Natural cleaning and maintenance options for wooden furniture and floors

There is an idea that wooden furniture or floors cannot be cleaned with natural products because they are not aggressive enough. Especially when you are dealing with old furniture that has been soiled over time with grease and soot. We think of using modern cleaning products because only with them can we achieve the perfect clean we want. I guess not. Drawing a parallel with washing clothes, I don't think I've ever seen laundry as bright white as my grandmother managed to wash it, in the wash, with rainwater and homemade soap made from soda and leftover pig fat. So, while we're trying to eat as naturally as possible and use natural fibre clothes, I don't think it's a bad idea to see what natural maintenance and cleaning materials we can use.

Cleaning furniture

The simplest and most effective natural solution for cleaning furniture or wooden floors is soap and water. You will say that water should not get on furniture covered with varnish or paint because it whitens and damages it. This is only the case if the water stays on the varnished surface for a long time and only in the case of certain varnishes (nitrocellulose, shellac). If you've ever had your furniture whiten find here some simple and handy solutions to get rid of stains. If the water is wiped away quickly and doesn't remain to puddle, the furniture doesn't suffer.

When washing furniture with soap and water, it's best to make the soap solution beforehand. That way the furniture will be cleaned evenly and no bits of undissolved soap will remain on it. To make the solution dissolve shaved soap in warm water. 2-3 tablespoons of shaved soap in 5 litres of water is sufficient. Then use a soft cloth to wash thoroughly all over, concentrating on areas where dirt is more difficult to remove. A cotton cloth is recommended so as not to scratch the furniture. Finally, wipe the furniture thoroughly with a dry cloth and leave to dry. Do not rush into the idea that the varnish will whiten immediately. You can safely leave the wet cloth for 5-10 minutes on a stain that is more difficult to remove. The important thing is that the furniture is well wiped and dry at the end.

You can use any kind of soap, but since we are talking about natural, homemade soap or commercial natural soap is recommended. Marseille Soapwhich you can find at Naturalpaintis a very good solution. Made from olive oil and various tree oils, it is especially suitable for cleaning and maintaining furniture, floors and other wooden objects. It can also be used for soap protection - a natural way of finishing with a concentrated soap solution that is find full description here.

Variants for more aggressive cleaning

There are times when no matter how hard we try we can't get the dirt off with soap and water alone. Grease or paint stains, old grease mixed with soot need more aggressive solutions to be removed. The classic option is to use paint strippers or aggressive organic solvents.

These products are very aggressive and contain chlorine-based solvents that are very harmful (methylene chloride). Their use can damage the eyes, skin, respiratory tract or nervous system. So what is the alternative?

We use vinegar, lemon juice and bicarbonate. These are the simplest and most effective solutions for cleaning grease. You can also use them successfully for dishes (where gritty salt can act as an abrasive). Vinegar can also be used separately (diluted with water) or mixed with bicarbonate. So can lemon juice. When mixing, an effervescent reaction occurs (like in cakes). Once it settles you can use the solution to clean dirty surfaces.

If vinegar and bicarbonate don't help either, you can turn to more aggressive natural variants, based on soda or calcium carbonate (untreated lime), but with no side effects that can appear even after years. Pickling paste and soda of the Kreidezeit are such products. Pickling pastes contain industrial soap, lime, alkalis and fermentation alcohol. It is very effective for cleaning natural oil-based and alkyd paints. But not for modern varnishes such as polyurethane.

Soda is used for removing old paint layers, softening varnished surfaces, cleaning them, removing fungus and mould. It has a sterilising effect, absorbs odours and neutralises acids.

Natural solutions for maintenance

After cleaning, surfaces should be protected. Ceara is the most commonly used version. It can be applied to any varnished, painted or oiled surface and if polished will give a satin sheen and a pleasing sheen.

For natural protection, solutions based on beeswax, palm or carnauba wax are very effective. Carnauba waxis extracted from the leaves of a Brazilian palm species. The wax protects the tree's leaves against both excess water during rainy periods and dehydration during hot, dry periods.

Don't assume that all commercial wax products are natural. There are synthetic waxes and a good proportion of commercial products have them in their composition. If you want natural products always check the label and make sure the composition is fully described.

Also for surface protection, after cleaning you can use a simple solution. Mix 150 ml olive oil with 50 ml white wine vinegar and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Put everything in a jar with a lid and shake well. Apply the solution to the furniture with a cotton cloth, polishing gently. It's a great protective solution that also fades white marks or scratches. For a pleasant smell in the house you can add a few drops of essential oils or a few lavender leaves to the solution.

If you are a fan of natural solutions I hope the above suggestions will be helpful.