Make Non-Toxic Furniture Polish and Cleaners

Inexpensive Homemade Cleaners are Safer and Environment Friendly

Dec 14, 2008

Commercial furniture products contain harmful chemicals, but making them at home reduces the pollutants that are harmful for the whole family and are very effective.

Store-bought furniture polish and most cleaners are harmful and pollute the air inside a home. According to Dr. George Grant, toxicologist and founder of the International Academy of Wellness, “We spend 90% of our time indoors, and 65% of our time at home. Moms, infants and the elderly spend 90% of their time in the home.” That's a lot of time to spend breathing harmful air. Fortunately, making safe cleaning supplies from common household items is easy and greatly reduces this risk.

Some ingredients recommended are safer, but not non-toxic. They have been identified with an asterisk(*). Never mix home chemicals together without a recipe. Combining bleach and ammonia, for example, can produce dangerous fumes. These recipes come from Michigan State University Extension, Readers Digest Practical Problem Solver (1991), and grandmothers everywhere.

The idea behind furniture polish for wood products is to absorb oil into the wood. Many oils commonly found in kitchens work very well.

Furniture Polish and Cleaner Recipes

Mix in a sprayer bottle, 2 parts olive oil (or vegetable oil) and 1 part lemon juice. Apply and polish with a soft cloth leaving furniture looking and smelling good.

For varnished wood, add a few drops of lemon oil into a 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and spray onto a soft cotton cloth. Cloth should only be slightly damp. Wipe furniture with the cloth, and finish by wiping once more using a dry soft cotton cloth.

For unfinished wood, apply mineral oil* sparingly with a soft cloth. Add 1 teaspoon lemon oil to 1 pint mineral oil for a lemon oil polish. Caution: Mineral oil is flammable. Never substitute mineral spirits for mineral oil as it can be dangerous when inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

For mahogany, mix equal pans white vinegar and warm water. Wipe onto wood and then polish with a chamois or soft cloth.

Special Problems

For grease spots, immediately pour salt on the spot to absorb grease and prevent staining.

For scratches, mix equal parts of lemon juice and vegetable oil. Rub into scratches with a soft cloth until scratches disappear.

For washing wood, dampen a cloth with a solution of equal parts water and mild soap, such as Ivory or Murphy's Oil Soap. Wring the cloth almost dry and wipe the furniture section by section, drying with a clean dry cloth as you go so that no section stays wet.

For refinishing old furniture, try using a vegetable oil soap (such as Murphy's) before using chemical finish removers. This simple, nontoxic solvent may be all the help an antique needs.

Using these formulas and substitutions help minimize the use of toxic substances in the home, and reduce the environmental harm caused by the manufacture, use and disposal of toxics. Results may vary and cannot be guaranteed to be 100% safe and effective. Before applying any of these recipes, test in small hidden areas. Make sure to keep all homemade formulas well-labeled and out of the reach of children.

The copyright of the article Make Non-Toxic Furniture Polish and Cleaners in Green/Simple Living is owned by Christopher T. Reilly. Permission to republish Make Non-Toxic Furniture Polish and Cleaners in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.