How to Polish Lacquer Finish

There are simple products that are surprisingly cheap and work well to polish lacquer, many of which are very environmentally friendly. There’s also a technique you should employ to polish lacquer properly to get the best shine from it.

Step 1 - What not to Use

It’s important to use the right products to polish lacquer which means it’s also important to know which products not to use. This means you should avoid using regular furniture polishes of all kinds, especially those that contain silicone and lemon oil. These are not meant for use with lacquer and can damage it.

Step 2 - Polishing

The simplest solution to polish lacquer for most furniture is to buy an oil-based soap which you’ll be able find in any hardware store and most grocery stores in the household cleaning aisle. Pour some of the oil soap onto a clean soft cloth. Wipe the soap along the grain of the wood.

Take special care on the edges at the corners of the furniture. Here is where the lacquer is usually thinnest. You will need to polish the lacquer very carefully so you do not rub through. If you polish too hard, you could end up with bare wood. Use a fresh piece of soft cloth to buff the lacquer up to a perfect shine.