Cleaning Wood

Why clean?

Particles of dirt, sand, and general filth will accumulate on the surface of your wood products over time. The dangers of scratching the surface and diminishing the worth of your wood are escalated by the use of the wood. Any contact with the dirt in between you and your floor will push it against the surface, scratching it. Removing the dirt by cleaning wood is essential.

How to clean

There are many ways to clean different wood products. For example, if you are looking to clean hardwood floors, a duster is no match for the dirt that has probably accumulated on the floor over time. Instead, a simple broom with bristles is the most effective way of removing the dirt gently. And remember to never use ammonia or other all-purpose cleaning solutions on when cleaning wood. This will ruin them.

But if you are looking to clean wood on a table, then a duster and some oil finish to shine will do the trick.

Two types of finishes

All floors have either two types of finishes: surface finishes and penetrating seals. To identify what type of finish your wood is, use this as a guide:

• Surface finishes include polyurethane (the most common), water based polyurethane (second most common), pre-finished floors, and catalyzed.
• Penetrating seals includes oil finishes, acrylics and waxes.