Working with Antique Wood
If you’re lucky enough to find an antique that needs a bit of elbow grease, the first step in figuring out how to clean 100 year old wood is to focus on cleaning, not stripping.
Should you be working on a piece that was lovingly polished for years, you’ve probably got a great deal of dirt and wax to remove. A simple and low cost way to take off these layers is by using rubbing alcohol or a degreasing cleanser and very fine steel wool.
Test a bit of the wood in an obscure spot and give it a light scrub. Loosened wax will give way pretty quickly, leaving you with brown liquid and a gray or tan residue left on the wood. Wipe it away with a soft cloth, let it dry, and wipe it again with mineral spirits. This should get you down to the top layer of varnish or shellac.
Protect as You Go
When choosing how to clean antique wood, do your best to avoid soaking the piece. Moisture will seep into the joints even if you can avoid disturbing the top layer of shellac, wax or varnish. This moisture can cause the wood to swell and may break the glue bonds holding the piece together.
Unless you are skilled at restoration, re-gluing a piece can be extremely challenging. You’ll need to make sure the piece is level and that the clamping process doesn’t damage the wood. To reconstruct a piece of antique furniture when the glue joints fail, you may need to take it to a professional.
Restoring the Shine on Your Antique Furniture
As you study how to clean antique wood, keep the final finish you’re hoping for in mind. If the piece was coated in paste wax, you may want to go with something lighter, such as a beeswax polish, to treat the piece once it’s cleaned.
Take care to avoid products that contain acid, such as lemon or orange oil-based products. Those who built antique cabinets back in the day often didn’t share their formula for creating varnish or shellac, and acidic products can damage that layer or sealant on your antique. Oil polishes can give you a lovely shine, but they are magnets for dirt and dust. Beeswax polish will add a layer of protection to your antiques that you can polish up in future.
The first step is to make sure that the piece is free of dust. Once you have a good coat of wax on an antique, it’s entirely possible that it doesn’t need more polish; it may just need a gentle wipe down with a microfiber cloth, a soft brushing in carved areas, and a gentle polishing with a soft cloth to bring the current wax layer to a new shine.
If you come across an antique that has been painted, it may need to be treated with solvents to remove the paint. Most of the time, these solvents will also remove the original sealant put on by the maker. Before you tackle paint removal, it’s a good idea to take the piece to a professional for an assessment. You might also want to get it valued before you cause harm to the finish.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of antique wood furniture calls for a gentle touch to keep its timeless beauty intact. It’s all about being careful and knowledgeable when cleaning and maintaining these pieces, ensuring they stand the test of time and retain their special allure.
