How To Clean and Care Oak Furniture? Expert's Guide

Are you worried about how to clean and maintain your oak furniture? Let's discuss in detail how to make your oak furniture shine like new. You can do a standard or advanced cleaning for tough stains to clean oak furniture. Oak has a clear grain compared to other woods, meaning small spots and marks can be hidden. Nevertheless, oak is a natural material that can get stained.

You may notice unsightly water marks on your wood table. This is usually because someone was careless and didn't use a coaster! Let's learn the secret of the best way to clean oak furniture.

How To Care For Oak Furniture?

Remember that oak is natural, so treat it as such to maintain it. This means you must consider where you put your furniture in the room. Oak shouldn't be near heaters, ovens, or other heat sources. This is also true for direct sunlight. Oak furniture can dry out in the sun, which can be the reason for crack and lose colour.

Conversely, it would help if you kept your furniture safe from high or low temperatures. Do not place oak furniture next to a vent or air conditioner, and keep it away from wet areas. Because when walls or basements are damp, furniture can twist. Most oak furniture has a layer of beeswax or oil to protect it. Recoat your furniture with a thin layer occasionally to keep it fresh and looking its best.

How To Clean An Oak Table?

You may wonder, "What is the best way to clean oak furniture?" The best way is to use a wet cloth. Most cleaning products aren't made to be used on oak, which might hurt your furniture's shine. Remember that it's better to avoid spills first than to clean them up after they happen! You should always have coasters on hand if you have an oak table; everyone should use them! Your beautiful oak coffee table will get dirty with just one wet glass or hot cup of coffee.

Clean up any mess right away. Leave any liquid on the oak surface for a while, and it will finally seep in and leave a stain. More damage will be done to the spot, and it will take longer to clean up the longer you wait. It is recommended that you dry any spills with a towel as soon as you see them! Wipe toward the grain if you don't want to push water deeper into the wood. You should never put something hot straight on oak because it will leave dark stains that are hard to remove. Buy thick trivets and mats to keep the heat from getting through and killing your furniture.

How To Clean Old Oak Furniture?

Cleaning antique oak furniture requires additional care. Still, the rules are the same whether your furniture is new or old. Most of the time, a wet cloth works best. After you wipe down the furniture, use a soft cloth to dry it. Like always, put on a thin layer of oil or wax and make it smooth with a soft cloth.

Cleaning Oak Furniture With Vinegar

Another old-fashioned way to clean your oak furniture is to mix vinegar and olive oil. Mix vinegar with olive oil in 1:2 proportion. If you can, use a spray bottle to spread it out thinly. Scrub it into the surface with a clean, soft cloth. The olive oil will keep the surface wet, and the vinegar will clean it gently. Vinegar is a great, eco-friendly way to clean wood furniture instead of using harsh cleaners that are bad for the environment and make your furniture last less long.

How To Remove Stains From An Oak Table?

Don't freak out if something terrible has happened and stained your lovely table. There are a few tried-and-true ways to clean an oak table that has been stained. Always remember that different methods may work better for various types of stains. Some stains may be easy to remove, but deeper stains may need other ways or even help from a professional.

Remove Water Stains With Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is one of the easiest and best ways to remove water rings, spots, and other signs of water damage on wood. Perhaps you wouldn't believe it, but this everyday thing has saved thousands of oak furniture. Rub a little mayonnaise into the stain and let it sit for an hour or overnight for tough spots. The mayonnaise's oils should help move the water around. Let it sit for a while, and then use a cloth to wipe off the mayonnaise. If it looks a little better, use wax or shine again to make the surface look its best.

Remove Stains From Oak With Toothpaste and Baking Soda

Use toothpaste to get rid of tougher spots. Use a wet cloth and a little toothpaste to rub the stain gently. The discolouration can be removed with the help of the mild abrasive found in most toothpaste. If toothpaste doesn't work by itself, you can make it work better by mixing baking soda into the toothpaste. The solution that is made will be a little rougher and also be able to soak up some water. If you need to, try rubbing it a little harder.

Removing Dark Stains From Wood

In general, a darker mark means that there is more damage. Someone may have poured something on top of the wood that has been scalded or burned, or a liquid may have seeped deeper into the wood. It takes a little more work to eliminate dark marks than light ones.

How To Restore An Oak Tabletop

If the top of your oak table has dark stains, it might be time to fix it completely. To fix your tabletop and get rid of dark spots that are deeply ingrained, you will need to sand the finish off of the wood with fine sandpaper. You should put more pressure on the most stained areas until you can sand off any tough stains. Be careful and use sandpaper slowly because you are removing wood from the table. Use fine sandpaper instead of coarse sandpaper. Once the finish is off and the stain is smoothed out, you must wax or oil the surface again. Clean it with a fresh, soft cloth to make it look great.

Final Thought

You can add oak furniture to your home in many ways, such as TV cabinets, wardrobes, eating tables, and shelves. Many of us are so used to the fact that flat-pack furniture is easy to throw away that we don't realize how much better furniture made from solid wood will last. Oak furniture is a good purchase that will last a lifetime if you take good care of it. We promise that if you follow our top tips for caring for your oak furniture, it will stay in great shape for many years.