| Grandma goofed? Imagine that your | | | | rags, and a bucket of water or a sink. For the final |
| great-grandmother owned a lovely mahogany buffet. | | | | polishing, you will use a burnishing cream. Liberon |
| She loved the piece; she waxed it twice a year and | | | | makes a fine burnishing cream that can be purchased |
| dusted it regularly, which was the highest standard of | | | | from several online distributors. |
| care in her day. Would great-grandmother be | | | | The Cleaning Technique |
| shocked to discover that her regular waxing and | | | | Begin by pouring about a half-cup of mineral spirits |
| dusting created the dingy, dirty finish that is on the | | | | directly onto the furniture's top. Using the 0000 steel |
| buffet in 2010? | | | | wool spread the solvent over about a two-foot |
| Antiques Are Covered With Old Wax and Dirt | | | | square area. Always rub in a straight line in the |
| You see, once you put wax onto wooden furniture, | | | | direction of the wood grain; rubbing across the grain |
| the only way to get it off is with a chemical | | | | will create visible scratches. Apply a slight downward |
| remover. Each time the furniture is waxed, you put | | | | pressure to the steel wool; your objective is to |
| new wax on top of dirty wax and just move it all | | | | loosen the wax. Continue this procedure over the |
| around. Every time the piece is dusted, some of the | | | | entire piece of furniture, using as much mineral spirits |
| dust is picked up by the dust cloth, and some of it is | | | | as is needed to keep the surface wet. |
| rubbed into the accumulated wax. Over time, the | | | | The drying time for mineral spirits is about 45 |
| finish begins to lose its' shine and become dingy | | | | minutes. As the solvent dries, you will notice a dirty |
| looking. The once-beautiful buffet becomes covered | | | | grayish film forming over the furniture. This film is the |
| with a layer of dirt and wax. | | | | loosened, dirty wax that you have lifted from the |
| The Wax and Dirt Must Be Removed | | | | surface. When the solvent has thoroughly dried, use |
| The key to cleaning antique furniture is to remove | | | | a damp rag to wipe up the dried wax. Clean the rag |
| the old wax and accumulated dirt without damaging | | | | often. Use Q-tips to get into corners and grooves. |
| the underlying finish. This can be accomplished with a | | | | Repeat the above procedure with mineral spirits and |
| little patience and few supplies which can be | | | | clean steel wool until no more waxy dirt dries on the |
| purchased at any hardware store. Simply re-waxing | | | | surface. When the furniture is free of wax and dirt, |
| the furniture or applying furniture polish will only add | | | | apply the burnishing cream with a soft cloth, and rub |
| to the problem; if you want the antique to glow, you | | | | until you are satisfied with the shine. |
| must remove the old wax and dirt. Of course, this | | | | Ongoing Maintenance |
| cleaning technique assumes that the furniture's finish | | | | To keep your antique furniture beautiful, polish it |
| is still intact; a finish with significant chipping and | | | | once a year with a good quality cream polish. If the |
| peeling should be refinished. | | | | finish is significantly worn and you have a few bare |
| Your Antique Furniture Cleaning Kit | | | | spots, treat the bare spots with a light coat of paste |
| The first item needed is a solvent that will remove | | | | wax to protect the wood. Dust regularly. Never use |
| the wax without removing the furniture finish. The | | | | spray polishes, dusting sprays, treated dusting cloths, |
| solvent for wax is mineral spirits, and mineral spirits | | | | or any product that touts its ability to make your |
| will not harm any of the finishes commonly found on | | | | furniture shine. Chances are those products contain |
| antiques. Next, you will need 0000 ("four-ought") | | | | silicone, and polishing your furniture with silicone is like |
| grade steel wool; other grades are too coarse. In the | | | | spraying it with WD-40 lubricant. Proper care will keep |
| refinishing trade, 0000 steel wool is known as a | | | | your antique furniture looking beautiful for future |
| polishing pad; the longer you rub a finish with it, the | | | | generations. |
| shinier the finish gets. You will need Q-tips, absorbent | | | | |