Vinegar can clean all kinds of wood. Vinegar makes an excellent wood cleaner because it won't damage wood finish or warp wood like other products do. Cleaning with vinegar is a green alternative to the sometimes toxic and expensive cleaners offered at the store.
Surfaces that Should Not Be Cleaned with Vinegar
hardwood floors, wood furniture, and other word surfaces – due to its acidic nature, vinegar can damage hardwood floor finishes, causing them to look dingy. Use either a cleaner specifically made for hardwood floors or a mix of soap and water.
White vinegar suits wood well. Not only does it remove dirt and dust, but it also helps polish the wood. It provides a shimmering effect, giving the wood more life. When there are wine, milk, and other liquid stains on wood, you can apply the vinegar and allow it to soak for a few minutes.
When cleaning your deck, make sure you only use oxygen bleach and not chlorine bleach, which can compromise the structural integrity of your wood deck. Vinegar - Safe for both composite and wood decking, mix a half-cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to ¼ a cup of baking soda with 1 gallon of water.
White vinegar is very effective in getting rid of dirt that dulls the aesthetics of wooden furniture. It can be used to remove superficial stains or those installed in depth. Applied to varnished wood, it instantly dissolves grime and restores the shine of the wood.
A simple solution of half a cup of distilled white vinegar, half a cup of warm water and a teaspoon of mild dish detergent like Dawn will also do the trick. Be sure to test the mixture first in a hidden area of the wood to make sure it does not damage the finish.
To clean wood furniture, start by dusting or vacuuming your furniture. Then, mix 3 tablespoons of white vinegar with 1 cup of water. Next, spray some of the liquid onto a cloth and wipe down the surface of your furniture, taking care not to make it too wet.
It isn't a good idea to clean wood with pure, undiluted vinegar. In addition to leaving water marks, the acid in the vinegar could “eat” certain kinds of finishes. However, for polishing wood, a homemade treatment of half olive oil and half white vinegar can buff up stained and oiled wood finishes nicely.
yes, that's a joke. Mix a quarter cup of olive oil to a quarter cup of white vinegar. Use a soft cloth, apply a small amount of the mixture to the wood and buff the wood to a shine.
Use a mix of equal parts distilled white vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Use a soft cloth to rub the mixture with the wood's grain and then wipe off with a clean cloth.
When you're doing a DIY woodworking project, it's a good idea to start with a fresh, clean surface. But whatever you do, if you're working with untreated wood, don't use a Clorox wipe to clear off dust and dirt. Because untreated or unpainted wood is porous, disinfectant wipes can leave it with a big, ugly stain.
Try mixing a weak solution of water and dishwashing soap. Dip a soft cloth in the solution, wring it out and wipe the entire piece. You want a damp cloth, not a wet one. Don't saturate the wood, and rinse your cloth often.
A mixture of 1 part Chlorine Bleach, (Clorox) to 32 parts water (½ cup bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water) will need to sit on surfaces for 5-10 minutes in order to disinfect them. We found this did not harm either of our wood finishes.
A mixture of vinegar and olive oil is an alterative, traditional way to clean your oak furniture. Mix two parts olive oil with one part vinegar, and if possibly, apply it thinly from a spray bottle. Use a soft, clean cloth to rub it gently into the surface.
If you're dusting or cleaning your table, in additional to other wood furniture or knickknacks, a multipurpose solution like Murphy® Oil Soap Orange Oil Cleaner can do the trick. Real Simple recommends spraying or applying your product onto a dusting cloth instead of the surface itself.
Create a mixture by adding ½ a cup of vinegar and ½ a cup of olive oil to a bowl. Mix well and rub this over the surface of your wooden dining table with a cotton cloth for about 15 minutes. You'll gradually see the surface restored.
If you need a homemade cleaner that will get rid of everyday dust and dirt, use this recipe for your wood surfaces: 1 cup of water, 1/2 a cup of white vinegar, 2 teaspoons of mineral oil or coconut oil, 15 drops of lemon oil, an empty spray bottle and a microfiber cloth or soft cloth.
Cleaning your wooden floors with Lysol®
You can clean polished wood or non-porous hardwood floors with Lysol® . If you're just looking to – you can use Lysol® All-Purpose Cleaner to clean and disinfect your floor surface without causing damage to the wood.
For a quick and convenient solution, use Clorox® Scentiva® Disinfecting Wet Mopping Cloths to disinfect hardwood floors. They kill 99.9% of germs4 and are bleach-free and safe to use on sealed or finished hardwood floors.
Tips for Disinfecting Cabinets
Our first quick fix involves a rag or towel dampened with a solution of 3/4 cup of bleach per one bucket of water. Once applied, carefully wipe all cabinet surfaces. Next, go over everything again with a plain, wet cloth.
Test the vinegar-water solution on a small area first before cleaning the whole piece. Spray the solution onto a soft cloth and apply it to the wood surface by rubbing with the grain to remove watermarks. For heavily stained areas, add a sprinkle of baking soda to the surface.