Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips for Your Solid Wood Furniture
Posted by Anubhav on 8th May 2023
Cleaning and maintaining your solid wood furniture can be made quick and hassle-free without harming the environment or health. Wondering how? Simply swap the old harmful chemicals with more natural and gentle solid wood furniture cleaning techniques. Eco-friendly cleaning methods and products offer a great alternative to traditional chemical-based cleaning agents. This blog will be your ultimate guide in understanding the benefits of eco-friendly cleaning, offering tips forsafe and eco-friendly wood care, and exploring the best methods to clean wood furniture.
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Cleaning
Sustainable practices for natural wood furniture care serve a good number of benefits. Firstly, these are comparatively better for the environment since they use fewer harmful chemicals that can harm ecosystems when disposed of improperly. Secondly, these are safer to use owing to the fact that you come in contact with no toxic chemicals that might affect your health. Traditional cleaning products often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause respiratory irritation, headaches, and other health problems. Environmentally friendly woodcleaners do not contain these harmful chemicals, making them a quite safer alternative.
Some Common Household Cleaners & Chemicals to Avoid
Although traditional household cleaners have been simplifying seasonal solid wood furniture cleaning for a long time now, these come with their own set of drawbacks. While some household cleaners may have a bad impact on your health, a few might be too toxic to include while regular cleaning. Here are some common household cleaners and their potential risks:
Bleach: Bleach can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, and environmental harm when disposed of improperly.
Ammonia: Ammonia can cause respiratory problems resulting in coughing or shortness of breath. This can also cause irritation to the eyes, and skin, and has also proven to be quite toxic to aquatic life.
Phthalates: Phthalates are chemicals commonly found in air fresheners, dish soap, and other cleaning products. They have been linked to endocrine disruption and reproductive problems.
Perchloroethylene: Perchloroethylene is commonly used in dry cleaning and carpet cleaners. While short-term exposure to this chemical can result in dizziness, unconsciousness, headaches, and throat irritations, long-term exposure to the same can be life-threatening.
Switch to Natural Cleaning Methods
Eco-friendly wood furniture cleaners simply refer to cleaning agents that are derived from natural resources. Besides being an eco-friendly option, these environmentally friendly wood cleaners are also affordable to buy and hassle-free to use. Some of the most widely used natural cleaners include white vinegar, olive oil or other essential oils, lemon juice, and simply water. These natural wood furniture cleaners will not only remove grease or dirt from the wooden pieces but will also add a touch of shine. Natural cleaning methods. Here are some of the quickest cleaning methods for eco-friendly furniture:
Some Cleaning Tips for Naturally Cleaning Solid Wooden Furniture
Cleaning and protecting wood furniture is no more a complicated or time-consuming task. Premium-grade furniture crafted from oak and timber comparatively requires less maintenance. Consider furniture pieces like the Santo 600 Tassie Oak Lamp Table,Falcon Lamp Square Table Smoke 550,Raglan Tasmanian Oak Lamp Table,Denver Messmate Timber Lamp Table, and Elegant Round Brooklyn Lamp Table. These can be cleaned in an instant just by wiping the surface using a damp cloth. Here are some natural wood furniture care tips for keeping these clean and looking like new:
1.Dust Your Furniture Regularly: One of the best things you can do to avoid dust or dirt build-up on your wooden furniture is to regularly clean it with a dry cloth. Regular cleaning not only stops the formation of grime but also keeps your furniture pieces as attractive as ever.
2.Use Soft Cloth for Cleaning: Using the right materials while cleaning wooden furniture is again quite important. It is strongly recommended that you avoid using rough or harsh materials that may scratch the wooden surface or hamper the product quality. While cleaning or dusting furniture pieces, use a soft textured, lint-free cloth and wipe it gently.
3.Test on a smaller Section First: Before using any cleaner on your wooden furniture, it is advisable that you clean a smaller section at the back to test it. Even if you are using sustainable wood furniture cleaning methods, it is still important that you test them first to ensure they will not damage the wood.
4.Don’t Use Too Much Water: Although water can be used as a cleaning agent, using too much water or leaving the wooden surface covered with water for a long time, may damage it. Since excessive moisture can cause potential damage, it is necessary that you use a damp cloth rather than a wet cloth to clean wooden furniture. You must also dry your furniture thoroughly after cleaning to prevent water damage.
5.Avoid Direct Sunlight: Sunlight can be a damaging agent for your wooden furniture. The heat rays from the sun dry up furniture quickly and it loses its polished appeal. Furniture kept for too long in sunlight can even become discoloured and crack up from all spaces. Therefore, make sure that your wooden furniture is not exposed to sunlight.
6. Attend Spills & Stains Immediately: Clean any accidental spills & statins that may occur immediately. Clean stains and spills with a damp cloth. Any spills or stains left unattended will set in and damage the wood. Using coasters or mats helps in avoiding stains and spills.
Concluding Thoughts
With the given cleaning tips, maintaining and cleaning your classic wooden furniture will now be easier. Using conventional cleaning products will not only expose you to harsh health conditions but also fade out the shine and finish of natural wood. However, using natural cleaning solutions for winter furniture care or summer furniture care will be beneficial for the environment. It is recommended that you follow eco-friendly solid wood furniture cleaning methods and clean your furniture regularly to avoid dirt build-up and give it a shiny appeal.