oil to clean wood kitchen cabinets, windowsills, decorative trim, tables, chairs and more*.
Silicone In Pledge Seeps Into Wood Furniture
The silicone – somehow – manages to seep deep into the wood, making the refinishing process long and tedious. Even after removing several layers of wood during the sanding process, there may still be unseen layers of silicone within the cabinetry or furniture.
Despite being sold as a furniture polish, you should also avoid using Pledge on your wood, as it builds up waxy layers of silicone that may hide imperfections but not actually help treat the wood in any way.
Linseed oil is one of the best oils to use for wood finishes because it penetrates deep into the grain of the wood, giving it a rich color and protecting it against moisture. If you want to clean your wood furniture with linseed oil, make sure to dilute it first with water.
If you're looking for a good oil soap for cleaning antique wood furniture, we'd recommend Murphy oil soap. Since this brand is 98% naturally derived, it's one of the gentlest and most effective oil soaps you can get, and it even smells good!
Classic Look: Oil-based Finishes
Walnut has been traditionally finished with oil-based products like true Danish oil which penetrates deep into the wood enhancing its natural beauty while creating an amber hue that adds warmth and character to it.
Use a lint-free cloth to wipe away the spillage, and then a stain removing polish to clear any blemishes left behind. Never use abrasive cleaning materials as these will damage the surface of the veneer.
Dust regularly with a slightly damp, soft, lint-free cloth. Wipe dry with a dry, soft cloth in the direction of the wood grain. Spills should be immediately wiped up with a damp cloth. Clean the surface with a soft cloth dampened with a quality cleaner formulated for wood furniture.
The only time Murphy's Oil soap is allowed on wood (I know, Right? It says it's allowed on the bottle so you will buy it) is when the wood is WAXED like pews in a church or some other old-fashioned wax-based finish.
Antique furniture should be waxed on a regular basis as the wax feed, protects and nourishes the wood. Frequent dusting is important between waxing, using a clean, dry, soft duster. This will encourage a hard wax skin to form which enhances the patina and protect the surface further.
Mix oil and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio in the bowl using a whisk or fork. Dip a small area of the cloth into the mixture and work it into the wood along the wood grain in small circular motions. Wipe away the loosened mildew and residue with a clean dry cloth.
Black walnut wood is coveted for its colors and striations as much as its heartiness and durability. A black walnut piece of furniture will last for decades to come (if taken care of). But black walnuts aren't just pretty as furnishings. The trees themselves are beautiful and larger than life.
Overall, we recommend Pledge Furniture Polish and Guardsman Clean & Polish as our top picks. Pledge is an all-around performer that cleans and polishes various surfaces without leaving behind excessive buildup. Guardsman Clean & Polish is great for any wood surface, and it's easy to apply.
One last tip that we cannot stress enough is to never ever use Pledge on wood furniture. Any furniture repair technician will tell you the same thing - Pledge builds up silicone on top of the wood, "hiding" imperfections but doing nothing for the wood itself.
It both cleans and gives the MOST BEAUTIFUL SHINE! I love lemon pledge it literally makes my wooden furniture so shiny and polished leaving a nice lemony orange scent behind. Definitely makes cleaning more fun and removes dusty and oily residue making furniture look brand new!