When it comes to cleaning high gloss furniture, you must be gentle. Avoid harsh cleaners at any cost. High Gloss Furniture is perfectly practical when you regularly look after it. For day-to-day gloss cleaning, you shouldn't need to do anything more than wipe down with warm soapy water and dry with a microfibre cloth.
For maintenance cleaning, we recommend using a soft microfiber cloth soaked in warm water. Wring it out, then add a few drops of white vinegar. Simply wash your furniture with circular motions, then dry it with a cloth, and you're done!
Spray a small amount of solvent-based furniture cleaner on a dry rag and wipe the lacquer gently, starting with a small section. Wipe this away immediately with a damp cloth and then dry the area with a dry cloth. Repeat this process, working in manageable sections, until the lacquer is clean.
Lacquered furniture is beautiful and offers many advantages, but it is also delicate. Over time, it may tend to turn yellow or acquire an unpleasant patina of dirt. But don't worry! It is easy to clean a lacquered kitchen correctly, even if it requires a little extra care.
Look for soft cotton or chamois that will attract dust and avoid rubbing dirt into your surface. Start a regular routine once-a-week to remove any dust buildup. Avoid Spills. Lacquer protects the surface from immediate stains from liquid, but prolonged exposure will cause lacquer to dim in those areas or cloud.
Acetone and bleach
Start by applying a diluted consistency (acetone/bleach + water) with a damp cloth, and if you can see no damage or negative effects, try decreasing the dilution until you see a good, stain-removing result.
If the lacquer is thick enough, you can buff out scuffs with either rubbing and polishing compound, for gloss lacquer, or with 0000 steel wool and paste wax, for satin finishes.
After the lacquer cures for a few weeks it can be sanded perfectly level and buffed to a high gloss. During those weeks, almost all of the solvents evaporate and the remaining solids get dry and hard.
Turn on your air cleaner and leave the area completely for a couple of hours. Change your clothes and go back into the finishing area being careful not to stir up any dust. Now's the time to wipe the item with a rag lightly dampened with mineral spirits to remove any dust that has landed on the item surfaces.
Caring for Lacquered and Painted Finishes
Do not use water, oil or solvents on the surface. For daily cleaning, use a soft, dry cloth. If the surface is dull or dirty, lightly polish it using a high-quality clear paste wax.
Between each coat, allow the lacquer to fully dry, and rough it up with 400 grit sandpaper, wiping dust off before applying the next layer. Three or four coats of lacquer should give you a smooth and shiny finish. The lacquer should be free of dimples, even and smooth.
You must let the paint coat dry for 24 hours at least. Then you can flat it with 1200 grit or finer wet and dry, using soapy water. Once the panels are dry, then you apply the lacquer.
Polishing involves rubbing the surface with a powdered abrasive such as pumice and rottenstone using a cotton cloth. Sprinkle some 4F pumice on your sanded wood surface, saturate it with some rubbing oil or water, then use a cotton buffing cloth to buff it up.
Yellowed Lacquer -- Quick Fix
When the finish has other defects that detract from the appearance of the piece, you can sometimes fix them and lighten the yellowing by scuffing the old finish with 220-grit sandpaper and spraying on a new coat.
Give it a swish in lacquer thinner or denatured alcohol, shake it out, and let it dry hard. When you need it again, just stand it in solvent. It will be soft and ready to use within 30 minutes. Water-soluble finishes: use soap and water.
Lacquered items Wipe with a damp duster. Apply a fine water-mist spray directly to the duster so that you do not over-wet the wood. Wipe dry and buff with a soft, dry duster. Apply a good furniture polish occasionally to revive the shine.
No, you can't apply poly over lacquer as polyurethane won't bond. The polyurethane coat will peel and flake over time. To protect your lacquer finish from water damages and scratches, apply alkyd varnish instead of polyurethane.
Durability, Appearance and Affordability
Lacquer is tough. It lasts as long or longer than any of its competitors without flaking or chipping. Lacquer remains clear for years without the yellowing usually associated with varnish, polyurethane or shellac.
What Does Lacquer Mean? A lacquer is a clear wood coating finish that dries via solvent evaporation. It is used to produce a hard finish that can be polished to exude varying degrees of sheen.
Clearcoat Lacquer is the final layer that is applied to the painted surface of your vehicle. Typically it is between 32 and 102 microns in depth and its primary function is to protect the underlying paint base colour.